Power Supply Switching Circuit With Phase-Opposite Control Signals

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing power supply switching circuits in integrated circuits have complex control logic and are sensitive to process variations, leading to unreliable operation due to simultaneous turning on or off of output subcircuits.

Innovation Solution

A power supply switching circuit design that generates control signals using input signals and drive signals that are opposite in phase, reducing or eliminating overlap time for turning on/off output subcircuits, thereby improving reliability and control logic simplicity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If independent control logic or standard non-overlap control logic is used to control clock overlap, then power supply switching can be achieved, but the control logic becomes complex and reliability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovereliabilityVSAvoidcontrol logic complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional approach by using phase-opposite drive signals to directly control the switching of output subcircuits, rather than using complex control logic to manage clock overlap. The first drive signal and second drive signal are designed to be opposite in phase, which automatically ensures that when one output subcircuit is turning on, the other is turning off, thereby eliminating the need for complex control logic and improving reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Reliability

If independent control logic or standard non-overlap control logic is used to control clock overlap, then power supply switching can be achieved, but the circuit becomes sensitive to process variations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocess sensitivityVSAvoidcontrol logic complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses phase-opposite drive signals to directly control the switching of output subcircuits, which inherently reduces sensitivity to process variations. By ensuring that the first drive signal and second drive signal are opposite in phase, the circuit automatically maintains proper switching timing without relying on complex control logic that would be sensitive to process variations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Reliability

If complex control logic is used to manage clock overlap, then switching control can be achieved, but overlap time increases and reliability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovereliabilityVSAvoidoverlap time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent eliminates overlap time by using phase-opposite drive signals that directly control the switching of output subcircuits. When the first drive signal is high, the second drive signal is low, and vice versa, ensuring that one output subcircuit is turning on while the other is turning off simultaneously, thereby minimizing overlap time and improving reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

4Ease of operation

If standard non-overlap control logic is used to control clock overlap, then switching control can be achieved, but the control logic becomes complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol logic simplicityVSAvoidcontrol logic complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent simplifies control logic by using phase-opposite drive signals to directly control the switching of output subcircuits. This approach eliminates the need for complex non-overlap control logic, as the phase-opposite relationship between drive signals automatically ensures proper switching timing and minimizes overlap.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS12380941B2Power supply switching circuit and memory

Publication Date: 2025.08.05 CHANGXIN MEMORY TECH INC

AI summary

Embodiments provide a power supply switching circuit, which generates a first control signal jointly by utilizing a first input signal and a first drive signal opposite in phase to a second control signal, and generates the second control signal jointly by utilizing a second input signal and a second drive signal opposite in phase to the first control signal, such that time (i.e., overlap time) required for simultaneously turning on or off a first output subcircuit and a second output subcircuit is greatly reduced or even eliminated, effective output of an output node is implemented, and reliability of a device is improved. Furthermore, compared with eliminating the overlap time by means of delay, eliminating the overlap time by means of the power supply switching circuit is simple and reliable in control logic and is insensitive to process, which further improves the reliability of the device.