Segmented Power Switch Control for Stable IC State Transitions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Semiconductor integrated circuits face challenges in efficiently switching between active and standby states without causing fluctuations in power source voltage, leading to instability and prolonged switching times.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a switch circuit with first and second switch circuits, each allowing different current flows, controlled by a parameter-based control circuit to sequentially switch on and off these circuits, optimizing the number of switches turned on or off simultaneously based on performance measurements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If all switch circuits are switched on or off simultaneously, then switching time is reduced, but power source voltage fluctuates causing instability
Solution Approach 1:
The switch circuit is divided into multiple independent switch elements (first switch circuit and second switch circuit) that can be controlled separately. The control circuit switches these segments in a staged manner rather than all at once, allowing the total switching task to be completed quickly while maintaining voltage stability through controlled segmentation of the switching process.
Solution Approach 2:
The control circuit performs preliminary switching of the first switch circuit before switching the second switch circuit. This preliminary action allows the system to gradually transition through intermediate states, preventing sudden large current changes that would cause voltage fluctuations, while still achieving fast overall switching through optimized staging.
2Reliability
If switch circuits are switched sequentially to maintain stability, then voltage stability is improved, but switching time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control circuit dynamically adjusts the switching sequence and timing based on real-time monitoring of power source voltage. By making the switching process adaptive rather than fixed, the system can maintain voltage stability while minimizing switching time, as the control circuit optimizes the progression through intermediate states based on actual system conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameter of switching speed by using multiple stages with different switching rates. The first switch circuit switches at one rate while the second switch circuit switches at another rate, creating a dynamic parameter profile that balances voltage stability requirements with overall switching speed optimization.
3Productivity
If more switch circuits are switched simultaneously, then switching speed increases, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control circuit applies partial action by switching only the necessary portion of switch circuits at each stage rather than all switches simultaneously. This allows the system to achieve the required switching speed for productivity while avoiding the excessive power consumption that would result from switching all circuits at once, by carefully controlling the number of switches activated in each phase.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a switch circuit that includes a plurality of first switch circuits each allowing a first current to flow and a plurality of second switch circuits each allowing a second current larger than the first current to flow, wherein each of the plurality of first switch circuits and the plurality of second switch circuits are configured to switch between an on state of supplying voltage to a respective one of a plurality of circuits connected thereto and an off state of cutting off the voltage supplied to the respective one of the plurality of circuits connected thereto, and a control circuit configured to switch to the on state the first switch circuits and then the second switch circuits. Two or more of the first switch circuits or two or more of the second switch circuits are simultaneously switched to the on state according to a parameter.