Voltage optimization circuit and managing voltage margins of an integrated circuit

摘要

A voltage margin controller, an IC included the same and a method of controlling voltage margin for a voltage domain of an IC are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the voltage margin controller includes: (1) monitoring branches including circuit function indicators configured to indicate whether circuitry in the voltage domain could operate at corresponding candidate reduced voltage levels and (2) a voltage margin adjuster coupled to the monitoring branches and configured to develop a voltage margin adjustment for a voltage regulator of the voltage domain based upon an operating number of the circuit function indicators.

主权项

1. A voltage margin controller located in a voltage domain and comprising:
monitoring branches including circuit function indicators configured to indicate whether circuitry in said voltage domain could operate at corresponding candidate reduced voltage levels; and a voltage margin adjuster coupled to said monitoring branches and configured to develop a voltage margin adjustment for a voltage regulator of said voltage domain based upon a comparison of an operating number of said circuit function indicators to a minimum passing threshold and a maximum passing threshold, wherein a value of said voltage margin adjustment is a total voltage drop of a lowest level passing branch of said monitoring branches that complies with said minimum and said maximum thresholds.