Voltage Regulator with Switch Chain for Subcircuit Power Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing circuits for radio systems, such as those following the ZigBee industry standard, face challenges in efficiently managing supply voltage for digital subcircuits, particularly in maintaining voltage stability and minimizing power consumption, especially in sleep modes and when disconnecting from battery voltage.
Innovation Solution
A circuit with a voltage regulator that uses semiconductor switches to control the supply voltage for multiple digital subcircuits, allowing for asynchronous switching independent of a system clock, and incorporating a control chain to manage the switching states of switches, ensuring stable voltage supply and reduced power consumption in sleep modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a voltage regulator is used to generate supply voltage from battery voltage, then the digital subcircuits can be powered, but voltage stability and power consumption management become problematic
Solution Approach 1:
The circuit is divided into multiple independent power domains, each controlled by its own switch (first switch, second switch, third switch). Each digital subcircuit can be independently powered on or off, allowing the voltage regulator to supply power only to active subcircuits, thus reducing overall power consumption while maintaining voltage stability for powered subcircuits.
Solution Approach 2:
The control circuit generates control signals in advance to turn on switches before the digital subcircuits are activated and turn them off after deactivation. This preliminary action ensures that power is supplied only when needed, preventing unnecessary power consumption while maintaining stable voltage supply to active components.
2Use of energy by moving object
If switches are used to disconnect digital subcircuits from battery voltage, then power consumption is reduced, but data loss may occur during disconnection
Solution Approach 1:
The control circuit is designed to turn on the switches before the digital subcircuits are deactivated and turn them off after deactivation. This timing ensures that power is maintained during the critical transition period, preventing data loss while still achieving power savings when subcircuits are fully inactive.
Solution Approach 2:
The control circuit monitors the state of digital subcircuits and adjusts switch control signals accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures that switches remain closed (power supplied) when subcircuits are active or transitioning, and only open (power disconnected) when subcircuits are fully inactive, thereby preventing data loss while minimizing power consumption.
3Adaptability or versatility
If asynchronous switching independent of system clock is implemented, then switching flexibility is improved, but start-up current peaks and signal edge uncertainties arise
Solution Approach 1:
The control circuit acts as an intermediary between the asynchronous switch control signals and the digital subcircuits. It conditions and regulates the control signals, ensuring clean edges and preventing signal instability or start-up current peaks, thereby maintaining signal stability while allowing asynchronous switching flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
An example circuit includes a voltage regulator, a controller, and a chain of switches. The voltage regulator is configured to generate a supply voltage, the supply voltage connected to each switch in the chain of switches, and generate a supply voltage status signal, the supply voltage status signal indicating a status of the supply voltage. The chain of switches includes a first switch configured to switch the supply voltage to a first subcircuit of a plurality of sub circuits based on the supply voltage status signal and one or more second switches configured to switch the supply voltage to one or more respective subcircuits of the plurality of subcircuits.