Receiver Circuit for Voltage-Differing Semiconductor Chips

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing signal transmission methods between semiconductor chips with different power supply voltages face issues with voltage differences leading to chip breakage or signal failure, and require dedicated circuits for analog voltage comparison, resulting in increased circuit size and potential logic value errors.

Innovation Solution

A receiver with positive and negative pulse determination circuits that output specific logic values during predetermined periods based on pulse signal detection, eliminating the need for dedicated analog voltage comparison circuits and reducing circuit size while ensuring accurate data reception.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a transformer is used as the AC-coupling element to transmit pulse signals between semiconductor chips with different power supply voltages, then signal transmission is enabled, but counter pulses with reversed polarity are generated causing logic value errors

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal transmission reliabilityVSAvoidlogic value accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The transmitter preemptively generates a compensation pulse with the same polarity as the transmitted pulse and transmits it along with the pulse signal. This preliminary action ensures that when the counter pulse is generated by the transformer, the receiver can distinguish the compensation pulse from the counter pulse and correctly interpret the original logic value.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The compensation pulse acts as an intermediary element that mediates between the transmitted pulse and the counter pulse. By introducing this intermediate signal with known characteristics, the receiver can differentiate it from the harmful counter pulse and accurately recover the original data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If dedicated circuits for analog voltage comparison are used to prevent logic value errors, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepulse signal detection accuracyVSAvoidcircuit size

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention replaces the mechanical/analog voltage comparison system with a digital signal processing approach. Instead of using dedicated analog circuits to compare voltages and determine pulse polarity, the system uses digital logic to detect and differentiate between compensation pulses and counter pulses, thereby reducing circuit complexity while maintaining detection accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the approach from comparing voltage parameters analogously to detecting pulse characteristics digitally. By transforming the problem into the digital domain and using temporal and polarity characteristics of pulses rather than analog voltage levels, the system achieves the same measurement precision with simpler circuitry.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If AC-coupling elements are used to transmit signals between semiconductor chips with different power supply voltages, then voltage difference damage is prevented, but current consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevoltage difference protectionVSAvoidcurrent consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention uses periodic pulse signals instead of continuous signal transmission. By transmitting data as discrete pulses with specific timing characteristics and using AC-coupling elements, the system achieves voltage difference protection while minimizing current consumption through the periodic, rather than continuous, nature of the signal transmission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution enables high-accuracy data reception with a small-scale circuit configuration by digitally controlling pulse determination, eliminating noise components and counter pulses, and avoiding the need for fine-tuning transmission coil currents.

Implementation Method 1

A positive electromotive force (a pulse signal having a positive amplitude) is then generated in a secondary coil in accordance with an electrical current change in the primary coil

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentUS9001901B2Receiver and semiconductor integrated circuit having the same

Publication Date: 2015.04.07 RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORP

AI summary

A receiver includes a positive pulse determination circuit and a negative pulse determination circuit. The positive pulse determination circuit outputs a first L-level between when a pulse signal having a negative amplitude is detected and when neither a pulse signal having a positive amplitude nor a pulse signal having a negative amplitude is detected; otherwise a first H-level if a pulse signal having a positive amplitude is detected during another period. The negative pulse determination circuit outputs a second L-level between when a pulse signal having a positive amplitude is detected and when neither a pulse signal having a positive amplitude nor a pulse signal having a negative amplitude is detected; otherwise a second H-level is output if a pulse signal having a negative amplitude is detected during the other period.