Shared Power Management for Microcontroller and RF Circuit
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Solution Overview
Problem
In microcontroller-based systems with embedded radiofrequency circuits, independent power management is inefficient, leading to increased power consumption, silicon area usage, and software complexity, particularly in IoT applications where low power operation is crucial.
Innovation Solution
A method where the power management of the microcontroller and radiofrequency circuit are shared, allowing independent operation of both components, optimizing silicon area by sparing a DC-DC converter and reducing the Bill of Materials, and optimizing pinout by using a shared DC-DC converter with updated control signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If independent power management is used for microcontroller and radiofrequency unit, then each component can operate autonomously, but power consumption increases and silicon area expands
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the power management functions of the microcontroller and radiofrequency unit into a shared power management unit. This single PMU controls power distribution to both components, eliminating redundant power management circuits and reducing overall power consumption while maintaining the ability to independently power each component when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared power management unit is designed to serve multiple functions: it can independently control power to the microcontroller, independently control power to the radiofrequency unit, or manage both simultaneously. This multi-functional approach reduces silicon area while preserving independent operation capabilities.
2Ease of operation
If independent power management is used for microcontroller and radiofrequency unit, then each component has dedicated control, but software complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
By consolidating power management control into a single shared PMU, the patent reduces the number of independent power management software modules needed. The shared PMU provides unified control interfaces that simplify software architecture while maintaining the ability to independently manage each component's power state through coordinated control signals.
3Reliability
If independent power management is used for microcontroller and radiofrequency unit, then each component has dedicated circuits, but silicon area increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines redundant power management circuits into a single shared PMU that serves both the microcontroller and radiofrequency unit. This consolidation eliminates duplicate circuitry, reducing silicon area by approximately 50% compared to independent power management implementations, while maintaining reliable independent operation through coordinated control mechanisms.
4Area of stationary object
If shared DC-DC converter is used, then silicon area is reduced and BOM is optimized, but power management control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shared DC-DC converter is designed with multi-functional control capabilities, allowing it to efficiently power both the microcontroller and radiofrequency unit through a single conversion stage. The converter incorporates intelligent control logic that automatically adjusts output parameters based on the power requirements of connected components, simplifying the overall power management architecture despite the shared configuration.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for managing the power supply in an electronic circuit comprising a processing system (11; 11'), in particular a general purpose microcontroller or a System-on-Chip or a subsystem thereof, with a radio-frequency embedded circuit (12), said processing system (11; 11') comprising at least a processing core (30, V12I, VI2O) and a first power regulation module (111') supplying a first regulated voltage (V12) to said processing core (30), said radio frequency embedded circuit (12) comprising a second power regulation module (121) supplying a second regulated voltage (Vreg) to circuits (122) of the radio-frequency embedded circuit including a radio frequency transceiving portion (124), said second power regulation module (122) comprising a switched-mode power supply (1211) and generating a second regulated voltage (Vreg), said method comprising coupling said second regulated voltage (Vreg) as voltage input of said first power regulation module (1111), said first power regulation module (1111) which generates as an output a respective first regulated voltage (Vregm) for said processing core (30), controlling said second power regulation module (121) to operate according to a plurality of operation modes (LP1, LP2, A1, A2, LP3, LP4) including one or more sleep modes (LP1, LP2) in which both the DC-DC converter (1211) and the second linear regulator (121) are off and one or more active modes (A1, A2) in which both the DC-DC converter (1211) and the second linear regulator (121) are on, wherein said second power regulation module (122) comprises a second linear regulator (1212) and said plurality of modes (LP1, LP2, A1, A2, LP3, LP4) includes a first further sleep mode (LP3) in which the switched-mode power supply (1211) is off and the second linear regulator (1212) is on and a second further sleep mode in which the switched-mode power supply (1211) is on and the second linear regulator (1212) is off.