Qualcomm Incorporated

Amey Kulkarni

Jason Philip Martzloff

Francois Ibrahim Atallah

Keith Alan Bowman

Stephen Edward Liles

Jihoon Jeong

David Paul Hoff

Joshua Lance Puckett

Systems and methods for generating voltage level shifted self-clocked write assistance include a circuit with self-clocked true and complement data input signals in a first voltage domain. First and second full voltage level shifters are configured to generate voltage level shifted self-clocked intermediate true and complement signals in a second voltage domain, based on the self-clocked true and complement data input signals in the first voltage domain. Tristating logic including first and second complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) circuits are configured to generate voltage level shifted self-clocked tristated true and complement output signals used for providing write assistance for a memory array in the second voltage domain, based on the voltage level shifted self-clocked intermediate true and complements signals.

Voltage level shifted self-clocked write assistance

A register file circuit according to some examples of the disclosure may include a memory cell, a header transistor circuit, and a driver circuit. The header transistor circuit may include one or more PFET headers in series with the PFETs of the memory cell with the gate of the PFET header for the row being written being controlled with a pulse write signal from the driver circuit. In some examples of the disclosure, the header transistor circuit may include an NFET pull-down inserted between a virtual-vdd and ground to discharge the virtual-vdd node reducing the contention during a write operation and a clamping NFET in parallel with the PFET header to clamp the virtual-vdd node to slightly below the threshold voltage of the pull-up PFET in the memory cell to ensure the pull-up PFET is barely off and prevent the virtual-vdd node from discharging all the way to ground.

Register file circuit and method for improving the minimum operating supply voltage

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Raleigh, NC, United States of America

Amey Kulkarni