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US 2003/0197544 A1Published application
Method and structure for supply gated electronic components
AssigneeSun Microsystems, Inc.
InventorJames B. Burr
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and structure for supply gating low power electronic components uses low threshold gating transistors. The low power components operate at supply voltages of less than one volt and typically in the range of 150 to 400 millivolts. Using low threshold gating transistors, the leakage current of the devices, and therefore the standby power dissipation, can be minimized by using any one, or a combination of, four methods including: overdriving the low threshold gating transistors on; overdriving the low threshold gating transistors off; combining very low threshold device transistors with low threshold gating transistors; and providing the low threshold gating transistors with back bias.
Claims39
A method for supply gating an electronic component comprising:
- providing a first supply voltage;
- providing at least one device;
- providing a second supply voltage;
- coupling a low threshold gating transistor between said first supply voltage and said at least one device;
- wherein,
- said low threshold gating transistor has an unbiased threshold voltage with a magnitude of less than approximately 300 millivolts;
- and
- overdriving said low threshold gating transistor on, such that when said low threshold gating transistor is in an on state, a voltage differential between a gate and a source of said low threshold gating transistor is greater than a voltage differential between said first and second supply voltages.
5 more elements
A method for supply gating an electronic component comprising:
- providing a first supply voltage;
- providing at least one device;
- providing a second supply voltage;
- coupling a low threshold gating transistor between said first supply voltage and said at least one device;
- wherein,
- said low threshold gating transistor has an unbiased threshold voltage with a magnitude of less than approximately 300 millivolts;
- and
- overdriving said low threshold gating transistor off.
5 more elements
A method for supply gating an electronic component comprising:
- providing a first supply voltage;
- providing at least one device;
- providing a second supply voltage;
- coupling a back biased low threshold gating transistor between said first supply voltage and said at least one device;
- wherein,
- said back biased low threshold gating transistor has an unbiased threshold voltage with a magnitude of less than approximately 300 millivolts;
- providing a back bias potential to said back biased low threshold gating transistor to modulate said threshold voltage of said back biased low threshold gating transistor between an off state and an on state.
4 more elements
A method for supply gating an electronic component comprising:
- providing a first supply voltage;
- providing at least one device;
- providing a second supply voltage;
- coupling a back biased low threshold gating transistor between said at least one device and said second supply voltage;
- wherein,
- said back biased low threshold gating transistor has an unbiased threshold voltage with a magnitude of less than approximately 300 millivolts;
- providing a back bias potential to said back biased low threshold gating transistor to modulate said threshold voltage of said back biased low threshold gating transistor between an off state and an on state.
4 more elements
A method for supply gating an electronic component comprising:
- providing a first supply voltage;
- providing at least one device;
- providing a second supply voltage;
- coupling a first back biased low threshold gating transistor between said first supply voltage and said at least one device;
- coupling a second back biased low threshold gating transistor between said at least one device and said second supply voltage;
- wherein,
- said first and second back biased low threshold gating transistors have an unbiased threshold voltage with a magnitude of less than approximately 300 millivolts;
- providing a first back bias potential to said first back biased low threshold gating transistor to modulate said threshold voltage of said first back biased low threshold gating transistor between an off-state and an on state;
- and
- providing a second back bias potential to said second back biased low threshold gating transistor to modulate said threshold voltage of said second back biased low threshold gating transistor between an off-state and an on state.
7 more elements
A low power supply gated electronic component comprising:
- a first supply voltage;
- at least one device;
- a second supply voltage;
- a low threshold gating transistor coupled between said first supply voltage and said at least one device;
- wherein,
- said low threshold gating transistor has an unbiased threshold voltage with a magnitude of less than approximately 300 millivolts, further wherein;
- said low threshold gating transistor is overdriven on, such that when said low threshold gating transistor is in an on state, a voltage differential between a gate and a source of said low threshold gating transistor is greater than a voltage differential between said first and second supply voltages.
4 more elements
A low power supply gated electronic component comprising:
- a first supply voltage;
- at least one device;
- a second supply voltage;
- a low threshold gating transistor coupled between said first supply voltage and said at least one device;
- wherein,
- said low threshold gating transistor has an unbiased threshold voltage with a magnitude of less than approximately 300 millivolts, further wherein;
- said low threshold gating transistor is overdriven off.
