APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING POWER GATING IN AN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT

摘要

A technique for controlling power gating in an integrated circuit is provided. The integrated circuit comprises a block of components (80) to be power gated, and power gating circuitry (70) for selectively isolating the block of components from the source voltage supply in order to achieve such power gating. Voltage regulator circuitry (10) is used to provide a control voltage (50) to the power gating circuitry when performing such power gating operations, the control voltage being settable to any of a plurality of predetermined voltage levels. An adaptive controller (20) receives operating parameter data (32, 34) from either or both of the block of components and the power gating circuitry, that operating parameter data being indicative of leakage current. The adaptive controller then issues a feedback control signal (40) to the voltage regulator circuitry whose value is dependent on the received operating parameter data. The voltage regulator circuitry is then responsive to the feedback control signal to change the control voltage between the plurality of predetermined voltage levels, until the operating parameter data indicates that a desired leakage current has been obtained within the power gating circuitry.