Auto-Sense Pad Adjusts Drive Strength for Voltage Compatibility

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional mobile multimedia processors struggle to interface with peripherals using different output voltages, leading to inaccurate signal recognition and inefficient power management, as they do not fully utilize system-on-a-chip integration for advanced total system solutions in modern mobile handsets.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of an auto-sense method in mobile multimedia processors that detects input voltage levels and adjusts the drive strength of output pads to match the peripheral's expected voltage range, ensuring accurate signal transmission and efficient power management by dynamically adjusting current drive and signal rise/fall times.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If manual adjustment of output pads is used to enable transmission of correct voltage levels, then voltage compatibility with peripherals is achieved, but device complexity and power consumption increase due to interface logic for voltage translation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevoltage compatibilityVSAvoidinterface logic complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically detects the peripheral's voltage level through the auto-sense pad and configures the output pad drive strength without manual intervention. The processor autonomously adapts to different voltage domains by sensing VDDIO levels and selecting appropriate drive strengths, eliminating the need for external voltage translation logic and manual configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The output pad drive strength is dynamically adjusted based on the detected peripheral voltage level. The system changes the electrical parameters (drive strength, current levels) of the output pads to match the voltage domain of the connected peripheral, enabling seamless operation across different voltage domains without additional translation circuitry.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If manual adjustment of output pads is used to enable transmission of correct voltage levels, then voltage compatibility with peripherals is achieved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevoltage compatibilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically detects the peripheral's voltage level through the auto-sense pad and configures the output pad drive strength without manual intervention. The processor autonomously adapts to different voltage domains by sensing VDDIO levels and selecting appropriate drive strengths, eliminating the need for external voltage translation logic and manual configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The output pad drive strength is dynamically adjusted based on the detected peripheral voltage level. The system changes the electrical parameters (drive strength, current levels) of the output pads to match the voltage domain of the connected peripheral, enabling seamless operation across different voltage domains without additional translation circuitry.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If conventional mobile processors interface to circuitry with different supply voltages, then peripheral compatibility is achieved, but signal recognition accuracy decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveperipheral compatibilityVSAvoidsignal recognition accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The output pad drive strength is dynamically adjusted based on the detected peripheral voltage level. The system changes the electrical parameters (drive strength, current levels) of the output pads to match the voltage domain of the connected peripheral, enabling seamless operation across different voltage domains without additional translation circuitry.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses the auto-sense pad to detect the actual voltage level being supplied to the peripheral and uses this feedback information to automatically configure the output pad drive strength. This closed-loop approach ensures that the output signals are properly recognized by the peripheral regardless of the voltage domain, eliminating signal recognition errors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS9264529B2Drive strength adjustment through voltage auto-sense

Publication Date: 2016.02.16 AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL SALES PTE LTD

AI summary

An integrated circuit supports auto-sense of voltage for drive strength adjustment. The method may comprise detecting an input voltage received at an auto-sense pad integrated on a mobile multimedia processing (MMP) chip. The input voltage may be a power supply voltage of the peripheral device received during power-up of the MMP chip, power-up of the peripheral circuitry, and/or dynamically while the MMP is powered-up. The auto-sense pad may adjust drive strength of at least one other pad, which may be an output pad or a bidirectional pad, integrated on the MMP chip may be configured to operate using the determined output voltage. A rise time and/or fall time of signals output by the MMP chip may be varied by the adjustment of the drive strength.