IP Library Granted Patent US 10,355,671
Granted Patent B1
US 10,355,671 · App. 15/996,821 · Granted Jul 16, 2019

Low power flip-flop circiut

Inventor: Mingming Mao (Saratoga, CA)
Assignee: LITTLE DRAGON IP HOLDING LLC
H03K3/012H03K3/037
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,355,671
App. No.
15/996,821
Granted
Jul 16, 2019
Kind
B1
Abstract

Aspects for a flip-flop circuit are described herein. As an example, the aspects may include a first passgate, a first latch, a second passgate, and a second latch. The first latch may include a first inverter and a first logic gate. The first logic gate may further include a second inverter and at least one voltage reducing component. The voltage reducing component may be an N-channel transistor or a P-channel transistor. Similarly, the second latch may include a third inverter and a second logic gate. The second logic gate may further include a fourth inverter and at least one voltage reducing component.

Claims (35)

1. A flip-flop circuit, comprising:

a flip-flop data input terminal and a flip-flop output terminal;

a first clock terminal that provides a first clock signal and a second clock terminal that provides a second clock signal, wherein the second clock signal is an inverse of the first clock signal;

a first passgate coupled between the flip-flop data input terminal and a first node, wherein

the first passgate includes a first P-channel gate terminal and a first N-channel gate terminal, and

the first P-channel gate terminal is connected to the first clock terminal and the first N-channel gate terminal is connected to the second clock terminal;

a first latch coupled between the first node and a second node, wherein the first latch includes

a first logic gate having a first input terminal coupled to the first node and a first output terminal coupled to the second node, and

a second logic gate having a second input terminal coupled to the second node and a second output terminal coupled to the first node, and wherein

the second logic gate includes at least one first voltage reducing component and a first inverter, wherein the at least first voltage reducing component includes a P-channel transistor and a gate terminal of the P-channel transistor is coupled to a source terminal or a drain terminal of the P-channel transistor;

a second passgate coupled between the second node and a third node, wherein

the second passgate includes a second P-channel gate terminal and a second N-channel terminal, and

the second P-channel gate terminal is connected to the second clock terminal and the second N-channel terminal is connected to the first clock terminal;

a second latch coupled between the third node and the flip-flop output terminal, wherein the second latch includes

a third logic gate having a third input terminal coupled to the third node and a third output terminal coupled to the flip-flop output terminal, and

a fourth logic gate having a fourth input terminal coupled to the flip-flop output terminal and a fourth output terminal coupled to the third node, and wherein

the fourth logic gate includes at least one second voltage reducing component and a second inverter, wherein the at least one second voltage reducing component includes an N-channel transistor and a gate terminal of the N-channel transistor is coupled to one of a source terminal or a drain terminal of the N-channel transistor.

2. The flip-flop circuit of claim 1 ,

wherein an input terminal of the first inverter is coupled to the second node, and

wherein an output terminal of the first inverter is coupled to the first node.

3. The flip-flop circuit of claim 2 , wherein the at least one first voltage reducing component is coupled between a supply terminal and a voltage terminal of the first inverter.

4. The flip-flop circuit of claim 2 , wherein the at least one first voltage reducing component is coupled between a ground point and a ground terminal of the first inverter.

5. The flip-flop circuit of claim 1 , wherein

the at least one first voltage reducing component includes an N-channel transistor, and

a gate terminal of the N-channel transistor is coupled to one of a source terminal or a drain terminal of the N-channel transistor.

6. The flip-flop circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first logic gate is an inverter.

7. The flip-flop circuit of claim 1 ,

wherein an input terminal of the second inverter is coupled to the flip-flop output terminal, and

wherein an output terminal of the second inverter is coupled to the third node.

8. The flip-flop circuit of claim 7 , wherein the at least one second voltage reducing component is coupled between a supply terminal and a voltage terminal of the second inverter.

9. The flip-flop circuit of claim 7 , wherein the at least one second voltage reducing component is coupled between a ground point and a ground terminal of the second inverter.

10. The flip-flop circuit of claim 1 , wherein

the at least one second voltage reducing component includes a P-channel transistor, and

a gate terminal of the P-channel transistor is coupled to one of a source terminal or a drain terminal of the P-channel transistor.

11. The flip-flop circuit of claim 1 , wherein the third logic gate is an inverter.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 3, 2024
From: LITTLE DRAGON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: INTELLINK INC
Reel/Frame 066997/0004 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 20, 2022
From: LITTLE DRAGON IP HOLDING, LLC.
To: LITTLE DRAGON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 059650/0262 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2018
From: MAO, MINGMING
To: LITTLE DRAGON IP HOLDING LLC
Reel/Frame 045977/0755 →
Cited By (3)
US 12,212,323 US 12,574,032 US 12,597,927