Scalable Voltage Sequencer Bus for IC Power Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional voltage sequence controllers lack the flexibility to manage the complex and varied voltage sequencing requirements of large electronic systems with multiple power supply rails, such as servers and networking boards, which necessitate a cohesive power supply sequencing scheme.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising multiple power supply voltage sequencer devices electrically coupled to power supplies, with a bus for communicating state information, utilizing finite state machines and logic circuitry to activate and monitor power supplies in a specified sequence, allowing for scalable and flexible power supply management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single voltage sequence controller is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability to manage complex and varied voltage sequencing requirements of large electronic systems deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides a single complex voltage sequence controller into multiple independent voltage sequence controllers (205). Each controller manages a subset of power supply voltage rails, allowing the system to handle complex sequencing requirements while keeping individual controller complexity manageable. The controllers are coupled through an inter-chip cascade bus (ICB) to coordinate their operations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple voltage sequence controllers are used, then the adaptability to manage complex voltage sequencing requirements is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple voltage sequence controllers into a coordinated system through the inter-chip cascade bus (ICB). The master-slave configuration allows multiple controllers to function as a unified system, where the master controller coordinates the slave controllers to manage complex voltage sequencing requirements while maintaining individual controller simplicity.
3Ease of operation
If conventional voltage sequence controllers are used, then the ease of operation is maintained, but the ability to provide cohesive power supply sequencing scheme to large electronic systems deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The voltage sequence controllers are designed with universal functionality to manage various power supply voltage rails through the inter-chip cascade bus. The master controller can configure and coordinate multiple slave controllers to handle different voltage sequencing requirements across the entire electronic system, providing a cohesive power supply sequencing scheme while maintaining operational simplicity through standardized interfaces.
Data Source
AI summary
A system comprises a plurality of power supplies, wherein a power supply provides a supply voltage rail to a voltage domain of the system; a plurality of power supply voltage sequencer devices electrically coupled to multiple power supplies of the plurality of power supplies, wherein a voltage sequencer device is configured to activate the multiple power supplies in a specified sequence; and a bus electrically coupled to the plurality of power supply voltage sequencer devices, wherein the bus is configured to communicate state information of the plurality of power supply voltage sequencer devices.