Adaptive Voltage Regulation for Logic Circuit Timing Margins
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Solution Overview
Problem
The timing margins of logic circuits with SS and FF corner types are insufficient, leading to potential operational errors and reduced stability, as existing technologies often require decreasing operating frequencies to prolong setup or hold times.
Innovation Solution
A voltage regulation circuit that includes an oscillator and a regulation circuit, where the oscillator generates a clock signal based on the output voltage of a power supply circuit, and the regulation circuit adaptsively controls the power supply to optimize the output voltage for each logic circuit type, thereby matching the timing characteristics of a TT corner type logic circuit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If operating frequency is decreased to prolong setup or hold times, then timing margins are improved, but productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the voltage parameter dynamically based on process corner detection. By adjusting the supply voltage to the logic circuit (increasing for SS corner, decreasing for FF corner), the timing characteristics are optimized without changing the operating frequency, thus resolving the contradiction between timing margin and productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the oscillator's clock signal frequency serves as an indicator of the logic circuit's process corner type. The regulation circuit detects this frequency and adjusts the power supply voltage accordingly, creating a closed-loop system that automatically optimizes timing margins while maintaining maximum operating frequency
2Reliability
If voltage margin is reserved to ensure stable operation, then reliability is improved, but use of energy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a fixed voltage margin for all process corners, the patent dynamically adjusts the supply voltage parameter based on the detected process corner type. This eliminates the need for conservative voltage margins in FF corner devices while providing appropriate voltage headroom for SS corner devices, optimizing power consumption without sacrificing reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the oscillator's own clock signal as a feedback indicator to determine the process corner type and automatically adjusts the power supply voltage accordingly. This self-regulating mechanism eliminates the need for external voltage margin reservations while ensuring stable operation across different process variations
Data Source
AI summary
A voltage regulation circuit mainly includes an oscillator and a regulation circuit. The oscillator is connected to a power supply circuit configured to supply power to a logic circuit, and a process corner type of the oscillator is the same as a process corner type of the logic circuit. The oscillator may generate a first clock signal based on an output voltage of the power supply circuit. The regulation circuit may control, based on the first clock signal, the power supply circuit to regulate the output voltage. For a logic circuit of an SS corner type, the output voltage of the power supply circuit may be increased, and for a logic circuit of an FF corner type, the output voltage of the power supply circuit may be decreased.