Data Bus Inversion Circuitry for Power Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Data Bus Inversion (DBI) methods are limited in reducing power consumption as they only consider either Direct Current (DC) or Alternate Current (AC) power consumption components, failing to optimize power consumption when both components are significant simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves an electronic device with a bus driver and circuitry that determines whether to invert data bits based on both DC and AC power consumption counts, using a decision function that calculates a power cost considering predetermined power characteristics, and makes decisions using a lookup table or cost function to minimize overall power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If conventional DBI methods consider only DC power consumption, then DC power is reduced, but AC power consumption increases and overall power optimization fails when both components are significant
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments power consumption into two distinct components: DC power consumption (determined by the number of data bits with predefined values) and AC power consumption (determined by the number of inverted bits relative to previous transmissions). By separately counting and evaluating these two components through first and second counters, the system can independently assess and optimize each power component, resolving the limitation of conventional methods that only considered DC power.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-dimensional power optimization approach (considering only DC power) to a two-dimensional approach by simultaneously considering both DC power consumption (first count) and AC power consumption (second count). This dimensional expansion allows the decision circuitry to make more informed inversion decisions that balance both power components, achieving superior overall power optimization.
2Use of energy by moving object
If data bus inversion is applied to reduce power consumption, then power efficiency improves, but decision complexity increases when both DC and AC components must be considered
Solution Approach 1:
The decision-making process is segmented into distinct functional blocks: a first counter for DC power assessment, a second counter for AC power assessment, and decision circuitry that combines both counts. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently, reducing overall decision complexity compared to a monolithic approach that would need to evaluate all power factors simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate counting stages that convert complex power consumption patterns into simplified numerical representations (first count and second count). These intermediate values serve as mediators between the raw data bits and the final inversion decision, reducing the complexity of the decision circuitry by working with pre-processed counts rather than raw transmission patterns.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional DBI methods use simple inversion algorithms, then implementation is straightforward, but power consumption reduction is limited when both DC and AC components are significant
Solution Approach 1:
The implementation is segmented into three straightforward stages: counting data bits with predefined values (first counter), counting inverted bits (second counter), and making a decision based on both counts. This segmented approach maintains implementation simplicity by breaking down the complex optimization problem into basic counting and decision operations, while achieving superior power reduction compared to simple inversion algorithms.
4Use of energy by moving object
If data bits are inverted based on DC power considerations only, then DC power consumption is reduced, but transmission power noise increases when AC component is significant
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the power analysis into DC components (first count) and AC components (second count), the system can identify when AC-powered toggles are causing excessive noise. The decision circuitry uses both counts to make balanced inversion decisions that reduce DC power while controlling AC-induced noise, preventing the noise problem that occurs when only DC considerations drive inversion decisions.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device includes a bus driver and circuitry. The bus driver is coupled to a parallel bus including N data lines. The circuitry is configured to receive a data unit for transmission over the N data lines, to determine a first count indicative of a number of data bits in the data unit having a predefined value, and a second count indicative of a number of inverted data bits relative to corresponding bits in a previously transmitted data unit, to make a decision of whether to invert the data unit based on the first and second counts, depending on whether such inversion is expected to reduce power consumption of transmitting the data unit over the bus, to produce an output data unit by retaining or inverting the data unit based on the decision, and to transmit the output data unit over the data lines via the bus driver.