Circuit having a Local Power Block for Leakage Reduction
AssigneeQUALCOMM Incorporated
InventorsFadi Adel Hamdan, Anthony D. Klein
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A circuit having a local power block for leakage reduction is disclosed. The circuit has a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is configured to operate at a substantially greater operating frequency than the operating frequency of the second portion. The second portion has a local power block configured to decouple the second portion if the second portion is inactive to reduce leakage current associated with the second portion without sacrificing performance of the first portion.
Claims22
A circuit comprising:
- a first portion;
- and
- a second portion,
- wherein the first portion is configured to operate at a substantially greater operating frequency than an operating frequency of the second portion, and
- wherein the second portion comprises a local power block configured to decouple the second portion if the second portion is inactive.
A processor including a sequential circuit, the sequential circuit comprising:
- a first portion;
- and
- a second portion,
- wherein the second portion comprises a local power block configured to decouple the second portion in response to a control signal input to the second portion, and
- wherein the control signal is a pre-existing signal configured to control the operation of the second portion.
A method of reducing leakage in a circuit having a first portion and a second portion, the method comprising:
- providing a local power block configured to decouple the second portion if the second portion is inactive;
- and
- decoupling power to the second portion using the local power block in response to a control signal input to the second portion,
- wherein the control signal is a pre-existing signal configured to control the operation of the second portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.