Multi-Domain Voltage Adjustment via Clock Phase Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multiple power source LSIs face significant processing loads and malfunctions due to the exponential increase in processes required to obtain adaptive supply voltages across multiple power supply domains, especially when manufacturing variations and power supply voltage dependencies differ between clock tree and logic circuits, leading to inefficient power consumption and operational frequency issues.
Innovation Solution
A power supply voltage adjusting apparatus that includes a voltage setting part for each power supply domain, a detecting part to compare clock signal phases across domains, and a voltage adjusting part to synchronize and adjust voltages, reducing phase differences and optimizing power supply voltages based on manufacturing and voltage dependencies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If adaptive supply voltage technique is applied to multiple power source LSI with multiple power supply domains, then power consumption is reduced, but the number of processes required to obtain adaptive supply voltages increases exponentially
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the adaptive supply voltage control for multiple power supply domains into a unified control mechanism. Instead of independently determining ASV for each domain (which would require exponential processes), the invention merges the control functions and uses shared resources such as common delay analysis results and coordinated voltage adjustment, thereby reducing the total number of processes while maintaining power consumption benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a universal control framework that can handle multiple power supply domains simultaneously using a single set of control logic and analysis methods. The delay analysis and voltage determination mechanisms are designed to be multi-functional, serving all power supply domains rather than requiring separate dedicated processes for each domain, thus reducing overall system complexity.
2Reliability
If constant voltage is supplied to semiconductor integrated circuit, then manufacturing variations cause element delay to shift, but adjusting voltage for each variation increases processing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements adaptive supply voltage control that dynamically changes the power supply voltage parameter based on detected operation frequency and delay characteristics. Instead of creating complex processing procedures for each manufacturing variation, the system adjusts the voltage parameter in response to actual circuit behavior, thereby ensuring operation frequency satisfaction while keeping processing complexity manageable through parameter adaptation rather than procedural complexity.
3Use of energy by moving object
If power supply voltage is reduced to lower power consumption in multiple power source LSI, then phase difference between clock signals in different power supply domains increases, causing malfunctions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs feedback mechanisms to monitor phase differences between clock signals in different power supply domains. The system detects phase deviations caused by voltage reductions and uses this feedback information to adjust control parameters or compensate for timing errors, thereby maintaining clock signal synchronization reliability even when operating at reduced power consumption levels across multiple domains.
Data Source
AI summary
A power supply voltage adjusting apparatus includes a voltage setting part that, according to a characteristic variation of a semiconductor integrated circuit, sets a first power supply voltage of a first power supply domain module among a plurality of modules in the semiconductor integrated circuit, each module respectively having a different power supply voltage; a detecting part that compares phases of a first clock signal flowing through the first power supply domain module and a second clock signal flowing through a second power supply domain module to detect a phase difference; and a voltage adjusting part that adjusts a second power supply voltage supplied to the second power supply domain module to reduce the phase difference detected by the detecting part.