Method and apparatus for local parameter variation compensation

A semiconductor device comprising:

• a plurality of detectors distributed at various locations on a semiconductor die to detect a circuit parameter value at respective distributed locations, one of the locations identified as a reference location and others identified as destination locations, wherein the circuit parameter value at the reference location is selected as a reference parameter value, which is associated with determination of process, voltage and temperature (PVT) values at the reference location, and the circuit parameter values at the destination locations are destination parameter values associated with determination of respective PVT values at the respective destination locations, the detectors to generate respective encoded signals indicative of the respective parameter values, the encoded signal of the reference location being an encoded analog current signal;
• a plurality of comparison circuits, one at the respective destination locations to receive the encoded analog current signal from the reference location and to compare it to the encoded signal at the respective destination location and to generate a corrective signal based on a difference of the respective destination parameter value from the reference parameter value;
• a plurality of compensation circuits at the respective destination locations to use the corrective signal at the respective destination locations to correct operation of an operative circuit at the respective location.

A method comprising:

• detecting a circuit parameter value associated with determination of process, voltage and temperature (PVT) values at a first location;
• generating a first encoded signal, which encode is based on the first circuit parameter value, the first encoded signal being an encoded analog current signal;
• detecting a circuit parameter value associated with determination of PVT values at a second location;
• generating a second encoded signal, which encode is based on the second circuit parameter value;
• transferring the first encoded signal, to the second location;
• comparing the first and second encoded signals to determine a variation between the two encoded signals;
• generating a corrective signal based on the comparison of the two encoded currents;
• applying the corrective signal at the second location to an operative circuit to reduce performance skew between the two locations caused by differences in the parameter values at the two locations.

A system comprising:

• a plurality of components distributed in the system and the components including:
• a detector to detect a circuit parameter value at respective component locations, but with one of the components identified as a reference component and others identified as destination components, in which the circuit parameter value of the reference component is selected as a reference parameter value, which is associated with determination of process, voltage and temperature (PVT) values at the reference location, and the circuit parameter value of the destination components are destination parameter values also associated with determination of respective PVT values at the respective destination locations, the detectors to generate respective encoded signals indicative of its PVT values and in which the detector of the reference component generates an encoded analog current signal;
• and
• a plurality of comparison circuits at the respective destination component locations to receive the encoded analog current signal from the reference component and compare it to the encoded signals at the respective destination component locations and to generate a corrective signal for each destination component based on a difference of the respective destination parameter value from the reference parameter value.