Phase-Aligned Voltage Regulators for Domain Boundary Timing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Voltage regulator ripple misalignment across different domains in electronic devices leads to complex boundary crossings, potentially causing setup/hold violations and duty cycle problems, especially when independent regulators supply different voltage domains.
Innovation Solution
Implementing phase-aligned voltage regulators on a common power management integrated circuit (PMIC) using common triggers and phase-alignment circuitry to maintain relative phases of voltage regulator ripples across output pins, ensuring simplified boundary crossings between domains.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If independent voltage regulators are used to supply different voltage domains, then each regulator can operate independently, but phase misalignment between regulators causes setup/hold violations and duty cycle problems at domain boundaries
Solution Approach 1:
A phase alignment circuit is introduced as an intermediary component between independent voltage regulators. This circuit detects phase differences between regulator outputs and generates correction signals to synchronize the ripple phases, thereby eliminating setup/hold violations at domain boundaries while preserving the independence of each regulator's operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The phase alignment circuit implements feedback by continuously monitoring the phase relationship between voltage regulator outputs and adjusting control signals accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures that ripple phases remain synchronized, preventing timing violations when signals cross between voltage domains supplied by different regulators.
2Reliability
If phase-alignment circuitry is added to synchronize voltage regulator ripples, then domain boundary crossings are simplified, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The phase alignment functionality is merged with the existing voltage regulator circuitry by sharing common components such as oscillators and control logic. This integration approach reduces the overall device complexity while still achieving the goal of synchronized ripple phases and reliable domain boundary crossings.
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments, disclosed herein, include apparatus and methods to provide separate regulated voltages to an electronic device. Multiple voltage regulators can be provided with phase alignment circuitry coupled to the multiple voltage regulators. The multiple voltage regulators can be structured with each voltage regulator having an output separate from the output of the other voltage regulators. The phase alignment circuitry can provide for relative phases among voltage regulator ripples at the output pins of the multiple voltage regulators to be maintained at a certain relationship. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.