Row Decoder Power Gating for Memory Address Decoding
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Volatile memory devices consume power during address decoding, even when not all decoding blocks are active, leading to inefficient power usage.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a power gating mechanism in the row decoder to selectively activate only the decoding blocks corresponding to the active request, reducing power consumption by maintaining power gating of non-active blocks in an enable state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If power gating is applied to all decoding blocks, then power consumption is reduced, but decoding speed may be affected when switching between blocks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains decoding blocks in a pre-initialized state with gating signals already prepared, so when a decode operation is needed, the block can activate immediately without full initialization delay. This preliminary preparation allows power gating to be applied while minimizing speed impact.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically adjusts the power gating state of decoding blocks based on actual usage patterns. Blocks that are frequently accessed remain in a lighter gating state, while rarely accessed blocks receive deeper power gating. This dynamic adaptation balances power savings with decoding speed requirements.
2Speed
If all decoding blocks remain active, then decoding speed is maintained, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The row decoder is segmented into multiple independent decoding blocks, each capable of operating autonomously. This segmentation allows the system to activate only the specific block needed for the current operation, rather than keeping all blocks active, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining decoding speed for the active block.
Solution Approach 2:
Different decoding blocks are assigned different power states based on their specific usage patterns and importance. The patent applies local quality by allowing some blocks to remain fully active while others are in lower-power states, optimizing the balance between overall system speed and power consumption.
3Use of energy by moving object
If power gating is implemented selectively, then power consumption is optimized, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the power gating control logic with the existing address decoding logic in the intermediate block. By combining these functions, the system achieves selective power gating without adding separate complex control circuits, thus optimizing power consumption while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediate block is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as an address decoding unit and as a power gating control unit. This universal design allows the same hardware to perform multiple functions, reducing overall device complexity while enabling selective power gating optimization.
Data Source
AI summary
A memory device, which may include: a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cell groups; an intermediate block configured to decode a row address, and configured to output an active block flag and a decoded row address; and a row decoder configured to select a wordline of a plurality of wordlines connected to the memory cell array based on the active block flag and the decoded row address. The row decoder may be configured to convert a portion of the row decoder from an inactive state to an active state to activate a selected memory cell group from among the plurality of memory cell groups based on a received active request, the selected memory group corresponding to the active block flag, and the row decoder may be configured to select the wordline connected to the selected memory cell group based on the decoded row address.