Shift Circuit Clock Control for Power Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shift circuits in semiconductor memory devices consume excessive power as they provide a clock signal to all shifters, even when not in operation, leading to unnecessary current flow and increased power consumption.
Innovation Solution
A shift circuit with a plurality of shifters and clock controllers, where the clock is supplied only to a shifter before its activation and stopped when the output is activated, reducing power consumption by ensuring clock provision only during active operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a clock signal is provided to all shifters in the shift circuit, then all shifters can operate when needed, but power consumption increases due to unnecessary current flow in non-operational shifters
Solution Approach 1:
The shift circuit is segmented into multiple independent shifter units (first shifter, second shifter, third shifter, etc.), each capable of independent operation. This segmentation allows the clock signal to be selectively applied to only those shifters that are currently active, rather than providing clock signals to all shifters continuously. Each shifter can be independently enabled or disabled based on operational requirements, thereby reducing unnecessary power consumption while maintaining operational readiness.
Solution Approach 2:
The shift circuit implements dynamic clock signal distribution through clock control signals. The clock signal is dynamically routed to specific shifters based on real-time operational needs, rather than being statically provided to all shifters. This dynamic approach allows the system to adapt clock distribution to current operational requirements, enabling shifters to be activated or deactivated as needed, thus reducing power consumption during periods when fewer shifters are required.
2Speed
If the number of shifters is increased to handle higher data transmission rates, then operation speed improves, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The shift circuit is divided into multiple independent shifter segments that can be selectively activated. Instead of requiring all shifters to operate simultaneously at high speeds, the segmented architecture allows the system to activate only the necessary number of shifters based on current data transmission requirements. This reduces the effective complexity and power consumption while maintaining the capability for high-speed operation when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the number of active shifters based on operational demands. During high-data-rate transmission, more shifters can be activated to handle the increased load. During lower-data-rate periods, fewer shifters remain active, reducing complexity and power consumption. This dynamic scaling allows the system to optimize performance based on real-time requirements without permanently maintaining high complexity.
3Loss of time
If the number of shifters is increased to reduce latency, then operation efficiency improves, but power consumption increases due to more shifters requiring clock signals
Solution Approach 1:
The shift circuit is segmented into multiple independent shifter units that can be selectively activated based on latency requirements. When low latency is required, more shifters can be activated to process commands faster. When latency requirements are less stringent, fewer shifters remain active, reducing power consumption. This segmented architecture enables flexible trade-offs between latency and power consumption based on operational priorities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the number of active shifters based on real-time latency requirements and power constraints. During periods requiring low latency, the system activates additional shifters to reduce processing time. During periods where power conservation is prioritized, the system reduces the number of active shifters, accepting higher latency. This dynamic adjustment allows optimization of both latency and power consumption based on current operational conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
A shift circuit of a semiconductor device reduces the power consumption of the semiconductor device. The shift circuit comprises a plurality of shifters and a plurality of clock controllers. The plurality of shifters shifts an input signal in sequence in response to a clock. The plurality of clock each supply the clock to a corresponding shifter before an input of the corresponding shifter is activated and stop the supply of the clock to the corresponding shifter when an output of the corresponding shifter is activated.