Hierarchical Power Distribution for Integrated Circuit Voltage Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Integrated circuits face challenges in reducing power consumption without increasing their area, particularly when combining analog and digital circuits, as existing power distribution methods can cause damage due to excessive power supply to digital circuits.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves a hierarchical structure with a highest class core circuit receiving a first supply voltage based on operation throughput and a lowest class core circuit receiving a second supply voltage that excludes the first, using a positive and negative power supply terminal configuration to optimize power distribution across the integrated circuit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If high supply power is provided to increase signal-to-noise ratio in analog circuits, then signal quality is improved, but power consumption increases and digital circuits may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated circuit is divided into multiple power supply domains with different voltage levels. Analog circuits receive higher voltage for improved signal-to-noise ratio, while digital circuits receive lower voltage to reduce power consumption and prevent damage. This segmentation allows different power levels to coexist within the same IC without mutual interference.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the integrated circuit are provided with locally optimized power supply characteristics. High voltage is supplied locally to analog circuits where signal quality is critical, while low voltage is supplied locally to digital circuits where power efficiency is critical. This local quality approach resolves the contradiction by allowing each circuit type to operate at its optimal power level.
2Use of energy by moving object
If hierarchical power distribution structure is implemented to reduce power consumption, then power efficiency is improved, but circuit area increases due to additional power management circuits
Solution Approach 1:
The power management structure is nested within the existing circuit architecture rather than adding external management circuits. Multiple power supply domains are nested hierarchically, with higher-level power domains containing lower-level sub-domains. This nesting approach enables fine-grained power control without requiring separate external power management components that would increase overall circuit area.
Solution Approach 2:
The power supply terminals and distribution network serve multiple functions simultaneously. The same physical infrastructure provides both high voltage for analog circuits and low voltage for digital circuits through selective connection. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate power management hardware for each circuit type, thereby avoiding area increase.
3Reliability
If separate power supply terminals are used for analog and digital circuits, then circuit damage is prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply system is segmented into distinct high-voltage and low-voltage domains with separate terminals. Analog circuits are connected only to high-voltage terminals while digital circuits are connected only to low-voltage terminals. This physical segmentation prevents voltage mismatch damage while keeping the connection topology simple and systematic rather than complex.
Solution Approach 2:
The power distribution system dynamically adapts voltage levels to match circuit requirements through the hierarchical domain structure. Each domain can independently adjust its voltage level without affecting other domains, enabling flexible power management that simplifies protection logic while maintaining high reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated circuit includes a highest class core circuit that has a positive power supply terminal connected to a positive power supply terminal of an external power source, and is configured to receive a first supply voltage which is at least a portion of a an input supply voltage that is provided from the external power source based on an operation throughput; and a lowest class core circuit that has a positive power supply terminal connected to a negative power supply terminal of an adjacent upper class core circuit, has a negative power supply terminal connected to a negative power supply terminal of the external power source, and is configured to receive a second supply voltage which is at least a portion of a part of the input supply voltage that excludes the first supply voltage.