Optical Transmitter Supply Voltage Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical transmitter devices often operate at nominal supply voltages that exceed the necessary levels for performance thresholds, leading to excessive power consumption, and existing methods do not efficiently adapt supply voltage and body bias voltage to optimize power usage while maintaining performance.
Innovation Solution
The optical transmitter device includes a testing element that compares the optical data signal to the electrical data signal to determine if performance thresholds are met, and adjusts the supply voltage and body bias voltage independently to reduce power consumption by decrementing the supply voltage and incrementing the body bias voltage as necessary, storing known-good settings to ensure performance is maintained with reduced power usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the optical transmitter device operates at a nominal supply voltage to ensure performance threshold is met, then the performance is reliable, but the power consumption becomes excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic voltage scaling by continuously monitoring performance metrics and adjusting the supply voltage in real-time. The controller element modifies operating settings based on measured performance, allowing the system to operate at lower voltages when performance thresholds are met, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operating parameters (supply voltage and body bias voltage) adaptively based on performance measurements. By monitoring performance metrics and adjusting voltage parameters dynamically, the system identifies optimal voltage settings that meet performance thresholds with minimal power consumption, resolving the contradiction between reliability and energy efficiency.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the supply voltage is reduced to decrease power consumption, then the energy efficiency improves, but the performance may fall below the required threshold
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a feedback mechanism where the testing element continuously measures performance metrics and provides information to the controller element. Based on this feedback, the controller adjusts the supply voltage and body bias voltage to maintain performance thresholds while minimizing power consumption, ensuring that voltage reduction does not compromise reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary testing and characterization to identify optimal operating settings before normal operation. By pre-determining the relationship between voltage settings and performance thresholds, the system can quickly adjust to appropriate voltage levels that guarantee performance compliance while reducing power consumption.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the device operates at higher supply voltage to maintain performance under varying conditions, then the adaptability improves, but the power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adaptation by continuously monitoring performance under varying operating conditions and adjusting voltage settings in real-time. This dynamic approach allows the system to maintain performance across different conditions without consistently operating at high voltage, thereby reducing average power consumption while preserving adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adaptively changes operating parameters (supply voltage and body bias voltage) based on measured performance and environmental conditions. By dynamically adjusting these parameters rather than using fixed high-voltage operation, the system achieves both adaptability to varying conditions and reduced power consumption.
Data Source
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AI summary
Examples described herein relate to reducing a magnitude of a supply voltage for a circuit element of an optical transmitter device. In some such examples, the circuit element is a driving element that is to receive a first electrical data signal and to provide a second electrical data signal to an optical element that is to provide an optical data signal. A testing element is to compare the optical data signal to the first electrical data signal to determine whether the optical transmitter device meets a performance threshold. When the device meets the performance threshold, a regulating element is to reduce a magnitude of the supply voltage of the driving element.