# US 8,786,320 B2 · Signal input circuit and semiconductor device having the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,786,320 B2 - Document ID: US8786320B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/846,230 - Filed: 2010-07-29 - Published: 2011-03-31 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2009-09-28 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Kyunghoi Koo - Inventors: Kyunghoi Koo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8786320B2 ## CPC - H03K 5/2481: {with at least one differential stage} - 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 signal input circuit includes an input unit, a first compensation circuit, a second compensation circuit, and an enable circuit. The input unit receives a first input signal to output an output signal to an output node. The first compensation circuit is connected to the output node and discharges the output node in response to a second input signal. The second compensation circuit is connected to the output node and supplies a current to the output node in response to the second input signal. The enable circuit enables the input unit and the first and second compensation circuits in response to at least one operation mode selection signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A signal input circuit, comprising: an input unit comprising a plurality of transistors and configured to receive a first input signal to output an output signal to an output node; a first compensation circuit connected to the output node, and configured to discharge the output node in response to a second input signal; a second compensation circuit connected to the output node, and configured to supply a current to the output node in response to the second input signal; and an enable circuit coupled between a ground voltage and each the input unit and the first and second compensation circuits and configured to enable the input unit and the first and second compensation circuits, wherein in a differential mode, the first and second compensation circuits are responsive to state changes in the second input signal to selectively discharge the output node or supply the current to the output node to compensate for differences in response times of the transistors of the input unit and reduce a shift difference of the output signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The signal input circuit of claim 1, wherein the input unit comprises: a PMOS transistor connected between a power source voltage terminal and the output node, and controlled by the first input signal; and an NMOS transistor connected between the output node and the enable circuit, and controlled by the first input signal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The signal input circuit of claim 1, wherein the first compensation circuit comprises: a PMOS transistor connected between a power source voltage terminal and a first node, and controlled by the second input signal; a first NMOS transistor connected between the first node and the enable circuit, and controlled by a signal of the first node; and a second NMOS transistor connected between the output node and the enable circuit, and controlled by the signal of the first node. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The signal input circuit of claim 1, wherein the second compensation circuit comprises: a first PMOS transistor connected between a power source voltage terminal and the output node, and controlled by a signal of a second node; a second PMOS transistor connected between the power source voltage terminal and the second node, and controlled by the signal of the second node; and an NMOS transistor connected between the second node and the enable circuit, and controlled by the second input signal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The signal input circuit of claim 1, wherein the first and second input signals are inverted therebetween. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The signal input circuit of claim 1, wherein: the enable circuit receives first and second operation mode selection signals, the enable circuit enables the first and second compensation circuits in response to the first operation mode selection signal, and the enable circuit enables the input unit in response to the second operation mode selection signal. ### Claim 7 A signal input circuit, comprising: an input unit comprising a plurality of transistors and configured to receive a first input signal to output an output signal to an output node; a first compensation circuit connected to the output node, discharging the output node in response to a second input signal; a second compensation circuit connected to the output node, supplying a current to the output node in response to the second input signal; and a switching circuit respectively connected between each of the input unit, the first compensation circuit and the second compensation circuit through first to third connection nodes, configured to connect the first to third connection nodes to a ground voltage terminal to compensate for changes in response times of the transistors of the input unit in response to at least one operation mode selection signal, wherein in a differential mode, the first and second compensation circuits are responsive to state changes in the second input signal to selectively discharge the output node or supply the current to the output node to compensate for differences in response times of the transistors of the input unit and reduce a shift difference of the output signal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The signal input circuit of claim 7, wherein the input unit comprises: a PMOS transistor connected between a power source voltage terminal and the output node, and controlled by the first input signal; and an NMOS transistor connected between the output node and the switching circuit, and controlled by the first input signal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The signal input circuit of claim 7, wherein the first compensation circuit comprises: a PMOS transistor connected between a power source voltage terminal and a first node, and controlled by the second input signal; a first NMOS transistor connected between the first node and the first connection node of the switching circuit, and controlled by a signal of the first node; and a second NMOS transistor connected between the output node and the first connection node of the switching circuit, and controlled by the signal of the first node. