Real-time adaptive voltage control of logic blocks

摘要

An integrated circuit includes logic regions and dynamically adjustable voltage controllers. A voltage controller connected to each logic region enables voltage adjustment while the chip is operating. Each voltage controller has a selector device connected to voltage input lines providing different voltages. A voltage sensor connected to the output of the selector device provides a supply voltage to one of the logic regions. A control circuit dynamically monitors the supply voltage, captures and stores a digital representation of the supply voltage during each cycle of a clock, and tracks variations over time, based on operation of the logic regions. When variations in the supply voltage exceed an operational threshold of one of the logic regions, the control circuit submits a request to a central controller. When the central controller grants permission, the control circuit dynamically adjusts the voltage by enabling the selector device to choose a different voltage input line.

主权项

1. A semiconductor device comprising:
logic regions; and voltage controllers, each of said voltage controllers being operatively connected to one of said logic regions and independently controlling a supply voltage to said one of said logic regions, and each of said voltage controllers comprising:
a selector device having inputs and a single output;voltage input lines operatively connected to said inputs of said selector device, at least two of said voltage input lines providing different voltages;a voltage sensing device operatively connected to said single output of said selector device, said single output providing said supply voltage from a first voltage input line of said voltage input lines to said one of said logic regions; anda control circuit operatively connected to said selector device,
said voltage sensing device sensing said supply voltage,said control circuit capturing and storing a digital representation of said supply voltage during each cycle of a clock,said control circuit tracking variations in said supply voltage over time, based on operation of said one of said logic regions, andresponsive to said variations in said supply voltage exceeding an operational threshold of said one of said logic regions, said control circuit enabling said selector device to choose a second voltage input line of said voltage input lines that is different from said first voltage input line to adjust said supply voltage.