Low-Power Feedback Control Loops Using One-Bit Floating-Point Logic

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing feedback control loops in integrated circuits require high-precision calculations that consume significant power and area, making them unsuitable for smaller battery-powered devices, and often rely on software processing which can cause excessive processing burdens.

Innovation Solution

Implement low-power one-bit floating-point circuitry in feedback control loops to perform calculations using one-bit floating-point converters, dividers, and multipliers, reducing power consumption and area requirements while maintaining stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If high-precision calculations are used in feedback control loops, then calculation accuracy is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecalculation accuracyVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces expensive, power-consuming high-precision calculators with inexpensive, low-power one-bit floating-point circuitry. The one-bit floating-point converters, dividers, and multipliers perform sufficient calculations for feedback control loops while consuming significantly less power than traditional high-precision hardware or software implementations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Measurement precision

If high-precision calculations are used in feedback control loops, then calculation accuracy is improved, but circuit area increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecalculation accuracyVSAvoidcircuit area

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent substitutes complex, area-consuming high-precision calculation hardware with simple one-bit floating-point circuitry. The one-bit floating-point dividers and multipliers occupy minimal circuit area while providing adequate precision for feedback control applications, thereby reducing overall integrated circuit area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Adaptability or versatility

If software processing is used for feedback control loops, then flexibility is improved, but processing burden increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveflexibilityVSAvoidprocessing burden

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces software-based feedback control processing with dedicated hardware circuitry implementing one-bit floating-point arithmetic. This hardware implementation executes calculations directly in parallel circuits, eliminating the processing burden on software while maintaining the flexibility needed for feedback control loops.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS12413383B1Low-power multi-variable feedback control loop

Publication Date: 2025.09.09 SYNOPSYS INC

AI summary

A system includes a receiver that receives first data of a first data format at an input frequency. The system includes a transmitter that transmits second data of a second data format at a transmission frequency. The system includes a format converter, coupled between the receiver and the transmitter, that converts the first data to the second data. The format converter includes a phase-locked loop that provides an initial output frequency which is a product of a reference clock frequency and a first frequency multiplier. The format converter includes a feedback control loop that converts, using a one-bit floating-point converter, the initial output frequency of the phase-locked loop to a modified output frequency corresponding to the transmission frequency.