The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Jun. 15, 1993

Filed:

Dec. 23, 1991
Applicant:
Inventors:

Yuichi Nakao, Hyogo, JP;

Yoshio Kasai, Hyogo, JP;

Assignee:
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G06F / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
395750 ; 395550 ; 364707 ; 365227 ;
Abstract

A method is provided for decreasing the power consumption of a sequential digital circuit having a plurality of states being determined from the current state and the input conditions and entered upon the assertion of a pulse from one or more clocks. The method consists of interrupting the switching created by the clock pulses and maintaining the system in a quiescent state. It is first determined whether a subsequent clock pulse will lead to a change in the state of the circuit. If it will, the circuit either waits for a change in the input conditions and state of the circuit, or changes some of the input conditions, depending on the embodiment of the invention. When a circuit configuration is reached in which further clock pulses will not lead to a change in the state of the circuit, the clock signal(s) are replaced by continuously asserted signals. The feedback loop thus created maintains the current state of the circuit in the absence of a clock signal and prevents further switching in the circuit.


Find Patent Forward Citations

Loading…