Adaptive Voltage Converter
AssigneeAmbiq Micro, Inc.
InventorsScott Hanson, Yanning Lu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An adaptive voltage converter adapted to compensate for the exponential sensitivities of sub-threshold and near-threshold circuits. The converter can change its power/performance characteristics between different energy modes. The converter may comprise two or more voltage converters/regulators. A multiplexing circuit selects between the outputs of the several converters/regulators depending on the state of a control signal generated by a control facility. The converter is specially adapted to change the output of each converter/regulator based on a number of variables, including, for example, process corner, temperature and input voltage.
Claims11
A voltage conversion method adapted to deliver to a load a regulated voltage having a selected one of a first current capability and a second current capability substantially less than the first current capability, the method comprising the steps of:
- [1.1] selectively developing a first voltage having the first current capability;
- [1.2] selectively developing a second voltage having the second current capability;
- and
- [1.3] selecting as the regulated voltage one of the first and second voltages as a function of a current consumption of the load;
- wherein at least one of the first and second voltages is dynamically adjusted as a function complementary to absolute temperature.
A voltage converter facility configured to perform the method of any preceding claim.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.