SoC Power Supply Phase Control for Low-Leakage Mode Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power management systems in electronic circuitry face challenges in efficiently adapting to variable load conditions and minimizing power wastage, particularly in transitioning between low-power and normal operational modes.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a front-end power supply with independently activatable and deactivatable power stages, coupled with control circuitry that manages voltage regulators to ensure only a predefined partial number of power stages are active during safe operating voltage settings, while activating more stages when settings are unsafe.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If multiple power stages are activated to meet variable load conditions, then power supply capability is improved, but power consumption and leakage current increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic power stage activation where the number of active power stages is adjusted based on real-time voltage regulator demands. The control circuitry monitors the operational modes of voltage regulators and selectively activates only the necessary number of power stages, transitioning between low-power mode (fewer stages active) and normal mode (more stages active) to match actual power requirements and minimize leakage current.
Solution Approach 2:
The power supply is divided into multiple independent power stages that can be activated or deactivated individually. This segmentation allows the system to activate only the specific number of power stages needed for current operational conditions, rather than keeping all stages continuously active, thereby reducing power consumption and leakage current when full power capacity is not required.
2Loss of energy
If fewer power stages are activated to reduce power consumption, then energy efficiency is improved, but power supply capability and system reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The control circuitry continuously monitors the operational modes of voltage regulators and uses this feedback to determine the appropriate number of power stages to activate. When voltage regulators operate in low-power modes, the system activates fewer power stages to save energy. When voltage regulators require higher power output, the system automatically activates additional power stages, ensuring power supply capability and reliability are maintained when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically transitions between low-power mode and normal mode based on real-time operational conditions. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to optimize energy efficiency during low-demand periods while ensuring adequate power supply capability and reliability during high-demand periods, resolving the contradiction between energy savings and system reliability.
3Loss of energy
If power stages are deactivated to minimize power wastage, then energy efficiency is improved, but transition time to normal operation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control circuitry proactively monitors the operational modes of voltage regulators and anticipates power requirements. By detecting when voltage regulators are operating in low-power modes, the system can pre-adjust the number of active power stages accordingly, enabling smoother and faster transitions between operational modes without significant delays when power demands change.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes hardware circuits, a front-end power supply, voltage regulators, and control circuitry. The front-end power supply generates electrical power for the hardware circuits. The front-end power supply includes power stages that generate portions of electrical power and are activated and deactivated independently. The voltage regulators are connected to an output of the front-end power supply and provide adjustable operating voltages to the hardware circuits. The control circuitry controls the voltage regulators to supply the adjustable operating voltages responsively to requests from the hardware circuits, compares the adjustable operating voltages to settings that are specified as safe for provisioning by a predefined partial number of the power stages of the front-end power supply, and adaptively activates and deactivates the power stages, including ensuring that a number of active power stages is set to the predefined partial number only while the operating voltages match the safe settings.