Small-Swing Signal Receiver With Voltage Boost for Low Leakage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional small signal receivers in semiconductor devices suffer from deteriorated reception characteristics and high current consumption due to leakage current, particularly in low-voltage environments, which affects the duty ratio and overall power consumption.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor device with a modified signal receiver circuit that includes a voltage boost circuit and an inverter circuit, using a capacitor and a diode-coupled NMOS transistor to boost the input signal, preventing simultaneous operation of PMOS and NMOS transistors and reducing leakage current.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a buffer-type signal receiver with two inverters is used, then signal level conversion is achieved, but leakage current increases due to simultaneous transistor operation
Solution Approach 1:
The voltage boost circuit proactively raises the input signal voltage before it reaches the inverter stage, ensuring that the signal voltage is sufficiently higher than the threshold voltage of the PMOS transistor. This preliminary voltage enhancement prevents the simultaneous conduction of PMOS and NMOS transistors, thereby eliminating the leakage current path while maintaining reliable signal level conversion.
2Loss of energy
If a level shifter with multiple transistors is used, then leakage current is reduced, but duty ratio distortion occurs in low-voltage environments
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the voltage parameter of the input signal by applying a voltage boost equal to the threshold voltage of the PMOS transistor. This parameter transformation ensures that even in low-voltage environments, the boosted signal maintains sufficient voltage margin to properly turn on the NMOS transistor and achieve accurate duty ratio at the output, while the modified transistor operation mode keeps leakage current low.
3Use of energy by stationary object
If the power supply voltage is reduced to save power, then overall power consumption decreases, but reception characteristics deteriorate due to insufficient voltage swing
Solution Approach 1:
The voltage boost circuit performs preliminary voltage enhancement on the input signal before it enters the inverter stage. This proactive voltage raising ensures that even when the power supply voltage is reduced for lower power consumption, the signal voltage remains sufficiently higher than the PMOS threshold voltage, maintaining proper transistor switching behavior and reliable reception characteristics throughout the operating range.
Data Source
AI summary
A circuit including a voltage boost circuit coupled to a first node and a second node, and configured to apply a boosted first node voltage to the second node; and an inverter circuit coupled to the first node, the second node, and a third node, and configured to generate a signal on the third node in response to the signals on the first node and the second node.