Semiconductor Control Voltage Generation for Low Power Data Driving
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor memory devices face challenges in efficiently driving data with low power consumption and maintaining operation voltage below the power supply voltage, leading to high current consumption and potential malfunctions.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor system comprising a first semiconductor device that outputs a power supply voltage and a second semiconductor device with a control voltage generation circuit and a swing width change circuit, which adjusts the control voltage and swing width of data to operate effectively below the power supply voltage, reducing current consumption and preventing malfunctions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If MOS transistors operate with drive voltage lower than power supply voltage to reduce current consumption, then current consumption is reduced, but threshold voltage must be designed low which causes abnormal operations
Solution Approach 1:
A control voltage generation circuit is introduced as an intermediary component that receives the power supply voltage and generates a control voltage with adjusted level. This control voltage serves as a mediator between the power supply voltage and the drive voltage, enabling the MOS transistor to operate reliably without directly applying the full power supply voltage to the gate, thus preventing abnormal operations while maintaining efficient power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the voltage parameter by generating a control voltage whose level is adjusted in response to the power supply voltage. This parameter transformation allows the drive voltage to be optimized - neither too high to cause abnormal operations nor too low to cause reliability issues - by dynamically adapting the control voltage level based on the power supply voltage conditions.
2Use of energy by moving object
If drive voltage is lowered below power supply voltage to reduce power consumption, then energy efficiency improves, but data swing width becomes insufficient for reliable operation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces dynamic adjustment of the control voltage level based on the power supply voltage. The control voltage generation circuit dynamically adapts the voltage level to maintain appropriate data swing width for reliable operation while minimizing power consumption. This dynamic approach allows the system to optimize between power efficiency and signal integrity based on operating conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor system includes a first semiconductor device and a second semiconductor device. The first semiconductor device outputs a power supply voltage and first data. The second semiconductor device generates a control voltage whose level is adjusted in response to the power supply voltage. The second semiconductor device also receives the first data to generate second data having a swing width different from a swing width of the first data. The second data being driven is controlled by the control voltage.