Adaptive Body Bias Control Using Ring Oscillator Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for generating and regulating body bias voltages in integrated circuits are inflexible and require external reference signals, leading to increased power consumption and complexity, especially in silicon-on-insulator (SOI) CMOS technologies, as they depend on external periodic signals and have limited control loop gain settings.
Innovation Solution
A closed-loop apparatus comprising a digital circuit, counter, control unit, and charge pump unit, where a hardware performance monitor with ring oscillators adjusts body bias voltages based on a frequency difference between its output and a reference clock signal, allowing for adaptive regulation without external reference signals and minimizing power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by stationary object
If charge pumps are used to generate control voltages with external reference signals, then voltage generation is achieved, but power consumption increases and flexibility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The control voltages are generated autonomously within the integrated circuit using internal oscillators and ring oscillators that automatically adjust bias voltages based on real-time performance monitoring, eliminating the need for external reference signals and manual control while reducing power consumption and increasing flexibility
Solution Approach 2:
A closed-loop feedback mechanism is implemented where ring oscillators monitor the actual performance of the digital circuit and automatically adjust the body bias voltages through charge pumps to maintain optimal operation, enabling adaptive control without external intervention
2Measurement precision
If hardware performance monitors are used to detect control voltage effects, then performance monitoring is achieved, but detection time increases
Solution Approach 1:
Ring oscillators are used to periodically monitor the propagation delay of logic elements at optimized frequencies, enabling continuous real-time performance detection without significant time loss while maintaining high precision through oscillation period measurements
3Manufacturing precision
If control voltages are adjusted to compensate for process variations, then threshold voltage control is achieved, but charge transport time increases
Solution Approach 1:
Body bias voltages are pre-adjusted during circuit operation to compensate for process, voltage, and temperature variations before they significantly impact performance, allowing proactive threshold voltage control that reduces the time required for corrective charge transport
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes bias voltage parameters through charge pumps to compensate for PVT variations, adjusting the electrical characteristics of transistors to maintain optimal performance while minimizing the time required for parameter adjustment
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables efficient, adaptive, and flexible generation of body bias voltages, reducing power consumption and chip size, while maintaining stability and flexibility in regulating nmos and pmos transistors, independent of external control signals and pre-defined voltage values.
Implementation Method 1
The charge pump unit (5) adjusts the charge pump for generation and adaptive regulation of the body bias voltage according to a frequency difference between an output signal (11) of the hardware performance monitor (6) and a reference clock signal (10)
Implementation Method 2
The hardware performance monitor (6) comprises two ring oscillators, whereas the ring-oscillators detect a specific time behavior of the part of the integrated circuit to be supplied with the body bias voltages
Data Source
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Figure 3a
AI summary
The invention discloses an apparatus and a method for generation and adaptive regulation of body bias voltages of an integrated circuit. The object to of the invention to efficiently generate the control voltages for active body biasing and to maintain the control voltages in the parts of the integrated circuit supplied with them will be solved by an apparatus for generation and adaptive regulation of body bias voltages of an integrated circuit comprising a digital circuit, a counter, a control unit and at least one charge pump, whereas the control unit and the digital circuit are connected in a closed control loop, and whereas the digital circuit comprises at least one hardware performance monitor, monitoring a timing of a body bias voltage, and whereas the control loop is formed by a control path comprising the at least one charge pump, the hardware performance monitor and the control unit, whereas the charge pump is controllably connected to the control unit adjusting the charge pump for generation and adaptive regulation of the body bias voltage according to a timing frequency difference between an output signal of the hardware performance monitor and a reference clock signal. The object will also be solved by a method using the inventive apparatus.