Patent · US Expired

Power consumption control mechanism and method therefor

US6147508A · kind A · utility

20Cited by
8References
38Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 20, 1998
Grant dateNov 14, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 20, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03K2217/0018
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An apparatus and method for controlling the power consumption of a logic device are implemented. The power dissipation, and consequently, the speed of a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) logic device is substantially proportional to the speed of the device. The temperature of the logic device is controlled by controlling the device speed by adjusting the threshold voltage of the metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) devices forming the logic device under control. The threshold voltage of the devices is controlled by applying a back bias voltage between the bulk material in which each device under control is fabricated, and the most positive electrode of the device. The back bias voltage value is regulated in response to the logic device temperature, thereby closing a feedback loop.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.