Charge-recycling voltage domains for energy-efficient low-voltage operation of digital CMOS circuits
US7329968B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 10, 2004 |
| Grant date | Feb 12, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 11, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH02J1/082
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An integrated circuit with multiple supply voltage domains includes a first domain and a second domain of electrical components. The first domain receives current from a first voltage rail and discharges electrical current to a second voltage rail. A second domain of electrical components receives current from the second voltage rail and discharges electrical current to a third voltage rail at a third voltage. An external voltage source provides a supply voltage across the first voltage rail and the third voltage rail. The integrated circuit further includes a regulator for regulating the second voltage rail. The circuit domains are divided into granules that can be multiplexed between domains when the supply voltage fluctuations are too large and too long for the regulator to handle. This concept may be extended to include additional domains of electrical components.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.