IP Library Granted Patent US 12,489,430
Granted Patent B2
US 12,489,430 · App. 18/537,583 · Granted Dec 2, 2025

Lock-up latch for dual-edge-triggered flip-flops

Inventors: Yimai Peng (Cary, NC); Robert Joseph Vachon (Zebulon, NC); Daniel Yingling (Apex, NC); Keith Alan Bowman (Morrisville, NC)
Assignee: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
H03K3/037G01R31/3177G01R31/318541G01R31/318552G01R31/318594
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,489,430
App. No.
18/537,583
Granted
Dec 2, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus, including: a first flip-flop including a scan input configured to receive a scan signal, a clock input configured to receive a first clock signal of a first clock domain; a latch including an input coupled to an output of the first flip-flop, a clock input configured to receive a control signal; and a second flip-flop including a scan input coupled to an output of the latch, a clock input configured to receive a second clock signal of a second clock domain, and an output configured to generate the scan signal, wherein at least one of the first or second flip-flop comprises a first dual-edge-triggered (DET) flip-flop.

Claims (30)

1 . An apparatus, comprising:

a first flip-flop including a scan input configured to receive a scan signal, a clock input configured to receive a first clock signal of a first clock domain;

a latch including an input coupled to an output of the first flip-flop, a clock input configured to receive a control signal; and

a second flip-flop including a scan input coupled to an output of the latch, a clock input configured to receive a second clock signal of a second clock domain, and an output configured to generate the scan signal,

wherein one of the first or second flip-flop comprises a dual-edge-triggered (DET) flip-flop, and

wherein the other of the first or second flip-flop comprises a single-edge-triggered (SET) flip-flop.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first flip-flop comprises the SET flip-flop.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the control signal comprises the first clock signal.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising a frequency divider configured to frequency divide a first root clock signal to generate a second root clock signal, wherein the first clock signal is based on the first root clock signal, and wherein the second clock signal is based on the second root clock signal.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein a divider ratio of the frequency divider is substantially two (2).

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second flip-flop comprises a single-edge-triggered (SET) flip-flop.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the control signal comprises the second clock signal.

8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising a frequency divider configured to frequency divide a first root clock signal to generate a second root clock signal, wherein the first clock signal is based on the second root clock signal, and wherein the second clock signal is based on the first root clock signal.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein a divider ratio of the frequency divider is substantially two (2).

10 . A method, comprising:

operating a first flip-flop to propagate a scan signal from an input to an output based on a first clock signal of a first clock domain;

operating a latch to propagate the scan input from an input to an output based on a control signal; and

operating a second flip-flop to propagate the scan signal from an input to an output based on a second clock signal of a second clock domain, wherein one of the first or second flip-flop comprises a dual-edge-triggered (DET) flip-flop, and

wherein the other of the first or second flip-flop comprises a single-edge-triggered (SET) flip-flop.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first flip-flop comprises the SET e flip-flop, wherein the second flip-flop comprises the DET flip-flop, and wherein the control signal comprises the first clock signal.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first flip-flop comprises the DET flip-flop, wherein the second flip-flop comprises the SET flip-flop, and wherein the control signal comprises the second clock signal.

13 . A wireless communication device, comprising:

at least one antenna;

a transceiver coupled to the at least one antenna; and

one or more signal processing cores coupled to the transceiver, wherein the one or more signal processing cores comprise:

a first flip-flop including a scan input configured to receive a scan signal, a clock input configured to receive a first clock signal of a first clock domain;

a latch including an input coupled to an output of the first flip-flop, a clock input configured to receive a control signal; and

a second flip-flop including a scan input coupled to an output of the latch, a clock input configured to receive a second clock signal of a second clock domain, and an output configured to generate the scan signal,

wherein one of the first or second flip-flop comprises a dual-edge-triggered (DET) flip-flop, and

wherein the other of the first or second flip-flop comprises a single-edge-triggered (SET) flip-flop.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 4, 2024
From: PENG, YIMAI; VACHON, ROBERT JOSEPH; YINGLING, DANIEL; BOWMAN, KEITH ALAN
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 066639/0981 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250192757A1 · Jun 12, 2025
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