MASTER SLAVE LATCH CIRCUIT

Abstract: A master slave latch circuit is formed by a master latch circuit (11, 12, 13) for outputting a master output signal and a slave latch circuit (12, 14, 15) for outputting a slave output signal (S). A latch gate (12) of the master latch circuit (11, 12, 13) is formed so that it is common with a data gate (12) in the slave latch circuit (12, 14, 15). Accordingly, malfunction of the circuit by racing is avoided and the number of gates is reduced, and thus the advantage of an increase in the density of the circuit is obtained.

Description: The present invention relates to a master slave latch circuit. Usually, a latch circuit is formed by a clock driver gate which outputs a positive clock and a negative clock, a data gate which has inputs one of the output clocks of the clock driver gate and a data signal, a latch gate which has as an input the other output clock of the clock driver gate, and an output gate which has as inputs the output of the data gate and the output of the latch gate, and then outputs an output signal, the output signal being input to the latch gate. A master slave latch circuit is formed by using more than two latch circuits, as mentioned above. But, the clock driver cannot be commonly used to obtain a skew required for the circuit operation, as explained in detail later. Further, as will be explained later, in the master slave latch circuit mentioned above, a malfunction known as racing may occur because each gate in the master slave latch circuit has a different operating characteristics. According to this invention a master slave latch circuit formed by a master latch circuit for outputting a master output signal and a slave latch circuit for outputting a slave output signal is characterised in that a latch gate of the master latch circuit is formed in common with a data gate of the slave latch circuit. Preferably the circuit comprises: a clock driver gate for receiving an input clock signal and for outputting a positive phase clock and an inverted phase clock; a data gate for receiving one of the output clocks from the clock driver gate and a data signal; a first latch gate for receiving the other output clock of the clock driver gate; a master output gate for receiving an output of the data gate and an output of the first latch gate and for outputting a master output signal, the master output signal also being input to the first latch gate; a second latch gate for receiving the input clock for the clock driver gate or one of the output clocks from the clock driver gate as one input; and a slave output gate for receiving an output of the first latch gate as one input, for receiving an output from the second latch gate as another input and for outputting a slave output signal, the slave output signal also being input to the second latch gate. The present invention provides a master slave latch circuit having a construction which prevents the possibility of racing. The number of gates it contains is decreased so that a higher circuit density is obtained. Particular embodiments of master slave circuits in accordance with this invention will now be described and contrasted with the prior art with reference to the accompanying drawings; in which:- Figures lA and lB are block diagrams of an example of two kinds of conventional latch circuits; Figure 2 is a block diagram of one example of a conventional master slave latch circuit; Figure 3 shows a time chart of signals in the master slave latch circuit shown in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a circuit block diagram of a first embodiment of a master slave latch circuit according to the present invention; Fig. 5 is a circuit block diagram of a second embodiment of a master slave latch circuit according to the present invention; Fig. 6 shows a time chart of signals in the master slave latch circuit shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a circuit diagram of one example of the gate l2 shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 8 is a circuit diagram of one example of the gates l6, l7, and l8 shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 9 is a circuit block diagram of a third embodiment of the present invention; Fig. l0 is a circuit block diagram of a fourth embodiment of the present invention; Fig. ll is a circuit block diagram of a fifth embodiment of the present invention; Fig. l2 is a circuit block diagram of a sixth embodiment of the present invention; Fig. l3 is a circuit block diagram of a seventh embodiment of the present invention; Fig. l4 is a circuit block diagram of an eighth embodiment of the present invention; Fig. l5 is a diagram for explaining an example of the operation of the clock driver CD; Fig. l6 is a diagram for explaining an example of the operation of the clock driver CD′; Fig. l7 is a diagram showing an example of the circuit of the clock driver CD; Fig. l8 is a diagram showing an example of the waveform in the clock driver CD. Figure lA and