Low Voltage Swing Repeater Adaptive Power Modulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Low swing signaling techniques for interconnects require multiple voltage supplies, leading to increased static current consumption, especially when the voltage difference between power supply levels exceeds a threshold, and the voltage swing is independent of the input signal's activity factor.
Innovation Solution
A low voltage swing repeater circuit that uses a single power supply and adapts the voltage swing based on the input data transition activity, reducing power consumption by lowering the signal swing during higher activity, and utilizing bypass devices to generate Soft-Vcc and Soft-Vss within the voltage envelope of the primary supplies, eliminating the need for additional voltage supplies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If multiple voltage supplies are used to achieve low swing signaling, then power consumption is reduced, but static current consumption increases sharply when voltage difference exceeds threshold voltage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically adjusts the voltage swing range based on the activity factor of the input signal. When activity factor is low, the voltage swing is reduced to a smaller range (e.g., from Vcc-Hi to Vcc-Lo instead of full high-swing range), thereby reducing dynamic power consumption while avoiding the need for multiple fixed voltage supplies that would cause threshold voltage issues
Solution Approach 2:
The repeater implements dynamic voltage swing modulation where the output voltage range adapts in real-time according to the input signal activity. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to optimize power consumption based on actual operating conditions rather than being constrained by fixed multi-supply architectures
2Reliability
If multiple voltage supplies are used for low swing signaling, then signal transmission is achieved, but device complexity increases due to required second supply generation circuits
Solution Approach 1:
The repeater is designed to operate with a single power supply that serves multiple functions. The same power supply supports both the high-swing input stage and the dynamically adjusted low-swing output stage, eliminating the need for separate supply generation circuits such as charge pumps or low-drop out regulators
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the complex multi-supply generation infrastructure from the system. By implementing voltage swing modulation within a single supply architecture, the design eliminates the need for external charge pumps, voltage regulators, and associated control circuits that would otherwise be required
3Use of energy by moving object
If voltage swing is kept constant for low swing signaling, then power consumption is reduced, but propagation delay increases compared to adaptive swing
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically modulates the voltage swing range based on the activity factor of the input signal. When the activity factor is low (few transitions), the voltage swing is reduced to minimize dynamic power consumption. When activity factor is high (frequent transitions), the voltage swing is increased to maintain fast propagation delay, thus achieving adaptive optimization of both power and speed
Data Source
AI summary
Described is an integrated circuit (IC) which comprises: a first driver having stacked devices, the first driver operable on a first power supply and a first ground supply, the first driver to receive an input signal with a signal swing according to a second power supply and a second ground supply, the second power supply having a voltage level lower than a voltage level of the first power supply, and the second ground supply having a voltage level higher than a voltage level of the first ground supply; a second driver coupled to the first driver, the second driver operable on the second power supply and the second ground supply; and a pair of by-pass devices coupled to the first and second drivers, the pair of by-pass devices to provide the second power supply and the second ground supply according to an output of the first driver.