Reference Voltage Generator Synchronous Asynchronous Mode Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Computing systems, especially portable and mobile devices, face challenges in maintaining low power consumption while quickly transitioning between low power standby and active modes, as reference voltage generators often exhibit low speeds and high power consumption.
Innovation Solution
A reference voltage generator that switches between synchronous and asynchronous modes, using a single digital-to-analog converter to prioritize updates on voltage rails needing quick changes, allowing for fast transitions without continuous high clock frequency, thus reducing power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by stationary object
If a single digital-to-analog converter is used to generate reference voltages, then power consumption and area are reduced, but the update speed decreases as the converter must cycle through voltage rails in sequence
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between synchronous mode (for normal operation) and asynchronous mode (for fast updates) based on system state. This allows the reference voltage generator to adapt its operating characteristics, achieving fast updates when needed while maintaining low power consumption during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the clock frequency parameter dynamically - using a low clock frequency during synchronous operation to save power, and a high clock frequency during asynchronous operation to achieve fast updates. This parameter change allows the system to optimize between power consumption and speed based on current needs.
2Speed
If the clock frequency is increased to achieve faster reference voltage updates, then transition speed improves, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic synchronous updates at a low clock frequency for normal operation, and only activates high-frequency asynchronous updates periodically when system state changes require fast transitions. This periodic action pattern allows the system to maintain low average power consumption while still achieving fast transitions when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The clock frequency is made dynamic rather than fixed - the system transitions between low-frequency synchronous mode and high-frequency asynchronous mode based on real-time system state, allowing optimization of the power-speed tradeoff.
3Use of energy by stationary object
If reference voltage generators are designed for very low power consumption, then energy efficiency improves, but the circuits exhibit low speeds
Solution Approach 1:
The reference voltage generator is designed with dynamic operational modes that allow it to switch between low-power synchronous operation and high-speed asynchronous operation, making the speed-power characteristic adaptable rather than fixed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the operation into two distinct modes: synchronous mode for normal low-power operation and asynchronous mode for fast updates. This segmentation allows each mode to be optimized independently for its specific purpose.
Data Source
AI summary
In some examples, an apparatus for reference voltage generation includes a plurality of reference voltage rails each with a corresponding reference voltage, a first controller, and a second controller. The first controller is to cycle through the plurality of reference voltage rails and maintain the reference voltages in a synchronous mode. The second controller is to detect an event and provide an indication to the first controller to update in an asynchronous mode one of the plurality of reference voltages in response to the event. The first controller is to update in an asynchronous mode the one of the plurality of reference voltages in response to the event.