Control techniques in voltage regulation systems, and related methods and circuits

A downstream voltage regulation device comprising:

• one or more downstream voltage regulation modules disposed on an integrated circuit (IC);
• and
• a downstream controller configured to control the downstream voltage regulation modules,
• wherein the voltage regulation modules are configured to:
• receive one or more intermediate voltages supplied by an upstream voltage regulation device disposed external to the IC, the upstream device including one or more upstream voltage regulation modules configured to supply the intermediate voltages and an upstream controller configured to control operation of the upstream voltage regulation modules during a bootstrap phase of operation, and
• supply one or more voltage levels to one or more loads disposed on the IC and implemented in one or more voltage domains, and
• wherein the downstream controller is configured to:
• attempt to take control of the operation of the upstream voltage regulation modules from the upstream controller;
• and
• if the downstream controller fails to take control of the operation of the upstream voltage regulation modules, disable at least one of the downstream voltage regulation modules.

An upstream voltage regulation device comprising:

• one or more voltage regulation modules configured to supply one or more intermediate voltages as input to one or more downstream voltage regulation modules of a downstream voltage regulation device, the downstream voltage regulation modules being configured to supply one or more voltage levels to one or more loads in one or more voltage domains, the downstream device and the loads being disposed on an integrated circuit (IC), wherein the upstream voltage regulation device is disposed external to the IC;
• and
• an upstream controller configured to:
• control operation of the upstream voltage regulation modules during a bootstrap phase of operation, thereby controlling voltage levels of the intermediate voltages during the bootstrap phase, and
• relinquish control of the operation of the upstream voltage regulation modules to a downstream controller of the downstream device in response to the downstream controller attempting to take control of the operation of the upstream voltage regulation modules, the downstream controller being configured to control the downstream voltage regulation modules, the downstream controller also being configured to disable at least one of the downstream voltage regulation modules if the downstream controller fails to take control of the operation of the upstream voltage regulation modules.