Fig. lB show two examples of a conventional latch circuit. In Fig. lA a latch circuit is formed by OR gates, a data signal (+D) is input to an OR gate l(A) (an input gate), a negative clock (-CLK) is input from a clock driver CD to the OR gate l(A), a positive clock (+clock) is input from a clock driver CD to the OR gate 2(B), and the OR gate 2(B) and a dot gate 3(C) (a collector dot AND gate) are cross-connected as a flip-flop. Figure lB shows a latch circuit formed by NOR gates, a data signal (+D) is input to a NOR gate 4(D) (an input gate) wherein the data signal is inverted, and NOR gates 5(E) and 6(F) are formed as a flip-flop. When two of these latch circuits are suitably combined, a master slave latch circuit can be formed. Figure 2 shows a master slave latch circuit formed by two of the latch circuits shown in Fig. lA. In Fig. 2, l′, 2′, 3′, CD′ denote gate circuits the same as l, 2, 3, CD. These clock drivers CD an CD′ can not be common­ ly used because they have opposite phases, and if they were commonly used, the necessary skew could not be obtained. Figure 3 shows a time chart of a signal in the master slave circuit shown in Fig. 2. In Fig. 3, "+D" is a data signal, CLOCK is an input clock signal, a is an output line a signal (-CLK) from a clock driver, b is an output line b signal (+CLK) from the clock driver CD, c is an output line c signal (+CLK) from the clock driver CD′, d is an output line d signal (-CLK) from the clock driver CD′, e is an e line signal from a flip-flop gate of a master portion, and f is an output line signal f from a slave portion. If such a circuit construction is formed, the operation characteristic of each gate becomes different, and accordingly, a negative (-) signal from the e line arrives prior to a positive (+) signal from the c line which is skewed, and thus racing (malfunction) occurs. In Fig. 3, the solid lines for c and f are wave­ forms in a normal operation, and the broken lines are waveforms during a malfunction. In a normal operation, when a signal falls, the data signal "+D" appears as the output signal e of the gate 3. When the output signal e appears, the signal c rises, and thus the OR gate l′ does not transmit the signal e to the output side that is, the OR gate l′ is in a so called closed state. Thereafter, when the signal c falls, the OR gate l′ transmits the signal e to the output side. That is, the OR gate l′ is opened, and the signal e is output from a gate 3′ as the signal f . Namely, in a normal operation, the master slave latch outputs the output when a front edge of the clock signal reaches the master side latch. During this clocks signal period, the slave side latch is closed, and the output appears when a rear edge of the clock signal reaches the slave side latch. Here, as shown by the broken line in Fig. 3, when the signal c arrives later than the signal e , the OR gate l′ is open at the time the signal e appears, and the OR gate l′ then transmits the signal e to the output side. As a result, the gate 3′ outputs the signal e as the signal f . On the other words, the racing operation occurs in which the output appears at the slave side at a front edge of the clock signal. This phenomenon is not limited to the master slave circuit shown in Fig. 2, but occurs also when other kinds of latch circuits are combined. The present invention provides a master slave circuit having a circuit construction by which the possibility of racing is avoided. The above problems can be solved, according to the present invention, by a master slave latch circuit wherein a latch gate of a master latch circuit is commonly used as a data gate by a slave latch circuit. That is, in the present invention, the master slave latch circuit is formed so that one specified gate is commonly used by the master latch circuit and the slave latch circuit. Accordingly, racing can be avoided and the number of gates can be decreased. Hereinafter, the embodiments will be detailedly explained by referring drawings. Figure 4 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a master slave latch circuit according to the present invention. In this embodiment, two of the conventional latch circuit formed by the NOR gates shown in Fig. lB are combined, and one gate thereof is commonly used. In Fig. 4, ll, l2, and l3 form a gate of the master latch circuit (wherein l2 and l3 are formed as a flip-flop), and l2, l4, and l5 form a gate of the slave latch circuit (wherein l4 and l5 are formed as a flip-flop). As shown in Fig. 4, the gate l2 is formed as a dual NOR output circuit and is commonly used by the master latch circuit and the slave latch circuit. That is, the gate l2 operates as a flip-flop gate for the master latch circuit, and as a data gate for the slave latch circuit. Figure 5 is a block diagram of a second embodiment of the master slave latch circuit according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the latch circuits shown in Fig. lA and Fig. lB are combined and one gate is used in