Programmable body bias power supply
US9571104B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 19, 2015 |
| Grant date | Feb 14, 2017 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 19, 2035 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03K19/0013
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Methods and apparatus permit body biasing to be controlled for transistors of a logic device. By controlling the body biasing, transistor threshold voltages can be controlled—increased during standby modes of the logic device to reduce leakage current and decreased during active modes and to increase switching speed during the active modes. The change in the body biasing can be made relatively slowly to reduce wasted energy that would otherwise be dissipated as heat. In a method embodiment, the method includes obtaining first and second body bias slope parameters, each slope parameter defining, at least in part, a slope of a body bias voltage signal. The method includes charging a body of a transistor with a bias voltage signal per the first body bias slope parameter to lower a threshold voltage, and discharging the body per the second body bias slope parameter to decrease leakage current of the transistor.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.