Semiconductor Integrated Circuit Dynamic Regulator Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Semiconductor integrated circuits face variations in internal power supply voltage due to changing current consumption, which can lead to reliability issues and increased chip size, as existing solutions fail to effectively manage power supply voltage across different operational modes.
Innovation Solution
The semiconductor integrated circuit employs an internal voltage control circuit that generates regulator control signals based on the combination of operating circuit blocks, and an internal voltage generation circuit with multiple regulators that activate in response to these signals to generate the internal power supply voltage from an external source, dynamically adjusting the number of operating regulators and load circuits to maintain a stable voltage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the number of regulators is increased to maintain stable internal power supply voltage under high current consumption, then voltage stability is improved, but chip size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic regulator activation where the number of operating regulators is adjusted based on real-time current consumption detection. The voltage control circuit monitors current consumption and selectively activates regulators to match the actual power supply needs, transitioning from a static to a dynamic configuration that optimizes both voltage stability and chip area utilization
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of the voltage generation circuit by varying the number of active regulators according to current consumption levels. This parameter adjustment allows the system to maintain adequate voltage stability margin while minimizing the number of simultaneously operating regulators, thereby reducing overall chip size requirements
2Area of stationary object
If the number of regulators is decreased to reduce chip size, then chip area is reduced, but voltage stability deteriorates under varying current consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the number of active regulators based on detected current consumption levels. During high current consumption periods, more regulators are activated to maintain voltage stability, while during low current consumption, fewer regulators operate, thereby reducing chip area requirements while preserving voltage stability when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The operational parameter of regulator quantity is changed dynamically according to current consumption conditions. This allows the system to optimize the balance between chip size and voltage stability by adjusting the number of active regulators to match actual power supply demands rather than maintaining a fixed configuration
3Device complexity
If fixed number of regulators are used to simplify control circuit, then device complexity is reduced, but voltage variation increases under different operation states
Solution Approach 1:
The control circuit implements dynamic regulation by detecting current consumption and selectively activating regulators. This dynamic approach maintains voltage stability across different operation states without requiring an overly complex control mechanism, as the control logic follows a straightforward detection-and-activate pattern
Solution Approach 2:
The voltage control circuit automatically detects current consumption levels and self-regulates the number of active regulators without external intervention. This self-service mechanism maintains voltage stability while keeping the control circuit relatively simple, as the system autonomously adjusts its configuration based on operational conditions
4Stability of the object's composition
If more regulators are activated to cover all operation states, then voltage stability is improved, but current consumption of voltage generation circuit increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically activates only the necessary number of regulators based on real-time current consumption detection. This dynamic activation ensures voltage stability is maintained during high current consumption periods while minimizing the number of active regulators during low current consumption periods, thereby optimizing the current consumption of the voltage generation circuit itself
Solution Approach 2:
The operational parameter of regulator activation is changed according to current consumption levels. By adjusting the number of active regulators to match actual power supply needs, the system maintains voltage stability when required while reducing the current consumption overhead of the voltage generation circuit during periods of lower demand
Data Source
AI summary
An internal circuit has a plurality of circuit blocks operating by receiving an internal power supply voltage. An internal voltage control circuit generates a plurality of regulator control signals according to a combination of operating circuit blocks. A plurality of regulators operate in response to activation of the regulator control signals respectively to generate the internal power supply voltage by using an external power supply voltage. For example, as the number of the operating circuit blocks increases, the number of the operating regulators increases. By thus generating the regulator control signals according to the actual operation of the internal circuit to control the operations of the regulators, it is possible to reduce variation in the internal power supply voltage to a minimum. As a result, an operating margin of a semiconductor integrated circuit can be improved and a yield of the semiconductor integrated circuit can be improved.