4 more elements
A low power supply gated electronic component comprising:
- a first supply voltage;
- at least one device;
- a second supply voltage;
- a back biased low threshold gating transistor coupled between said first supply voltage and said at least one device;
- wherein,
- said back biased low threshold gating transistor has an unbiased threshold voltage with a magnitude of less than approximately 300 millivolts;
- a back bias potential supplied to said back biased low threshold gating transistor to modulate said threshold voltage of said back biased low threshold gating transistor between an off-state and an on state.
4 more elements
A low power supply gated electronic component comprising:
- a first supply voltage;
- at least one device;
- a second supply voltage;
- a back biased low threshold gating transistor coupled between said at least one device and said second supply voltage;
- wherein,
- said back biased low threshold gating transistor has an unbiased threshold voltage with a magnitude of less than approximately 300 millivolts;
- and
- a back bias potential supplied to said back biased low threshold gating transistor to modulate said threshold voltage of said back biased low threshold gating transistor between an off-state and an on state.
5 more elements
A low power supply gated electronic component comprising:
- a first supply voltage;
- at least one device;
- a second supply voltage;
- a first back biased low threshold gating transistor coupled between said first supply voltage and said at least one device;
- a second back biased low threshold gating transistor coupled between said at least one device and said second supply voltage;
- wherein,
- said first and second back biased low threshold gating transistors have an unbiased threshold voltage with a magnitude of less than approximately 300 millivolts;
- a first back bias potential supplied to said first back biased low threshold gating transistor to modulate said threshold voltage of said first back biased low threshold gating transistor between an off-state and an on state;
- and
- a second back bias potential supplied to said second back biased low threshold gating transistor to modulate said threshold voltage of said second back biased low threshold gating transistor between an off-state and an on state.
7 more elements
A low power supply gated network comprising:
- a first supply voltage;
- two or more devices;
- a second supply voltage;
- a low threshold gating transistor coupled between said first supply voltage and said two or more devices;
- wherein,
- said low threshold gating transistor has an unbiased threshold voltage with a magnitude of less than approximately 300 millivolts, further wherein;
- said low threshold gating transistor is overdriven on, such that when said low threshold gating transistor is in an on state, a voltage differential between a gate and a source of said low threshold gating transistor is greater than a voltage differential between said first and second supply voltages.
4 more elements
A low power supply gated network comprising:
- a first supply voltage;
- two or more devices;
- a second supply voltage;
- a low threshold gating transistor coupled between said first supply voltage and said two or more devices;
- wherein,
- said low threshold gating transistor has an unbiased threshold voltage with a magnitude of less than approximately 300 millivolts, further wherein;
- said low threshold gating transistor is overdriven off.
4 more elements
A low power supply gated network comprising:
- a first supply voltage;
- two or more devices;
- a second supply voltage;
- a back biased low threshold gating transistor coupled between said first supply voltage and said two or more devices;
- wherein,
- said back biased low threshold gating transistor has an unbiased threshold voltage with a magnitude of less than approximately 300 millivolts;
- a back bias potential supplied to said back biased low threshold gating transistor to modulate said threshold voltage of said back biased low threshold gating transistor between an off-state and an on state.
4 more elements
A low power supply gated network comprising:
- a first supply voltage;
- two or more devices;
- a second supply voltage;
- a back biased low threshold gating transistor coupled between said two or more devices and said second supply voltage;
- wherein,
- said back biased low threshold gating transistor has an unbiased threshold voltage with a magnitude of less than approximately 300 millivolts;
- and
- a back bias potential supplied to said back biased low threshold gating transistor to modulate said threshold voltage of said back biased low threshold gating transistor between an off-state and an on state.
5 more elements
A low power supply gated network comprising:
- a first supply voltage;
- two or more devices;
- a second supply voltage;
- a first back biased low threshold gating transistor coupled between said first supply voltage and said two or more devices;
- a second back biased low threshold gating transistor coupled between said at least one device and said second supply voltage;
- wherein,
- said first and second back biased low threshold gating transistors have an unbiased threshold voltage with a magnitude of less than approximately 300 millivolts;
- a first back bias potential supplied to said first back biased low threshold gating transistor to modulate said threshold voltage of said first back biased low threshold gating transistor between an off-state and an on state;
- and
- a second back bias potential supplied to said second back biased low threshold gating transistor to modulate said threshold voltage of said second back biased low threshold gating transistor between an off-state and an on state.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.