Powered ring to maintain io independent of the core of an integrated circuit device
AssigneeNVIDIA Corporation
InventorsBrian Smith, Ewa Kubalska
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In an integrated circuit device, a power circuit for maintaining asserted values on an input output pin of the device when a functional block of the device is placed in a sleep mode. The device includes a power circuit disposed along the periphery of the device, the power circuit configured to maintain power when the device is placed in a low-power mode. A plurality of input output blocks are included in the device and are for receiving external inputs for the integrated circuit device and for providing outputs from the integrated circuit device. The power circuit is coupled to provide power to at least one of the input output blocks to maintain state when the integrated circuit device is in the low-power mode.
Claims19
In an integrated circuit device, a power circuit for maintaining asserted values on an input output pin of the device when a functional block of the device is placed in a sleep mode, comprising:
- a power circuit disposed along a periphery of an integrated circuit device, the power circuit configured to maintain power when the integrated circuit device is placed in a low-power mode;
- and
- a plurality of input output blocks for receiving external inputs for the integrated circuit device and for providing outputs from the integrated circuit device, wherein the power circuit is coupled to provide power to at least one of the input output blocks to maintain state when the integrated circuit device is in the low-power mode.
A system on a chip (SOC) that is configured to enter a sleep mode and exit the sleep mode, comprising:
- an always on power domain;
- a core power domain, the core power domain further comprising a computer readable memory storing computer readable code, and a processor coupled to the computer readable memory and for executing a computer readable code;
- a power ring coupled to the always on power domain and disposed along a periphery of an integrated circuit device, the power ring configured to maintain power when the integrated circuit device is placed in a low-power mode;
- and
- a plurality of input output blocks for receiving external inputs for the integrated circuit device and for providing outputs from the integrated circuit device, wherein the power ring is coupled to provide power to at least one of the input output blocks to maintain state when the integrated circuit device is in the low-power mode.
A battery-powered handheld device, comprising:
- a programmable system on a chip (SOC) integrated circuit device;
- a plurality of power domains included within the integrated circuit device, each of the power domains having a respective voltage rail to supply power to the power domain, wherein one of the power domains is an always on power domain and is configured to control turning power off and turning power on for a remaining one or more power domains;
- a plurality of functional blocks included within the integrated circuit device, wherein each power domain includes at least one functional block
- a power circuit coupled to the always on power domain and disposed along a periphery of the integrated circuit device, the power circuit configured to maintain power when the integrated circuit device is placed in a low-power mode;
- and
- a plurality of input output blocks for receiving external inputs for the integrated circuit device and for providing outputs from the integrated circuit device, wherein the power circuit is coupled to provide power to at least one of the input output blocks to maintain state when the integrated circuit device is in the low-power mode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.