Structure and method for a microelectronic device having high and/or low voltage supply
AssigneeXilinx, Inc.
InventorStephen M. Trimberger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatuses and methods relating generally to reduction of allocation of external power and/or ground pins of a microelectronic device are disclosed. In one such apparatus, an external power input pin is configured for receiving an input supply-side power having an external supply voltage level higher than an internal supply voltage level and an external supply current level lower than an internal supply current level. An internal power plane circuit coupled to the external power input pin is configured to step-down a voltage from the external supply voltage level to the internal supply voltage level and to step-up a current from the external supply current level to the internal supply current level to provide an internal power source.
Claims18
A microelectronic device, comprising:
- a first external ground pin configured for receiving a sink-side output power having a negative external sink voltage level below a ground voltage level;
- and
- an internal ground plane circuit coupled to the first external ground pin and configured to either step-down a voltage from the ground voltage level to the negative external sink voltage level or step-up a voltage from the negative external sink voltage level to the ground voltage level, the internal ground plane circuit further configured to step-down a current from an internal supply current level to an output current level
- wherein the internal ground plane circuit is coupled to one or more internal ground sinks;
- and
- wherein the internal ground plane circuit is configured for stepping up from a negative output voltage level to one or more ground level voltages corresponding to the one or more internal ground sinks.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.