Power Gating Control Circuit for Dynamic Circuit-Group Power-Down
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Solution Overview
Problem
Semiconductor apparatuses face challenges in optimizing operation performance and reducing power consumption, particularly in portable devices where limited power sources necessitate minimizing unnecessary power usage.
Innovation Solution
A power gating control circuit is introduced, comprising operational period signal, period termination detecting, power gating period, and power gating control signal generating circuits, which generate signals to control power supply to circuit groups based on operational modes, enabling efficient entry into and exit from power-down modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If power gating control circuit is implemented to reduce power consumption, then energy efficiency improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The semiconductor apparatus is divided into multiple independent circuit groups (first circuit group, second circuit group, third circuit group) that can be individually powered on or off. The power gating control circuit generates separate power gating control signals for each circuit group, enabling granular power management where only actively used circuit groups consume power, thus reducing overall power consumption without requiring complete system shutdown.
Solution Approach 2:
The command shift circuit shifts command signals in advance to generate timing signals that anticipate when circuit groups will be needed. The power gating control circuit uses these pre-generated timing signals to proactively control power supply to circuit groups before they become active, ensuring seamless power transitions and maintaining operational readiness without continuous power consumption.
2Reliability
If power supply is continuously supplied to maintain operation performance, then operational reliability improves, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply to circuit groups is made dynamic rather than static. The power gating control circuit continuously monitors command signals and operational timing, adjusting power supply to each circuit group in real-time based on actual operational needs. Circuit groups receive power only during their active periods and are powered down during idle periods, creating a dynamic power management system that balances reliability and energy efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The power gating control circuit incorporates feedback mechanisms by monitoring command signals and operational timing information to determine when circuit groups should be powered on or off. This feedback loop ensures that power supply decisions are based on actual operational requirements, maintaining system reliability while avoiding unnecessary power consumption during idle periods.
Data Source
AI summary
A power gating control circuit includes an operational period signal generating circuit, a period termination detecting circuit, a power gating period signal generating circuit and a power gating control signal generating circuit. The operational period signal generating circuit generates a plurality of operational period signals based on internal clock signals and one or more of command shift signals. The period termination detecting circuit generates a write period termination signal and a read period termination signal based on the command signals and the plurality of operational period signals. The power gating period signal generating circuit generates a first power gating period signal and a second power gating period signal based on the write period termination signal, the read period termination signal and remaining command shift signals other than the one or more command shift signals. The power gating control signal generating circuit generates a plurality of power gating control signals based on the first power gating period signal, the second power gating period signal, and other signals to control entry into and exit from a power-down mode of a semiconductor apparatus.