In an embodiment, an integrated circuit includes a clock tree circuit and logic circuitry that is clocked by the clocks received from the clock tree circuit. The logic circuit is powered by a first power supply voltage. The integrated circuit includes a voltage regulator that receives the first power supply voltage and generates a second power supply voltage having a magnitude that is lower than the magnitude of the first power supply voltage by a predetermined amount. The second power supply voltage may track the first power supply voltage over dynamic changes during use, either intentional changes to operating state or noise-induced changes. The second power supply voltage may be used to power at least a portion of the clock tree.

Techniques and apparatus for reducing low frequency power supply spurs in clock signals in a clock distribution network. One example circuit for clock distribution generally includes a plurality of logic inverters coupled in series and configured to drive a clock signal and a current-starved inverter coupled in parallel (or in series) with a logic inverter in the plurality of logic inverters.

An integrated circuit device includes a reference voltage channel, a first cell and a second cell. The reference voltage channel is configured to provide a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage. The first cell is coupled to the reference voltage channel, and is configured to receive the first reference voltage and the second reference voltage. The second cell is coupled to the reference voltage channel, and is configured to receive the first reference voltage and the second reference voltage.

Described are on-die termination (ODT) systems and methods that facilitate high-speed communication between a driver die and a receiver die interconnected via one or more signal transmission lines. An ODT control system in accordance with one embodiment calibrates and maintains termination resistances and drive currents to produce optimal output swing voltages. Comparison circuitry employed to calibrate the reference resistance is also used to calibrate the drive current. Termination elements in some embodiments are divided into two adjustable resistive portions, both of which are designed to minimize capacitive loading. One portion is optimized to produce a relatively high range of adjustment, while the other is optimized for fine-tuning and glitch-free switching.

A plurality of driver slice circuits arranged in parallel having a plurality of driver slice outputs, each driver slice circuit having a digital driver input and a driver slice output, each driver slice circuit configured to generate a signal level determined by the digital driver input, and a common output node connected to the plurality of driver slice outputs and a wire of a multi-wire bus, the multi-wire bus having a characteristic transmission impedance matched to an output impedance of the plurality of driver slice circuits arranged in parallel, each driver slice circuit of the plurality of driver slice circuits having an individual output impedance that is greater than the characteristic transmission impedance of the wire of the multi-wire bus.

A high-voltage tolerant circuit includes a first level shifter responsive to an input signal having a first logic high voltage and a first logic low voltage for providing a first intermediate signal having the first logic high voltage and a second logic low voltage referenced to a second reference voltage higher than the first logic low voltage, a second level shifter responsive to the input signal for providing a second intermediate signal having a second logic high voltage referenced to a first reference voltage lower than the first logic high voltage, and the first logic low voltage, an output stage responsive to the first and second intermediate signals for providing an output signal having the first logic high voltage and the first logic low voltage, and a reference voltage generation circuit providing the second logic high and second logic low voltages without drawing current from the reference voltage generation circuit.

An output driver includes a first pre-driver circuit, a first driver circuit, a second pre-driver circuit, a second driver circuit, and a feedback network. The first pre-driver circuit pre-drives a first data input signal to generate a first pre-driving output signal. The first driver circuit drives the first pre-driving output signal to generate a first data output signal. The second pre-driver circuit pre-drives a second data input signal to generate a second pre-driving output signal, wherein the first data input signal and the second data input signal are a differential input of the output driver. The second driver circuit drives the second pre-driving output signal to generate a second data output signal. The feedback network performs a latching operation upon the first pre-driving output signal and the second pre-driving output signal according to the first data output signal and the second data output signal.

Systems and methods of the present disclosure provide techniques for reducing power consumption of a large combinational circuit using register insertion. In particular, a large circuit may be analyzed to determine the amount of signal switching at various logical points (e.g., stages in the computation) of the circuit. A clock sequence with many pulses in the period of a clock that runs the large combinatorial circuit may be generated. To balance the amount of signal switching at various logical points in the circuit, registers may be inserted at certain points in the large circuit with the clock pulses of the clock sequence assigned to the registers that may not have a constant frequency or may be phase shifted versions of the main clock.

Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture corresponding to a low area and high speed termination detection circuit with voltage clamping are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a transistor including a first control terminal, first current terminal and a second current terminal, the second current terminal adapted to be coupled to a load. The apparatus further includes a logic gate including an input coupled to the first current terminal. The apparatus further includes a current source including a second control terminal, a third current terminal coupled to a voltage rail and a fourth current terminal coupled to the first current terminal and the input of the logic gate.

A semiconductor substrate includes a buried semiconductor layer and semiconductor wells. A device for detecting a possible thinning of the semiconductor substrate via the rear face thereof is formed on and in the semiconductor wells. The device is a non-inverting buffer including an input terminal and an output terminal, the device being powered between a supply terminal and a reference terminal where the buried semiconductor layer provides the supply terminal. A control circuit delivers an input signal in a first state to the input terminal and outputs a control signal indicating a detection of a thinning of the substrate if a signal generated at the output terminal in response to the input signal is in a second state different from the first state.