Voltage Regulator Serial Parallel Interface for Dynamic VID

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing voltage regulators require external mapping circuits to adjust supply voltages, which increase cost and occupy space, and must be reconfigured for different voltage requirements or processors, limiting flexibility and efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A voltage regulator system that allows N-bit digital values to be stored in a table and selected via a parallel interface with a bus width less than N, using a serial interface for loading, enabling dynamic voltage adjustments without external circuitry and reducing the number of control pins required.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If an external mapping circuit is used to map voltage select signals to N-bit VID codes, then the GPU can adjust supply voltages with limited GPIO pins, but the device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevoltage adjustment capabilityVSAvoidmapping circuit complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the voltage selection function directly into the voltage regulator chip, eliminating the need for external mapping circuits. The regulator internally stores N-bit VID codes and decodes them based on fewer control signals, combining multiple functions (voltage selection, code storage, decoding) into a single integrated component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the mapping circuit functionality from the external domain and relocates it inside the voltage regulator. By taking out the mapping function and implementing it within the regulator's internal architecture, the external complexity is eliminated while maintaining voltage adjustment capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Adaptability or versatility

If an external mapping circuit is used to map voltage select signals to N-bit VID codes, then the GPU can adjust supply voltages with limited GPIO pins, but the occupied space increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevoltage adjustment capabilityVSAvoidcircuit board space

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the VID mapping circuit is reconfigured to generate different VIDs for different applications or processors, then the voltage adjustment range is expanded, but the manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevoltage configuration flexibilityVSAvoidreconfiguration complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a dynamic voltage configuration mechanism where the regulator can load different N-bit VID code tables via serial interface. This allows the same hardware to adapt to different applications or processors by simply loading different voltage tables, eliminating the need for physical reconfiguration or different hardware versions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the configuration parameter from fixed hardware mapping to programmable voltage tables. By storing multiple voltage tables in the regulator's memory and allowing dynamic loading via serial interface, the system can adapt to different voltage requirements without manufacturing changes or complex reconfiguration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Device complexity

If a parallel interface with bus width less than N is used to select voltage entries, then the number of control pins is reduced, but the selection speed may be limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol pin countVSAvoidvoltage selection speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent pre-loads N-bit VID codes into the voltage regulator's internal table via serial interface before voltage selection is needed. This preliminary action allows the parallel interface to simply perform fast table lookup and selection without the burden of transferring full N-bit codes during voltage changes, thereby achieving fast selection with fewer pins.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an internal table as an intermediary between the reduced-width parallel interface and the voltage generator. The table stores pre-loaded N-bit VID codes, allowing the parallel interface to select entries quickly while the intermediary handles the full N-bit code management, decoupling the interface width requirement from the data width.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS7366929B1Combined serial and parallel port for high speed controls

Publication Date: 2008.04.29 NVIDIA CORP

AI summary

Methods and apparatus for selecting one of a plurality of N-bit digital values stored in a table, via a parallel interface having a bus width less than N is provided. The plurality of N-bit digital values stored in the table may be loaded via a serial interface.