Voltage Drop Detection Control for Semiconductor Integrated Circuits
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor integrated circuit apparatuses face issues with voltage drop and malfunction due to voltage drop detection inaccuracies, leading to inappropriate supply voltage adjustments, even when no voltage drop is present.
Innovation Solution
A control apparatus that detects voltages at multiple positions on an integrated circuit, generates an excluding signal to ignore specific voltages, and selects the lowest voltage not excluded, ensuring accurate voltage drop compensation and preventing high supply voltage malfunctions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If voltage is supplied to an unnecessary circuit block to reduce power consumption, then power consumption is reduced, but voltage drop detection becomes inaccurate and may cause malfunction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by setting the excluding signal in advance based on the operation mode before voltage drop detection occurs. This ensures that voltages from unnecessary circuit blocks are excluded from detection before the detection process begins, preventing inaccurate detection while allowing power consumption reduction through selective voltage supply.
2Use of energy by moving object
If voltage supply to circuit blocks is reduced to save power, then power consumption decreases, but false voltage drop detection occurs leading to high supply voltage and malfunction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring the excluding signal according to the operation mode before voltage drop detection is performed. This preliminary setup ensures that voltages from circuit blocks with reduced supply are excluded from the detection process, preventing false voltage drop detection and subsequent malfunction while maintaining power consumption benefits.
3Use of energy by moving object
If voltage at one circuit block is set to 0V to save power, then power consumption is reduced, but voltage drop detection system incorrectly identifies this as actual voltage drop
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by establishing the excluding signal in advance based on operation mode, which identifies which circuit blocks have their voltage supply reduced or cut off. This preliminary identification allows the detection system to ignore voltages from these blocks, preventing false detection while maintaining the power consumption benefits of selective voltage supply.
Data Source
AI summary
An excluding unit is controlled by a control signal received from a control unit, and based on the control signal a determination is made for each of circuit blocks as to whether either a voltage signal at a position of its corresponding circuit block or a signal indicating a voltage is outputted to a selection unit. From a circuit block which is not in operation, the voltage, but not a voltage signal at a position of the circuit block, is outputted to the selection unit. By this, the circuit block which is not in operation cannot be judged to have voltage drop, and accordingly, a high supply voltage cannot be supplied. Consequently, a malfunction caused by supply voltages to other circuit blocks being too high does not occur.