# US 12,015,408 B2 · Flip flop including serial stack structure transistors > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,015,408 B2 - Document ID: US12015408B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/712,465 - Filed: 2022-04-04 - Published: 2022-10-20 - Granted: 2024-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2021-04-16 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Hyunchul Hwang; Minsu Kim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12015408B2 ## CPC - H03K 3/356191: {with synchronous operation} - H03K 3/012: Modifications of generator to improve response time or to decrease power consumption - H03K 3/013: Modifications of generator to prevent operation by noise or interference - H03K 3/037: Bistable circuits - H03K 3/356121: {with synchronous operation (H03K3/35613, H03K3/356147 take precedence)} - H03K 3/356104: {using complementary field-effect transistors (H03K3/35625 takes precedence)} - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) ## Abstract A flip flop includes a precharge circuit configured to charge a first node by bridging a power voltage node and the first node, the charging of the first node by the precharge circuit according to a voltage level of a clock signal, the charging of the first node by the precharge circuit based on at least two PMOS transistors arranged in series, a discharge circuit configured to discharge the first node by bridging the first node and a ground node, the discharging of the first node according to an input signal and the clock signal, and a second node configured to be charged or discharged, the charging and the discharging of the second node according to a voltage level of the first node. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A flip flop comprising: a precharge circuit configured to charge a first node by bridging a power voltage node and the first node according to a voltage level of a clock signal, the pre-charge circuit including at least two PMOS transistors arranged directly in series, the at least two PMOS transistors configured to simultaneously receive a same clock signal; a discharge circuit configured to discharge the first node by bridging the first node and a ground node according to an input signal and the clock signal; a second node configured to be charged or discharged according to a voltage level of the first node; and an additional discharge circuit between the discharge circuit and the ground node includes at least two NMOS transistors arranged in parallel, the at least two NMOS transistors configured to simultaneously receive the same clock signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The flip flop of claim 1, wherein the precharge circuit comprises: a first PMOS transistor; and a second PMOS transistor, wherein the first PMOS transistor is connected in series between the power voltage node and the second PMOS transistor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The flip flop of claim 2, wherein the precharge circuit is configured to simultaneously receive the clock signal at a gate of the first PMOS transistor and a gate of the second PMOS transistor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The flip flop of claim 2, wherein, a speed at which the first node is discharged after the clock signal transits to logic high is based on a number of PMOS transistors in the precharge circuit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The flip flop of claim 1, further comprising a first keeper circuit configured to maintain the voltage level of the first node, wherein the first keeper circuit comprises at least one of (A) at least one PMOS transistor configured to maintain the voltage level of the first node to logic high, according to at least the input signal, or (B) at least one NMOS transistor configured to maintain the voltage level of the first node to logic low, according to at least the input signal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The flip flop of claim 1, further comprising: an inverter configured to reverse a voltage level of the second node; and a second keeper circuit configured to maintain the voltage level of the second node, wherein the second keeper circuit comprises, at least one PMOS transistor configured to maintain the voltage level of the second node to logic high according to an output signal from the inverter, or at least one NMOS transistor configured to maintain the voltage level of the second node to logic low according to the output signal from the inverter. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The flip flop of claim 1, wherein the at least two NMOS transistors comprise, a first NMOS transistor and a second NMOS transistor, the first NMOS transistor and the second NMOS transistor connected in parallel, wherein the additional discharge circuit is configured to simultaneously receive the clock signal at a gate of the first NMOS transistor and to a gate of the second NMOS transistor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The flip flop of claim 1, further comprising: a third transistor and a fourth transistor, the third transistor and the fourth transistor connecting the discharge circuit to the ground node, wherein the third transistor and the fourth transistor are connected in parallel and receive the clock signal, respectively, and the precharge circuit, the third transistor, and the fourth transistor have a layout identical to a layout of a NOR gate configured to receive two inputs. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The flip flop of claim 1, wherein the at least two transistors are configured to turn on simultaneously in response to the same clock signal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The flip flop of claim 1, wherein the flip flop is arranged as a D flip flop (DFF). ### Claim 11 A dynamic flip flop comprising: a dynamic circuit configured to generate a static circuit input signal according to an input signal and to a phase transition of a clock signal; and a static circuit configured to generate an output signal synchronized with the clock signal, the output signal generated according to the static circuit input signal from the dynamic circuit, wherein the dynamic circuit comprises, a precharge circuit configured to charge a first node by bridging a power voltage and the first node through which the static circuit input signal is transmitted, and a discharge circuit configured to discharge the first node by bridging the first node and a ground node, and an additional discharge circuit between the discharge circuit and the ground node includes at least two NMOS transistors arranged in parallel, the at least two NMOS transistors configured to simultaneously receive the same clock signal, wherein the precharge circuit comprises a plurality of PMOS transistors connected directly in series, at least two of the plurality of PMOS transistors configured to receive a same clock signal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The dynamic flip flop of claim 11, wherein the precharge circuit is configured to simultaneously transmit the clock signal to each of the plurality of PMOS transistors. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The dynamic flip flop of claim 12, wherein, a speed at which the clock signal transits to logic high and then discharges is based on a number of the plurality of PMOS transistors connected in series. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The dynamic flip flop of claim 11, wherein the dynamic circuit further comprises, a first keeper circuit comprising at least one PMOS transistor configured to maintain a voltage level of the first node to logic high according to the input signal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The dynamic flip flop of claim 14, wherein the dynamic circuit further comprises, a second keeper circuit comprising at least one NMOS transistor configured to maintain the voltage level of the first node to logic low according to the input signal. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The dynamic flip flop of claim 11, wherein the static circuit further comprises: an inverter configured to reverse an output voltage level of a second node that is charged or discharged according to the voltage level of the first node; and a third keeper circuit comprising at least one PMOS transistor, the third keeper circuit configured to maintain the voltage level of the second node to logic high according to an output signal from the inverter. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The dynamic flip flop of claim 16, wherein the static circuit further comprises: a fourth keeper circuit comprising at least one NMOS transistor, the fourth keeper circuit configured to maintain the voltage level of the second node to logic low according to the output signal from the inverter. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The dynamic flip flop of claim 11, wherein, a speed at which the first node is discharged after the clock signal transits logic high is based on a number of NMOS transistors in the additional discharge circuit. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The dynamic flip flop of claim 12, wherein, a speed at which the first node is precharged after the clock signal transits to logic low is based on a number of the plurality of PMOS transistors. ### Claim 20 A flip flop comprising: a precharge circuit configured to charge a first node by bridging a power voltage node and the first node according to a voltage level of a clock signal, the pre-charge circuit including at least two PMOS transistors arranged in series; a discharge circuit configured to discharge the first node by bridging the first node and a ground node according to an input signal and the clock signal; a second node configured to be charged or discharged according to a voltage level of the first node; a first transistor and a second transistor, the first transistor and the second transistor connecting the first node to the discharge circuit, wherein the first transistor and the second transistor are connected to each other in parallel and respectively receive the clock signal, and the precharge circuit, the first transistor, and the second transistor have a layout identical to a layout of a NOR gate configured to receive two inputs. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The flip flop of claim 20, wherein the at least two transistors are configured to turn on simultaneously in response to the same clock signal. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The flip flop of claim 20, wherein the flip flop is arranged as a D flip flop (DFF).