Distributed Charge Pump Control for Power Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Charge pumps in integrated circuits face inefficiencies due to parasitic capacitance and power dissipation across transistors, especially at higher clock frequencies, making it challenging to supply specific voltage levels and current to circuit blocks effectively.
Innovation Solution
A system with a control circuit that independently enables, partially enables, or disables multiple charge pumps to optimize power consumption and reduce parasitic capacitance by generating control signals based on varying operating conditions, and a cross-coupling circuit that increases the reverse bias of diodes to minimize parasitic capacitance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If multiple charge pumps are operated simultaneously to supply sufficient load current, then the current delivery capability is improved, but power consumption and parasitic capacitance effects increase
Solution Approach 1:
The charge pump system is divided into multiple independently controllable charge pump units, each capable of being enabled or disabled separately. This segmentation allows the system to activate only the necessary number of units based on current demand, avoiding the power consumption and parasitic capacitance penalties of operating all units simultaneously while still meeting the required load current.
2Productivity
If charge pumps are operated at higher clock frequencies to improve voltage generation speed, then the productivity is improved, but parasitic capacitance and power dissipation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the operating parameters of charge pumps based on real-time conditions. By controlling the enable/disable state of individual charge pump units and adapting their operation to actual load requirements, the system can operate at optimal clock frequencies that balance voltage generation speed with power dissipation and parasitic capacitance effects.
3Device complexity
If all charge pumps are controlled by a single common control signal, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ability to optimize power consumption independently is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented to provide independent control signals for each charge pump unit or group of units. This allows different portions of the charge pump system to be controlled independently based on local requirements, enabling fine-grained power consumption optimization without requiring a single complex centralized control mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for providing a load current at a specific voltage to a circuit block of an integrated circuit (IC) includes a plurality of charge pumps and a control circuit to generate a control signal for each of the charge pumps. The control signal causes each of the charge pumps to be enabled, partially enabled, or disabled, and controls at least one of the charge pumps independently of the other charge pumps.