Sleep Activation Circuit for Functional Block Power Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional power management in mobile electronic devices relies on operating systems to deactivate components, which may not effectively address power consumption and overheating issues due to lack of individual control over functional blocks, leading to unnecessary activation of circuits.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a sleep activation circuit (SAC) that monitors activity states of functional blocks and independently controls their entry into a sleep mode, minimizing power consumption by delaying deactivation and optimizing clock cycles for each block.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the operating system periodically deactivates components to reduce power consumption, then power consumption is reduced, but individual functional blocks cannot be precisely controlled leading to unnecessary activation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the power management control into individual functional blocks within the circuit. Each functional block has its own sleep activation circuit that independently monitors activity and controls sleep mode entry/exit based on block-specific activity detection, rather than having the operating system control all components uniformly.
Solution Approach 2:
Each functional block is equipped with its own sleep activation circuit that autonomously monitors the block's activity state and independently decides when to enter or exit sleep mode. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for continuous operating system intervention and enables precise, block-specific power management.
2Speed
If circuits remain active to ensure immediate responsiveness, then device responsiveness is improved, but power consumption increases and operating temperature rises
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic power management where each functional block can dynamically transition between active and sleep states based on real-time activity detection. The sleep activation circuit continuously monitors activity and adjusts the block's operational state accordingly, enabling the system to be responsive when needed while conserving power during idle periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The sleep activation circuit periodically monitors activity states of functional blocks and triggers sleep mode transitions based on detected inactivity patterns. This periodic monitoring enables the system to maintain responsiveness during active periods while entering low-power states during sustained idle periods, balancing responsiveness and power consumption.
3Ease of operation
If the operating system governs entry into idle mode, then system-level power management is simplified, but individual circuit control is insufficient leading to suboptimal power saving
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the power management function by placing a sleep activation circuit within each functional block. This segmentation enables independent monitoring and control of each block's power state based on its specific activity patterns, achieving optimal power saving for each block while maintaining overall system manageability.
Solution Approach 2:
The sleep activation circuit acts as an intermediary between the functional block and the operating system. It autonomously monitors block activity and controls sleep mode transitions without requiring continuous OS intervention, thereby improving power saving efficiency while keeping the OS management layer simple.
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated circuit includes a circuit including a plurality of functional blocks, a sensor associated with one of the plurality of functional blocks for sensing a state of activity thereof, and a sleep switch receiving an output from the sensor and placing the associated functional block in a sleep state in response to the sensed state of activity.