Independent power collapse methodology
US9785211B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 13, 2015 |
| Grant date | Oct 10, 2017 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 12, 2035 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02D10/00
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The feature size of semiconductor devices continues to decrease in each new generation. Smaller channel lengths lead to increased leakage currents. To reduce leakage current, some power domains within a device may be powered off (e.g., power collapsed) during periods of inactivity. However, when power is returned to the collapsed domains, circuitry in other power domains may experience significant processing overhead associated with reconfiguring communication channels to the newly powered domains. Provided in the present disclosure are exemplary techniques for isolating power domains to promote flexible power collapse while better managing the processing overhead associated with reestablishing data connections.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.