Variable Voltage Regulator for Low Jitter Applications
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing integrated circuit (IC) System-On-Chip (SoC) architectures face challenges in voltage supply regulation, particularly in managing clock/data jitter performance due to process variations and increased data rates, where fixed voltage regulators fail to accommodate Slow-Slow and Fast-Fast process conditions effectively, leading to inferior performance and higher power consumption.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a variable voltage regulator system that includes a first voltage regulator, a bias voltage generator, and a second voltage regulator, which adjust the output voltage based on process conditions, providing a higher voltage for Slow-Slow conditions and a lower voltage for Fast-Fast conditions to optimize performance and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a fixed voltage regulator is used, then the circuit structure is simple, but the clock/data jitter performance deteriorates under process variations
Solution Approach 1:
The voltage regulator transitions from a fixed structure to a dynamic structure that automatically adjusts output voltage based on process conditions. The bias voltage generator detects process corners (FF, SS, TT) and dynamically modifies the regulated voltage to maintain optimal clock and data circuit performance across varying fabrication parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the voltage parameter dynamically based on process conditions. By detecting process corners and adjusting the output voltage level accordingly (higher voltage for SS conditions, lower voltage for FF conditions), the system maintains reliable operation without requiring a completely complex restructured regulator.
2Device complexity
If a fixed voltage regulator is used, then the device complexity is low, but power consumption increases under varying process conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The voltage regulator dynamically adjusts its output voltage based on detected process conditions, lowering voltage during Fast-Fast conditions to reduce power consumption and raising voltage during Slow-Slow conditions to maintain functionality, thereby optimizing energy usage across different fabrication variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system modifies the voltage parameter in response to process conditions, implementing power savings by reducing voltage when devices operate faster than expected (FF conditions) and maintaining adequate voltage when devices operate slower (SS conditions), thus optimizing overall power consumption.
3Reliability
If voltage is increased for Slow-Slow conditions, then clock/data jitter performance improves, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes the voltage parameter based on process conditions, increasing voltage only when Slow-Slow conditions are detected to improve jitter performance, and decreasing voltage when Fast-Fast conditions occur to reduce power consumption, thus optimizing the trade-off between performance and energy usage.
Solution Approach 2:
The bias voltage generator provides feedback about process conditions to the voltage regulator, enabling the system to automatically adjust voltage levels in response to detected process corners, thereby improving jitter performance when needed while reducing power consumption when devices operate faster than expected.
4Use of energy by moving object
If voltage is decreased for Fast-Fast conditions, then power consumption reduces, but clock/data jitter performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the voltage parameter based on process condition detection, implementing power savings during Fast-Fast conditions while ensuring that voltage is increased during Slow-Slow conditions to maintain adequate jitter performance, thus balancing power consumption and reliability across process variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The feedback mechanism detects process corners and automatically adjusts voltage levels, reducing voltage during Fast-Fast conditions to save power while maintaining adequate performance, and increasing voltage during Slow-Slow conditions to ensure jitter performance requirements are met, thus resolving the trade-off between power and reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
On chip integrated circuit supply voltage regulator has a reference voltage that varies, based on process and temperature conditions of the integrated circuit. Supply voltage is boosted up if the active transistor load devices operate in a Slow-Slow process condition and/or temperature rises. Higher supply voltage improves the system performance (jitter/delay) if the load network includes switching components. If the active transistor load devices operate in a Fast-Fast process condition then the supply voltage is reduced without loss of performance and a savings in power. The variable reference voltage is generated based on process and temperature conditions of the semiconductor integrated circuit devices (transistors). The voltage regulator will automatically have its variable reference voltage adjusted based upon the process condition fabrication and temperature of the areas of the integrated circuit where the active transistor load devices are located.