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.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 23, 1997
Filed:
Aug. 21, 1995
Jiunn-Yau Liou, Cupertino, CA (US);
Richard L Wheeler, San Jose, CA (US);
Bidyut Sen, Milpitas, CA (US);
James C Parker, Jr, Pleasanton, CA (US);
Fujitsu Limited, , JP;
Abstract
Systems for controlling the current consumption of an integrated circuit chip and the like so as to reduce the inductive voltage drops occurring over the power supply lines within the chip and power supply lines to the chip are disclosed. The systems according to the present invention are applicable to circuits having two or more sub-circuits formed on a semiconductor substrate, each sub-circuit having two or more power supply inputs. An exemplary system comprises two or more current shunting elements formed on the substrate, with each current shunting element coupled in parallel with the power supply inputs of a selected sub-circuit. The system has at least two main power supply lines formed on the semiconductor substrate, with each selected sub-circuit having each of its power supply inputs coupled to a main power supply line. A current shunting element may comprise a Zener diode, an active shunt circuit, or equivalents thereof.