US 2015/0311875 A1 · SENSE AMPLIFIER WITH IMPROVED RESOLVING TIME

Abstract

Sense amplifiers that can provide improved resolving times can be used, for example, in clock and data recovery circuits. The sense amplifiers sense the value of a differential input signal using a latch circuit and then, after an initial sensing time, force the latch circuit to resolve a digital value that corresponds to the value of the input signal. An implementation of the sense amplifies uses a first latch with cross-coupled inverters that produce set and reset signals. A transistor pair couples the differential input signal to the cross-coupled inverters via a switch to ground. A discharge path circuit arranged to accelerate the resolving of the latch circuit is also coupled to the cross-coupled inverters. The discharge path can be enabled after an initial sensing time.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A sense amplifier, comprising:

a first latch comprising a first inverter having an output coupled to a set signal and an input coupled to a reset signal and a second inverter having an output coupled to the reset signal and an input coupled to the set signal;
a first transistor pair having gates coupled to a differential input signal, having drains coupled to the first latch, and having sources coupled to a first common node;
a first switch coupled between the first common node and a ground reference, wherein the first switch is configured to be turned off during a precharge phase of the sense amplifier and turned on during a resolving phase of the sense amplifier;
and
a discharge path circuit coupled to the drains of the first transistor pair and configured to accelerate the resolving phase of the sense amplifier.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Sense amplifier with improved resolving time

Life of this patent

Sense amplifier with improved resolving time

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20