Shared-Transistor Decoder Circuits for Low-Power, High-Speed Operation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing decoder circuits in semiconductor devices occupy significant circuit area and consume high power, limiting their integration density and speed.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of decoder circuits using shared transistors, specifically in NAND and NOR configurations, reduces the number of transistors required while maintaining functionality, thereby minimizing circuit area and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If traditional decoder circuits are used, then functionality is maintained, but circuit area and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple decoder circuits share common transistors to perform identical functions. Specifically, first and second decoder circuits share first and second transistors, respectively, allowing the same transistor to serve multiple decoding functions simultaneously. This merging approach reduces the total transistor count and circuit area while maintaining all required decoding functionalities.
Solution Approach 2:
Transistors are designed with multi-functionality to serve multiple decoder circuits. The shared transistors can operate in different configurations (e.g., as pull-up or pull-down elements) depending on the specific decoding operation required, enabling a single transistor to perform multiple roles across different decoder circuits.
2Reliability
If more transistors are used to ensure functionality, then reliability is maintained, but integration density decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By merging transistor resources across multiple decoder circuits, the patent achieves higher integration density without sacrificing reliability. The shared transistors are carefully designed and controlled to ensure that each transistor maintains its required functional reliability while serving multiple circuits, thereby increasing the number of functional units per unit area.
3Speed
If decoder circuits operate at high speed, then productivity is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shared transistor architecture reduces the total number of switching events across the decoder circuitry. By reusing transistors across multiple decoder functions, the circuit achieves high-speed operation with fewer individual transistor transitions, thereby reducing dynamic power consumption while maintaining high operating speed.
Data Source
AI summary
Decoder devices and a method of operating word-line decoder devices are disclosed. In one aspect, a decoder device includes a first logic gate that receives a disable signal and a first input signal, and generates a first decoder output signal at a first output node. The decoder device includes a second logic gate that receives the disable signal and a second input signal, and generates a second decoder output signal at a second output node. The first logic gate and the second logic gate share a transistor. The transistor has a first terminal coupled to the first output node, a second terminal coupled to the second output node, and a gate terminal that receives the disable signal.