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The signal input circuit of claim 7, wherein the second compensation circuit comprises: a first PMOS transistor connected between a power source voltage terminal and the output node, and controlled by a signal of the second node; a second PMOS transistor connected between the power source voltage terminal and the second node, and controlled by the signal of the second node; and an NMOS transistor connected between the second node and the second connection node of the switching circuit, and controlled by the second input signal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The signal input circuit of claim 7, wherein the first and second input signals are inverted therebetween. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The signal input circuit of claim 11, wherein the switching circuit receives first and second operation mode selection signals, connects the second and third connection nodes which are respectively connected to the first and second compensation circuits to the ground voltage terminal, and connects the first connection node connected to the input unit to the ground voltage terminal in response to the second operation mode selection signal. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The signal input circuit of claim 12, wherein the switching circuit comprises: a first NMOS transistor connected between the ground voltage terminal and the first connection node which is connected to the input unit, and controlled by the first operation mode selection signal; a second NMOS transistor connected between the ground voltage terminal and the second connection node which is connected to the first compensation circuit, and controlled by the second operation mode selection signal; and a third NMOS transistor connected between the ground voltage terminal and the third connection node which is connected to the second compensation circuit, and controlled by the second operation mode selection signal. ### Claim 14 A signal input circuit, comprising: a PMOS transistor connected between a power source voltage terminal and an output node, and controlled by a first input signal; an NMOS transistor connected between the output node and a switching circuit, and controlled by the first input signal; a first compensation circuit connected to the output node, compensating an operation delay of the PMOS transistor in response to a second input signal; a second compensation circuit connected to the output node, compensating an operation delay of the NMOS transistor in response to the second input signal; and an enable circuit enabling the PMOS transistor, the NMOS transistor and the first and second compensation circuits in response to at least one operation mode selection signal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The signal input circuit of claim 14, wherein the first and second input signals are inverted therebetween. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The signal input circuit of claim 14, wherein: the first compensation circuit discharges the output node when the second input signal has a first level, and the second compensation circuit supplies a current to the output node when the second input signal has a second level. ### Claim 17 A semiconductor device, comprising: a first circuit; and a second circuit receiving a data signal from the first circuit, and comprising a signal input circuit for receiving the data signal from the first circuit, wherein the signal input circuit comprises: an input unit comprising a plurality of transistors and configured to receive a first input signal to output an output signal to an output node; a first compensation circuit connected to the output node, discharging the output node in response to a second input signal; a second compensation circuit connected to the output node, supplying a current to the output node in response to the second input signal; and an enable circuit coupled to the input unit and the first and second compensation circuits and configured to enable the input unit and the first and second compensation circuits in response to at least one operation mode selection signal, wherein in a differential mode, the first and second compensation circuits are responsive to state changes in the second input signal to selectively discharge the output node or supply the current to the output node to compensate for differences in response times of the transistors of the input unit and reduce a shift difference of the output signal. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The semiconductor device of claim 17, wherein: the first and second input signals are inverted therebetween, and the enable circuit receives first and second operation mode selection signals, enables the first and second compensation circuits in response to the first operation mode selection signal, and enables the input unit in response to the second operation mode selection signal. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The semiconductor device of claim 18, wherein: the first compensation circuit comprises: a PMOS transistor connected between a power source voltage terminal and a first node, and controlled by the second input signal; a first NMOS transistor connected between the first node and the first connection node of the switching circuit, and controlled by a signal of the first node; and a second NMOS transistor connected between the output node and the first connection node of the switching circuit, and controlled by the signal of the first node, and the second compensation circuit comprises: a first PMOS transistor connected between a power source voltage terminal and the output node, and controlled by a signal of the second node; a second PMOS transistor connected between the power source voltage terminal and the second node, and controlled by the signal of the second node; and an NMOS transistor connected between the second node and the second connection node of the switching circuit, and controlled by the second input signal.