common. In Fig. 5, l6, l7, and l8 form a gate of the master latch circuit (wherein l7 and l8 are formed as a flip-flop), and l7, l9 and 20 form a gate of the slave latch circuit (wherein l9, 20 are formed as a flip-flop). As shown in Fig. 5, the gate l7 is commonly used by the master latch circuit and the slave latch circuit. In this construction, when the signal is applied via the gate l2 of the master latch circuit to the gate of the slave latch circuit (see Fig. 4), and similarly, via the gate l7 to the gate l9 of the slave latch circuit (see Fig. 5), then theoretically, racing can not occur. Further, as one gate l2 is commonly used, only one clock driver is used, and thus the data gate ex­ clusively used for the slave latch circuit can be omitted, which considerably reduces the number of gates. Figure 6 shows a time chart of the master slave circuit shown in Fig. 4. In Fig. 6, "+D" is a data signal, A is an output line A signal (-CLK) from a clock driver CD, B is an output line B signal (+CLK) from the clock driver CD, -D is a signal from the output line -D, F is an output (master) signal from the gate l3, P′ is an output of the gate l2 and an input signal of the gate l4, and S is a slave output signal. Figure 7 is a concrete example of the circuit of the gate l2 commonly used by the master and slave latch circuits. The symbols in Fig. 7 correspond to those used in Fig. 4. In Fig. 7, Q₁ is a transistor for inputting the clock signal (+CLK), Q₂ is a transistor for inputting the master output signal, Q₃ is a tran­ sistor for inputting a reference voltage, and Q₄ and Q₅ are emitter follower transistors for taking out the output. Here, to avoid mulfunction of the slave latch circuit in such a master slave latch circuit, the signal transmission speed of the clock → +CLK → P′ must be slower than the signal transmission speed of the clock → -CLK → P. This can be achieved by providing a skew in the +CLK signal or slowing the fall of P′. To delay the fall of P′, it is necessary to make the emitter follower resistance of the transistor Q₅ larger than the emitter follower resistance of the tran­ sistor Q₄ or to add the capacitor to the output of the transistor Q₅. Alternatively, a delay gate may be inserted at P′. Figure 8 shows a concrete example of the circuits of the commonly used gate l7 in the master slave latch circuit shown in Fig. 5 and a gate l6 adjacent to the gate l7. The circuit of the gate l7 is on the left in the figure and the circuit of the gate l6 is on the right. The connecting portion between the gates l6 and l7 is a circuit of the gate l8. Figure 9 is a block circuit diagram of a third embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. 9, 30 is a clock driver, 3l, 32, and 33 are gates forming a master latch circuit, and 32, 34 and 35 are gates forming a slave latch circuit. In this embodiment, 32 is the gate used in common. The embodiment shown in Fig. 9 is a modification of the embodiment shown in Fig. 5. In this embodiment, control signals CNTl and CNT2 are added to the clock driver, two wires of the input data line are connected to the data gate of the master latch circuit. In this construction, the inverted output signal Q of the master and slave is also output. In Fig. 9, reference numer­ al 9l designates a wired OR (emitter OR) circuit. Figure l0 is a block circuit diagram of a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. l0, 40 is a clock driver, 4l, 42, and 43 are gates forming a master latch circuit, 42, 44, and 45 are gates forming a slave latch circuit, and 46 and 47 are gates which are added when necessary, i.e., if the input data is in­ creased. In this embodiment, 42 is the gate used in common, and 92, 93, and 94 are wired OR circuits. Figure ll is a block circuit diagram of a fifth embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. ll, 50 is a clock driver, 5l, 52, and 53 are gates forming a master latch circuit, 52, 54, and 55 are gates forming a slave latch circuit, and 56 and 57 are gates which are added when necessary, i.e., if the input data is in­ creased. In this embodiment, 52 is the gate used in common, and 95 and 96 are wired OR circuits. The embodiment shown in Fig. ll is a slight modifi­ cation of the embodiment shown in Fig. 4. Figure l2 is a block circuit diagram of a sixth embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. l2, 60 is a clock driver, 6l, 62, and 63 are gates forming a master latch circuit, and 62, 64, and 65 are gates forming a slave latch circuit. In this embodiment, 62 is the gate used in common, and 97 is a wired OR cir­ cuit. The embodiment shown in Fig. l2 is similar to the embodiments shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 9, but differs therefrom in that the clock input of the latch gate 64 of the slave latch circuit is introduced from an input side of the clock driver 60. Figure l3 is a block circuit diagram of a seventh embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. l3, 70 is a clock driver, 7l, 72, and 73 