ADC Adaptive Voltage Scaling for Low-Power Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-speed and/or high-resolution analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) in integrated circuits, such as time-interleaved SAR ADCs, consume a significant portion of the total power, necessitating efficient power management techniques.
Innovation Solution
An adaptive voltage scaling (AVS) system that monitors the performance characteristics of ADCs, including conversion timing, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and bit-error-rate (BER), to adjust the voltage supplied to the ADCs dynamically, thereby optimizing power efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If high-speed and high-resolution ADCs are used to improve conversion performance, then conversion speed and resolution are improved, but power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic voltage scaling by adjusting the supply voltage to ADCs based on real-time performance monitoring. The system transitions from static voltage supply to dynamic adjustment, where voltage levels are modified according to actual conversion performance requirements, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining necessary performance levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the voltage parameter dynamically based on performance metrics. By monitoring conversion results and adjusting voltage levels accordingly, the system optimizes the trade-off between conversion performance and power consumption, using parameter changes to resolve the contradiction between high resolution and low power usage.
2Use of energy by moving object
If voltage is reduced to decrease power consumption, then power efficiency is improved, but conversion performance may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs feedback mechanisms where conversion performance is continuously monitored and used to adjust voltage levels. This closed-loop control ensures that voltage reduction does not compromise performance below acceptable thresholds, as the system automatically adjusts voltage to maintain performance while optimizing power efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary voltage adjustment based on predicted performance requirements. By anticipating performance needs and pre-adjusting voltage levels, the system prevents performance deterioration while achieving power efficiency improvements, rather than reacting after performance degradation occurs.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system may include one or more receivers, circuitry, and a controller. Each of the one or more receivers may include a plurality of analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). Each ADC may measure a time relating to an analog-to-digital conversion by the ADC, compare the time with a threshold, and generate, based on a result of the comparing, a first signal. The circuitry may be coupled to the one or more receivers. The circuitry may receive the first signal from each ADC, determine, based at least on the first signal, characteristics of performance of each receiver, and output a plurality of second signals. Each of the plurality of second signals may indicate the characteristics of performance of a corresponding receiver. The controller may be coupled to the circuitry and adjust a voltage provided to the one or more receivers, based at least on the plurality of second signals received from the circuitry.