Redundant translinear circuit
AssigneeMarvell Asia Pte Ltd
InventorZong Cheng
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An integrated circuit includes current-mode circuitry implemented on a substrate. The current-mode circuitry includes i) a plurality of instances of a translinear circuit, and ii) a plurality of selection circuits coupled to respective instances of the translinear circuit, each selection circuit configured to selectively disable the respective instance of the translinear circuit. The current-mode circuitry is configured to generate a first output using one or more instances of the translinear circuit that are not disabled by one or more respective selection circuits. Drive circuitry is also implemented on the substrate and is coupled to the current-mode circuitry. The drive circuitry is configured to generate a second output using the first output of the current-mode circuitry.
Claims17
A method for operating an integrated circuit that comprises i) a substrate, ii) current-mode circuitry implemented on the substrate, the current-mode circuitry including a plurality of instances of a translinear circuit, and iii) drive circuitry implemented on the substrate and coupled to the current-mode circuitry, the method comprising:
- analyzing the plurality of instances of the translinear circuit to identify any instances of the translinear circuit that are defective;
- in response to identifying one or more instances of the translinear circuit that are defective, disabling the one or more instances of the translinear circuit that are defective using one or more respective selection circuits coupled to the one or more instances of the translinear circuit that are defective;
- generating, by the current-mode circuitry, the first output using one or more instances of the translinear circuit, including
- when one or more instances of the translinear circuit are disabled, generating the first output using one or more instances of the translinear circuit that are not disabled, and
- when no instances of the translinear circuit are disabled, generating the first output using the plurality of instances of the translinear circuit;
- and
- generating, by drive circuitry implemented on the substrate and that is coupled to the current-mode circuitry, a second output using the first output of the current-mode circuitry.
A method for manufacturing an integrated circuit, the method comprising:
- fabricating current-mode circuitry on a substrate, the current-mode circuitry comprising i) a plurality of instances of a translinear circuit, and ii) a plurality of selection circuits coupled to respective instances of the translinear circuit, each selection circuit configured to selectively disable the respective instance of the translinear circuit, wherein the current-mode circuitry is configured to generate a first output using one or more instances of the translinear circuit that are not disabled by one or more respective selection circuits;
- fabricating drive circuitry on the substrate, the drive circuitry coupled to the current-mode circuitry, the drive circuitry configured to generate a second output using the first output of the current-mode circuitry;
- determining whether any instances of the translinear circuit, among the plurality of instances of the translinear circuit, are defective;
- and
- for each instance of the translinear circuit determined to be defective, controlling the respective selection circuit to disable the instance of the translinear circuit.
An integrated circuit, comprising:
- a substrate;
- current-mode circuitry implemented on the substrate, the current-mode circuitry comprising i) a plurality of instances of a translinear circuit, and ii) a plurality of selection circuits coupled to respective instances of the translinear circuit, each selection circuit configured to selectively disable the respective instance of the translinear circuit, wherein the current-mode circuitry is configured to generate a first output using one or more instances of the translinear circuit that are not disabled by one or more respective selection circuits;
- and
- drive circuitry implemented on the substrate and coupled to the current-mode circuitry, the drive circuitry configured to generate a second output using the first output of the current-mode circuitry.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.