IC Power Management Asynchronous Domain Switching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing power management systems for integrated circuits face challenges in seamlessly switching between different operational modes, leading to interruptions and inefficiencies due to discontinuities in peripheral operation, which are undesirable for end users and require minimizing transition time.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method and architecture that allows an integrated circuit to operate in multiple power modes, including full power, low power, and standby modes, with a central controller managing the main domain and a low power mode controller handling the low power domain, enabling seamless transitions and asynchronous operations while maintaining continuity of peripheral operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If traditional power management systems switch between power modes by stopping or resetting modules, then power consumption is reduced in low power modes, but peripheral operation continuity is interrupted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidperipheral operation continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system is divided into multiple power domains (first power domain and second power domain) that can be independently controlled. Each domain can be in different power states (powered on or powered off) while others remain active, allowing seamless transition without interrupting peripheral operations in the active domain.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A domain switch controller acts as an intermediary to manage the transition between power modes. It coordinates the switching between first and second power domains, ensuring that peripheral operations continue uninterrupted by controlling which domain is active at any given time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of energy

If traditional power management systems use isolation cells to separate power domains, then power isolation is achieved, but switching time between modes increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower isolation efficiencyVSAvoidswitching time

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-configures multiple power domains with necessary peripherals and controllers in advance. When a power mode transition is needed, the target domain is already prepared and can be activated immediately, eliminating the need for time-consuming initialization or setup during switching.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The domain switch controller dynamically manages the activation and deactivation of power domains based on real-time power mode requirements. This dynamic control allows for rapid switching between domains without the delays associated with static isolation cell configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS9190989B1Integrated circuit power management

Publication Date: 2015.11.17 SONY GROUP CORP

AI summary

A power management system permits a small microcontroller subsystem or low power domain to continuously operate while a main subsystem domain is cycling from power on to off. The power management system supports asynchronous domains with common shared peripherals. The asynchronous domains operate as a single entity while in a full power mode with the peripheral and system resources being shared. The system can be used in automotive systems where most of the system is power-gated leaving just a power regulator controller, some counters and an input/output segment alive for wakeup purposes.