PREDICTIVELY TURNING OFF A CHARGE PUMP SUPPLYING VOLTAGE FOR OVERDRIVING GATES OF THE POWER SWITCH HEADER IN A MICROPROCESSOR WITH POWER GATING

摘要

A mechanism is provided for an integrated circuit with power gating. A power header switch is configured to connect and disconnect a circuit to a common voltage source. The circuit is powered off circuit when disconnected. A multiplexer selectably connects a charge pump or common voltage source to a gate terminal of the power header switch. The charge pump provides a higher voltage to the gate terminal than the common voltage source. A controller is configured to control a selection of the multiplexer to the charge pump and the common voltage source. The controller is configured to disconnect the charge pump from the gate terminal and connect the common voltage source to the gate terminal of the power header switch in response to conditions: a prediction of a demand core power-up request, an increase in a gate leakage current, and/or a reduction in temperature of the powered off circuit.

主权项

1. A method of operating an integrated circuit with power gating, the method comprising:
configuring a power header switch to connect and disconnect a circuit to a common voltage source, wherein the circuit is a powered off circuit when disconnected from the common voltage source; configuring a multiplexer to selectably connect a charge pump or the common voltage source to a gate terminal of the power header switch, wherein the charge pump provides a higher voltage to the gate terminal than the common voltage source; and configuring a controller to control a selection of the multiplexer to the charge pump and the common voltage source, the controller configured to disconnect the charge pump from the gate terminal and connect the common voltage source to the gate terminal of the power header switch in response to at least one of a following conditions: a prediction of a demand core power-up request; an increase in a gate leakage current; and a reduction in a temperature of the powered off circuit.