IP Library Granted Patent US 10,161,967
Granted Patent B2
US 10,161,967 · App. 14/991,936 · Granted Dec 25, 2018

On-chip oscilloscope

Inventors: Chung-Peng Hsieh (New Taipei, TW); Chih-Chiang Chang (Taipei, TW); Chung-Chieh Yang (Hsinchu County, TW)
Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
G01R13/00G01R13/0218G01R31/2851G01R31/31726
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,161,967
App. No.
14/991,936
Granted
Dec 25, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A device is disclosed that includes a control circuit, a scope circuit and a time-to-current converter. The control circuit configured to delay a voltage signal for a delay time to generate a first control signal, and to generate a second control signal according to the first control signal and the voltage signal. The scope circuit configured to generate a first current signal in response to the second control signal and the voltage signal. The time-to-current converter configured to generate a second current signal according to the first control signal and the voltage signal.

Claims (48)

1. A device, comprising:

a control circuit configured to delay a voltage signal for a delay time to generate a first control signal, and to generate a second control signal according to the first control signal and the voltage signal;

a scope circuit configured to generate a first current signal in response to the second control signal and the voltage signal; and

a time-to-current converter configured to generate a second current signal according to the first control signal and the voltage signal.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit comprises:

a delay unit configured to delay the voltage signal, and to generate the first control signal, wherein the delay time is controlled according to a control voltage.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the control circuit further comprises:

an inverter configured to invert the first control signal to generate a third control signal.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the control circuit further comprises:

an NAND gate configured to generate the second control signal according to the voltage signal and the third control signal.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the scope circuit comprises:

a transmission gate configured to be turned on to transmit the voltage signal to a node according to the second control signal.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the scope circuit further comprises:

a resistive element coupled to the transmission gate at the node and configured to generate the first current signal according to the voltage signal.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the scope circuit further comprises:

a first switch coupled to the node, and configured to pull a voltage level of the node to a ground according to the second control signal.

8. The device of claim 5 , wherein the scope circuit further comprises:

an inverter configured to invert the second control signal to generate a fourth control signal, wherein the transmission gate is further configured to be turned on according to both of the second control signal and fourth control signal.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the transmission gate comprises:

a first switch configured to be turned on to transmit the voltage signal to the node according to the second control signal; and

a second switch coupled in parallel with the first switch, and configured to be turned on to transmit the voltage signal to the node according to the fourth control signal.

10. A method, comprising:

delaying, by a control circuit, a voltage signal for a delay time to generate a first control signal, and to generate a second control signal according to the first control signal and the voltage signal;

controlling a scope circuit by the second control signal to generate a first current signal that is associated with the voltage signal; and

controlling a time-to-current converter by the first control signal to generating generate a second current signal that is associated with the voltage signal.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein generating the second control signal comprises:

inverting the first control signal to generate a third control signal; and

performing an NAND operation according to the third control signal and the voltage signal, to generate the second control signal.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein generating the first current signal comprises:

transmitting the voltage signal to a node according to the second control signal; and

generating the first current signal via a resistive element coupled to the node.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

pulling a voltage level of the node to a ground according to the second control signal, to stop generating the first current signal.

14. A device, comprising:

a control circuit configured to delay a voltage signal to generate a first control signal, and to generate a second control signal according to the first control signal and the voltage signal; and

a scope circuit configured to receive the voltage signal, and configured to be controlled by the second control signal having a first logic value to generate a first current signal that is associated with the voltage signal, and configured to be controlled by the second control signal having a second logic value to stop generating the first current signal that is associated with the voltage signal.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the control circuit comprises:

a delay unit configured to delay the voltage signal for a delay time, and to generate the first control signal, wherein the delay time is controlled according to a control voltage.

16. The device of claim 14 , wherein the control circuit further comprises:

an inverter configured to invert the first control signal to generate a third control signal.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the control circuit further comprises:

an NAND gate configured to generate the second control signal according to the voltage signal and the third control signal.

18. The device of claim 14 , wherein the scope circuit comprises:

a transmission gate configured to be turned on according to the second control signal, to transmit the voltage signal to a resistive element.

19. The device of claim 14 , wherein the scope circuit comprises:

a switch configured to pull down, in response to the second control signal, a voltage level of one terminal of a resistive element.

20. The device of claim 14 , wherein the scope circuit comprises:

a resistive element configured to generate the first current signal according to the voltage signal.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 14, 2016
From: HSIEH, CHUNG-PENG; CHANG, CHIH-CHIANG; YANG, CHUNG-CHIEH
To: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 037495/0410 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170199228A1 · Jul 13, 2017