Latch Driving Circuit for High-Speed High-Voltage Signal Transmission

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing signal transmission circuits face challenges in achieving high-speed operations while maintaining low-power characteristics, particularly in driving and transmitting signals at high voltage levels without requiring additional level shifters, which can increase layout area.

Innovation Solution

A signal transmission circuit design that includes multiple latch driving circuits synchronized with division clock signals to drive transmission signals at higher voltage levels, utilizing pull-up and pull-down drive signals to enhance high-speed operation without needing separate level shifters.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If signals are transmitted at high voltage levels to achieve high-speed operation, then operation speed is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperation speedVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The circuit dynamically switches between low-voltage internal operations and high-voltage signal transmission modes. The latch driving circuit activates high-voltage drive signals only during signal transmission phases while maintaining low-voltage operation during internal processing, achieving high-speed transmission without continuous high power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The circuit employs periodic pre-charge operations using pre-charge signals that are activated at specific clock cycles. This periodic charging of parasitic capacitances during designated time windows enables high-speed signal transitions while allowing the circuit to return to low-power states between transmission events.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

2Adaptability or versatility

If additional level shifters are added to drive signals at high voltage levels, then signal transmission capability is improved, but layout area increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal transmission capabilityVSAvoidlayout area

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The latch driving circuit merges the functions of signal latching, voltage level conversion, and signal driving into a single integrated circuit block. By combining these functions, the design eliminates the need for separate level shifter components while achieving high-voltage signal transmission capability, thereby reducing overall layout area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The latch driving circuit serves multiple functions simultaneously: it latches input signals, generates high-voltage drive signals, and directly drives transmission lines. This multi-functional design replaces what would traditionally require multiple specialized components, reducing the total circuit area while maintaining full signal transmission capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12542543B2Signal transmission circuits performing high-speed operation

Publication Date: 2026.02.03 SK HYNIX INC

AI summary

A signal transmission circuit includes a first latch driving circuit configured to latch a first alignment signal, based on a first division clock signal and a second division clock signal, and to drive a transmission signal, and a second latch driving circuit configured to latch a second alignment signal, based on the second division clock signal and a first inverted division clock signal, and to drive the transmission signal.