A pre-discharging based flip-flop having a negative setup time can include a flip-flop with an inverted output QN. The flip-flop includes a master section and a slave section. The master section latches a data input or a scan input signal based on a scan enable signal, and the slave section retains a previous value of the inverted output QN when a clock signal is at a low logic level. The master section retains a previously latched value of the data input or the scan input signal and the slave section fetches the latched value of the master section and provides a new inverted output QN when the clock signal is at a high logic level. Further, the master section includes sub-sections that are operated using a negative clock signal. An output of the master section is discharged to zero for a half of a phase of the clock cycle.

A dielectric structure is loaded with energy (e.g., charge), which is retained therein until a trigger causes rapid discharge of the loaded energy and generation of an accompanying electromagnetic pulse (EMP). By appropriate design of the dielectric structure and/or trigger, the waveform of the EMP resulting from the rapid discharge can be tailored. Features of the dielectric structure can be modified and/or other devices can be coupled to the dielectric structure to also tailor the EMP, for example, to provide directionality. A modeling unit can predict the discharge in the dielectric structure and/or resulting EMP. The modeling unit can be used to determine charge density spatial distribution within the dielectric structure, shape of the dielectric structure, and/or actuation timing/location necessary to yield a desired waveform for the EMP emanating from the dielectric structure upon discharge.

A dielectric structure is loaded with energy (e.g., charge), which is retained therein until a trigger causes rapid discharge of the loaded energy and generation of an accompanying electromagnetic pulse (EMP). By appropriate design of the dielectric structure and/or trigger, the waveform of the EMP resulting from the rapid discharge can be tailored. Features of the dielectric structure can be modified and/or other devices can be coupled to the dielectric structure to also tailor the EMP, for example, to provide directionality. A modeling unit can predict the discharge in the dielectric structure and/or resulting EMP. The modeling unit can be used to determine charge density spatial distribution within the dielectric structure, shape of the dielectric structure, and/or actuation timing/location necessary to yield a desired waveform for the EMP emanating from the dielectric structure upon discharge.

A secure IC includes multiple functionally-equivalent combinational logic circuits, multiple sets of state-sampling components, and control circuitry. Each combinational logic circuit receives one or more inputs, and applies a combinational-logic operation to the one or more inputs so as to produce one or more outputs. Each set of state-sampling components includes one or more state-sampling components that samples one or more of the outputs of one of the combinational logic circuits and provides one or more of the sampled outputs as inputs to another of the combinational logic circuits. The control circuitry receives multiple sets of input data for processing by the combinational logic circuits, routes the sets of input data to the combinational logic circuits, extracts sets of output data from the combinational logic circuits, and outputs each set of output data in association with the respective set of input data.

A secure IC includes multiple functionally-equivalent combinational logic circuits, multiple sets of state-sampling components, and control circuitry. Each combinational logic circuit receives one or more inputs, and applies a combinational-logic operation to the one or more inputs so as to produce one or more outputs. Each set of state-sampling components includes one or more state-sampling components that samples one or more of the outputs of one of the combinational logic circuits and provides one or more of the sampled outputs as inputs to another of the combinational logic circuits. The control circuitry receives multiple sets of input data for processing by the combinational logic circuits, routes the sets of input data to the combinational logic circuits, extracts sets of output data from the combinational logic circuits, and outputs each set of output data in association with the respective set of input data.

Provided is an output circuit including a logic circuit, a capacitor, a buffer circuit, and a driver circuit. When a clock signal is input and an enable signal is active, the logic circuit outputs a clock signal based on the clock signal. The buffer circuit receives a signal that is an output signal of the logic circuit via the capacitor. The driver circuit outputs a clock signal based on a signal that is an output signal of the buffer circuit. The logic circuit sets a signal to the same logic level as an input node of the buffer circuit when the enable signal is inactive.

Provided is an output circuit including a logic circuit, a capacitor, a buffer circuit, and a driver circuit. When a clock signal is input and an enable signal is active, the logic circuit outputs a clock signal based on the clock signal. The buffer circuit receives a signal that is an output signal of the logic circuit via the capacitor. The driver circuit outputs a clock signal based on a signal that is an output signal of the buffer circuit. The logic circuit sets a signal to the same logic level as an input node of the buffer circuit when the enable signal is inactive.

A circuit has a first window comparator determining whether a signal at a first input has a voltage higher than a first threshold but lower than a second threshold, and a second window comparator determining whether a signal at a second input has a voltage higher than the first threshold but lower than the second threshold. A logic circuit generates pulses in response to either the first window comparator determining that the signal at the first differential input has a voltage higher than the first threshold but lower than the second threshold or the second window comparator determining that the signal at the second input has a voltage higher than the first threshold but lower than the second threshold. A filter circuit receives the pulses from the logic circuit and generates a flag indicating that the signal is invalid, based upon pulses received from the logic circuit.

A circuit has a first window comparator determining whether a signal at a first input has a voltage higher than a first threshold but lower than a second threshold, and a second window comparator determining whether a signal at a second input has a voltage higher than the first threshold but lower than the second threshold. A logic circuit generates pulses in response to either the first window comparator determining that the signal at the first differential input has a voltage higher than the first threshold but lower than the second threshold or the second window comparator determining that the signal at the second input has a voltage higher than the first threshold but lower than the second threshold. A filter circuit receives the pulses from the logic circuit and generates a flag indicating that the signal is invalid, based upon pulses received from the logic circuit.

A delay line includes a delay chain, a pulse generator generating a pulse based on a received input signal, and a delay chain control circuit. The delay chain control circuit has a first input receiving the pulse, a second input receiving output from a last element of the delay chain, and a selection input receiving a delayed version of the received input signal. The delay chain control circuit has an output coupled to provide input to a first element of the delay chain in response to the delayed version of the received input signal. An output selection circuit receives outputs from each element of the delay chain, counts assertions of the output of the last element of the delay chain and, in response to the count being equal to a desired count, passes a desired one of the outputs of the elements of the delay chain as output.