are gates forming a master latch circuit, 72, 74 and 75 are gates forming a slave latch circuit, and 76 and 77 are gates which are added when necessary, i.e., if the input data is in­ creased. In this embodiment, 72 is the gate used in common, and 98, 99, l00 are wired OR circuits. The embodiment shown in Fig. l3 is similar to the embodiment shown in Fig. l0, but differs therefrom in that the clock input of the latch gate 74 of the slave latch is introduced from an input side of the clock driver 70. Figure l4 is a circuit block diagram of an eighth embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. l4, 80 is a clock driver, 8l, 82, and 83 are gates forming a master latch circuit, 82, 84, and 85 are gates forming a slave latch circuit, and 86 and 87 are gates which are added when necessary, i.e., if the input data is in­ creased. In this embodiment, 82 is the gate used in common, and l0l, l02 are wired OR circuits. The embodiment shown in Fig. l4 is similar to the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. ll, but differs therefrom in that the clock input of the latch gate 84 of the slave latch is introduced from an input side of the clock driver 80. Figure l5 is a diagram for explaining an example of the operation of the clock driver CD shown in Fig. 4, 5, 9, l0, and ll. In Fig. l5, CLK is an input clock signal, SM is a sample signal, HD is a hold signal, t G is a delay per one gate stage, and t S is a skew value. In this example, the values of t G , t S for each rise and fall may be different. Figure l6 is a diagram for explaining an example of the operation of the clock driver CD′ shown in Figs. l2, l3, and l4. The same elements as shown in Fig. l5 are given the same symbols. In the construction shown in Figs. l2 and l3, and l4, the clock driver CD may be used instead of the clock driver CD′ shown in Fig. l6. Further, when the clock driver shown in Fig. l6 is used in the construction shown in Figs. l2, l3 and l4, a time required for one stage of the clock driver can be used instead of the skew value at the front edge of the clock driver, and the speed of the master latch is improved by the skew time of at the front edge of the signal. Figure l7 is a diagram showing an example of the clock driver CD, and Fig. l8 is a diagram showing an example of the waveforms in the clock driver CD. In Fig. l7, when the resistors RCSl, RCS2 are not added, the sample signal SM and the hold signal HD are varied as shown by broken lines in Fig. l8. When the resis­ tors RCSl, SCS2 are added, the sample signal SM and the hold signal HD are varied as shown by the solid line in Fig. l8, in such a manner that the low level side has a deep fall. This is because the current from the differ­ ential transistor is a constant current, and thus a superfluous voltage drop is generated by an amount due to adding the resistors, and this result appears in the sample signal SM and the hold signal HD. Accordingly, the rise of the waveform of both the SM and the HD signal is delayed, and thus the skew time t S is obtained. When the rise of the SM signal alone is delayed, as shown in Fig. l6, the resistor RCSl in the circuit shown in Fig. l7 may be omitted. As understood from the above description and accompanying drawings of the embodiment, according to the present invention, racing can be avoided and the number of gates can be reduced, and therefore the advantage of an increase in the density of the circuit can be obtained.

Claims: 1. A master slave latch circuit formed by a master latch circuit (11, 12, 13) for outputting a master output signal and a slave latch circuit (12, 14, 15) for outputting a slave output signal, characterised in that a latch gate (12) of the master latch circuit is formed in common with a data gate (12) of the slave latch circuit. 2. A master slave latch circuit according to claim 1, comprising: a clock driver gate (CD) for receiving an input clock signal and for outputting a positive phase clock (B) and an inverted phase clock (A), a data gate (11) for receiving one of the output clocks from the clock driver gate (CD) and a data signal (+D); a first latch gate (12) for receiving the other output clock of the clock driver gate; a master output gate (13) for receiving an output of the data gate (11) and an output of the first latch gate (12) and for outputting a master output signal, the master output signal also being input to the first latch gate (12); a second latch gate (15) for receiving the input clock for the clock driver gate (CD) or one of the output clocks from the clock driver gate (CD) as one input; and a slave output gate (14) for receiving an output of the first latch gate (12) as one input, for receiving an output from the second latch gate (15) as another input and for outputting a slave output signal (S), the slave output signal (S) also being input to the second latch gate (15).

Inventors: KUBOTA, KATUHISA
Applicants: FUJITSU LIMITED
Application year: 1986
Main classification: H03K3
IPC codes: H03K3