Low leakage circuits, devices, and techniques
AssigneeDust Networks, Inc.
InventorMark Alan LEMKIN
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An integrated circuit includes circuitry organized into sub-blocks, and power supply selection circuitry operative to selectively adjust the connectivity of power supply terminals of the sub-blocks. When the integrated circuit is operating in an active mode, the power supply selection circuitry couples the sub-blocks in parallel between upper and lower active-mode power supplies; when the integrated circuit is operating in a standby mode, the power supply selection circuitry couples two or more sub-blocks in series between upper and lower standby-mode power supplies. Additionally, in standby mode, isolation circuitry within a sub-block is activated to isolate circuitry within the sub-block from input or output terminals of the sub-block.
Claims27
A method for reducing leakage current in an integrated circuit comprising a plurality of sub-blocks of circuitry, the method comprising steps of:
- coupling the sub-blocks of the plurality of sub-blocks in parallel between upper and lower active-mode power supplies when the integrated circuit is operating in an active mode;
- coupling two or more sub-blocks of the plurality of sub-blocks in series between upper and lower standby-mode power supplies when the integrated circuit is operating in a standby mode;
- and
- activating isolation circuitry within one of the two or more sub-blocks to isolate circuitry of the one sub-block from an input or output terminal of the one sub-block when the integrated circuit is operating in the standby mode.
An integrated circuit comprising:
- a plurality of sub-blocks of circuitry each comprising a portion of the integrated circuit;
- and
- power supply selection circuitry operative to selectively couple, for each sub-block of the plurality of sub-blocks, upper and lower power-supply terminals of the sub-block to power supplies of the integrated circuit,
- wherein the power supply selection circuitry is operative to:
- couple the sub-blocks of the plurality of sub-blocks in parallel between upper and lower active-mode power supplies when the integrated circuit is operating in an active mode;
- couple two or more sub-blocks of the plurality of sub-blocks in series between upper and lower standby-mode power supplies when the integrated circuit is operating in a standby mode;
- and
- activate isolation circuitry within one of the two or more sub-blocks to isolate circuitry of the one sub-block from an input or output terminal of the one sub-block when the integrated circuit is operating in the standby mode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.