I/O Power Supply Wake-Up Logic for Mobile Chip Power Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile devices and battery-operated devices face challenges in minimizing power consumption, as existing methods for selectively powering integrated circuits result in undesirable leakage current due to imperfect switches, reducing the operational duration of these devices.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising a chip with wake-up logic and power management circuitry that selectively provides a core power supply and an input/output (I/O) power supply, allowing the wake-up logic to detect and respond to wake-up events even when the core power supply is cut off, using the I/O power supply, which remains on.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the core power supply is cut off to minimize power consumption, then power savings are improved, but the ability to detect wake-up events is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the power supply into two independent domains: a core power supply for the processor and an I/O power supply for the wake-up logic. This segmentation allows the core power supply to be completely cut off for maximum power savings while the I/O power supply remains active to monitor wake-up events. The segmentation resolves the contradiction by enabling independent power management of different functional blocks.
Solution Approach 2:
The wake-up logic acts as an intermediary component that bridges the low-power state and the active state. It remains powered by the I/O power supply even when the core power supply is off, serving as a mediator that detects wake-up events and triggers processor activation. This intermediary approach resolves the contradiction by maintaining minimal functionality without requiring full system power.
2Use of energy by moving object
If switches are used to selectively power integrated circuits, then power consumption is reduced, but leakage current increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the wake-up logic from the main processor circuit and provides it with a separate power supply (I/O power supply). This extraction eliminates the need for imperfect switches to isolate the wake-up detection function, thereby removing the source of leakage current while still achieving power savings by allowing the main processor to be completely powered down.
3Reliability
If the core power supply is continuously on, then wake-up event detection is reliable, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic power management where the core power supply is turned off during low-activity periods and the I/O power supply remains on. The system dynamically transitions between power states based on activity requirements, allowing the wake-up logic to remain functional while the processor is in a low-power state, thus resolving the contradiction between continuous operation and power savings.
Data Source
AI summary
A device is provided that includes a chip having a processor and wake-up logic. The device also includes power management circuitry coupled to the chip. The power management circuitry selectively provides a core power supply and an input/output (I/O) power supply to the chip. Even if the power management circuitry cuts off the core power supply to the chip, the wake-up logic detects and responds to wake-up events based on power provided by the I/O power supply.