Low-Leakage Storage for IC Standby Resume
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Solution Overview
Problem
In mobile electronic devices, the leakage current in standby mode contributes significantly to power dissipation, especially with increasing complexity and the addition of new functionalities, making it crucial to minimize standby current while maintaining quick resume capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A mobile apparatus with an integrated circuit that stores relevant states of sequential logic in a low-leakage area during standby, allowing for power-off and immediate restoration upon power-up, distinguishing between configuration and functional sequential logic to reduce leakage current.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the integrated circuit remains powered during standby mode to maintain configuration state, then the circuit can resume operation quickly, but leakage current increases power dissipation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the integrated circuit into two segments: a low-leakage area that remains powered to store configuration state, and the rest of the circuit that is powered down to eliminate leakage current. This segmentation allows the circuit to achieve both quick resume capability and low power dissipation during standby mode.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the configuration state storage function from the main circuit and places it in a dedicated low-leakage area. This extraction allows the main circuit to be completely powered down while preserving the essential configuration information needed for quick resume.
2Loss of energy
If all sequential logic states are stored in the low-leakage area, then the circuit can be fully powered down, but the area and complexity of the powered portion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the low-leakage area specifically optimized for minimal leakage current, while the rest of the circuit can be designed for full functionality. The low-leakage area contains only the essential configuration state storage elements, giving it different properties than the main circuit.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses partial action by storing only the necessary configuration states in the low-leakage area rather than all possible circuit states. This selective storage minimizes the size and complexity of the powered portion while still enabling quick resume of essential functions.
3Loss of energy
If the circuit is completely powered down during standby, then leakage current is eliminated, but the configuration state is lost and resume time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-storing the configuration state in the low-leakage area before the circuit is powered down. This advance preparation ensures that when the circuit needs to resume, the configuration information is already available, eliminating the need for time-consuming re-initialization.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a mobile apparatus comprising an integrated circuit to operate predefined functions, which integrated circuit is susceptible to be set in a standby operating mode wherein which said circuit can resume operation within a predefined delay. The circuit comprises configuration sequential logic having defined states that need to be stored before the circuit enters in standby mode. The mobile apparatus further comprises a power down unit for storing the states of the configuration sequential logic into a low leakage storage area during standby mode that reduces standby current considerably.