Adjustable Current Power-Up Detector for Multi-Voltage ICs
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power up/down detectors in integrated circuit devices with multiple supply voltages face challenges in reducing power consumption while maintaining detection speed, as they experience current leakage and delayed operations due to the mismatch between I/O and core power supply voltages during power-up/down transitions.
Innovation Solution
A power on/off control (POC) network with a power up/down detector that adjusts its current capacity based on feedback signals to detect power states, decreasing capacity during power-on and increasing it during power-down, utilizing transistors with adjustable thresholds to minimize leakage and enhance detection speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If smaller transistors are used in the power up/down detector to minimize current leakage, then power consumption is reduced, but detection speed and switching performance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the transistor sizes adjustable rather than fixed. The power up/down detector uses multiple sets of transistors with different sizes that can be dynamically selected based on operational mode. During power-down detection, smaller transistors are used to minimize leakage, while during power-up detection, larger transistors are activated to improve detection speed. This dynamic reconfiguration resolves the contradiction between low leakage and fast detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of transistor size by using multiple transistor pairs with different dimensions. The circuit selectively activates specific transistor pairs based on the detection phase. This parameter change allows optimization of both leakage current and detection speed for different operational conditions, directly addressing the technical contradiction.
2Reliability
If external signal management systems are added to control I/O circuitry during core power collapse, then known states are guaranteed, but operational delay increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling the power up/down detector to automatically generate the power-on/off-control signal without requiring external management systems. The detector monitors core power supply voltage directly and autonomously produces control signals for I/O circuitry, eliminating the need for external hardware or software control mechanisms and thereby removing operational delays while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The circuit performs preliminary action by proactively detecting power supply voltage changes before they affect I/O operations. The power up/down detector continuously monitors voltage levels and prepares control signals in advance, ensuring I/O circuitry is properly controlled before actual power collapse occurs, thus guaranteeing known states without adding delay.
3Speed
If hardware solutions are implemented for power detection, then detection speed is improved, but power leakage on I/O devices increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the transistor structure into multiple pairs with different size characteristics. Each transistor pair is optimized for specific detection conditions. The circuit segments the detection function across multiple transistor pairs that can be independently activated, allowing fast detection when needed while minimizing leakage during idle periods through selective activation of appropriate segments.
Data Source
AI summary
A multiple supply voltage device includes an input/output (I/O) network operative at a first supply voltage, a core network coupled to the I/O network and operative at a second supply voltage, and a power-on-control (POC) network coupled to the I/O network and the core network. The POC network is configured to transmit a POC signal to the I/O network and includes an adjustable current power up/down detector configured to detect a power state of the core network. The POC network also includes processing circuitry coupled to the adjustable current power up/down detector and configured to process the power state into the POC signal, and one or more feedback circuits. For reducing the leakage current while also improving the power-up/down detection speed, the feedback circuit(s) are coupled to the adjustable current power up/down detector and configured to provide feedback signals to adjust a current capacity of the adjustable current power up/down detector.