Inter-Domain Bridge Power Control for Asynchronous Data Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Data processing systems with multiple power domains face challenges in efficiently transferring transaction signals between domains due to differences in power control states and clock frequencies, requiring effective bridge circuitry to manage power states and ensure seamless communication.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of bridge circuitry within each power domain that switches between active and inactive states using domain-specific power control signals, with intra-bridge control signals to manage transaction states and initiate communication open or quiesced states, ensuring efficient transaction transfer across domains.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If bridge circuitry is used to transfer transaction signals between power domains with different power control states and clock frequencies, then communication between domains is enabled, but the complexity of managing power states and ensuring seamless communication increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bridge circuitry is divided into separate first and second bridge circuitry components located in different power domains, each independently controllable. This segmentation allows each component to be managed separately according to its domain's power state, reducing the overall control complexity while maintaining communication capability across domains with different power states and clock frequencies
Solution Approach 2:
Intra-bridge control signals act as intermediaries between the first and second bridge circuitry, coordinating their operation. These control signals enable the bridge components to synchronize their state transitions and transaction transfers without requiring complex direct control logic between power domains, thus simplifying the management of power state compatibility
2Loss of energy
If power domains are independently controlled to reduce power consumption, then energy efficiency is improved, but the difficulty of managing transaction state synchronization increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bridge circuitry implements feedback mechanisms through intra-bridge control signals that monitor and report the state of each bridge component to the other. This feedback allows the system to detect when transactions are pending or in progress, enabling proper state synchronization without requiring continuous active monitoring, thus maintaining energy efficiency while managing synchronization difficulty
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by asserting transaction-active signals before actual data transfer occurs. This allows the receiving bridge circuitry to prepare in advance for incoming transactions, ensuring proper state synchronization is achieved before the actual transfer begins, thereby simplifying the coordination between independently powered domains
3Loss of energy
If bridge circuitry switches between active and inactive states to manage power, then power consumption is reduced, but the time required to maintain known states for transaction processing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bridge circuitry employs periodic or event-driven state transitions rather than continuous operation. By switching to inactive state during idle periods and only becoming active when transactions are detected or needed, the system reduces power consumption while minimizing the time spent in state transitions. The use of transaction-active signals triggers state changes only when necessary, optimizing the balance between power savings and response time
Data Source
AI summary
A data processing system includes multiple powered domains which communicate using a bridge 10. The bridge 10 includes first bridge circuitry 14 within a first power domain and second bridge circuitry 16 within a second power domain. The first bridge circuitry 14 and the second bridge circuitry 16 exchange intra-bridge power control signals which serve to control management of the communication channel through the bridge 10 to adopt a communication open state or a communication quiesced state independent of whether either side of the bridge is in a power-active state or a power-inactive state.