Multiple supply voltage dynamic logic
AssigneeSun Microsystems, Inc.
InventorsPradeep Trivedi, Sudhakar Bobba
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A dynamic circuit capable of operating in a normal power consumption mode and at least one reduced power consumption mode is provided. The dynamic circuit is operatively connected to a normal supply voltage and a reduced supply voltage, and is capable of operating at either the normal supply voltage and a normal frequency or at the reduced supply voltage and a reduced frequency. By using such a dynamic circuit, power consumption may be selectively controlled in order to reduce unnecessary power consumption.
Claims17
An integrated circuit having a normal supply voltage and a reduced supply voltage, comprising:
- a clock signal selector adapted to output a first clock signal and a second clock signal dependent on a select input to the clock signal selector;
- and
- a dynamic circuit comprising:
- a dynamic node that, in a precharge phase, is connected to one of the normal supply voltage and the reduced supply voltage dependent on the first clock signal and the second clock signal, and
- an output stage, responsive to the dynamic node, having a first driver device and a second driver device, wherein, in an evaluation phase, one of the first driver device is selectively used to drive the normal supply voltage onto an output of the dynamic circuit and the second driver device is selectively used to drive the reduced supply voltage onto the output.
An integrated circuit having a normal supply voltage and a reduced supply voltage, comprising:
- a clock signal selector adapted to output a first clock signal and a second clock signal dependent on a select input to the clock signal selector;
- and
- a dynamic circuit comprising:
- an input stage having an evaluation block and a dynamic node,
- wherein, in a precharge phase, the dynamic node is operatively connected to one of the normal supply voltage and the reduced supply voltage dependent on the first clock signal and the second clock signal, and wherein, in an evaluation phase, the dynamic node is selectively connected to ground dependent on at least one input to the evaluation block, and
- an output driver stage responsive to the dynamic node, wherein the output driver stage selectively drives one of the normal supply voltage and the reduced supply voltage onto an output of the dynamic circuit dependent on the select input.
An integrated circuit having a normal supply voltage and a reduced supply voltage, comprising:
- clock selecting means for providing a first clock signal having a first frequency and second clock signal having a second frequency, wherein the first frequency is greater than the second frequency;
- precharge means for driving a dynamic node, in a precharge phase, to one of the normal supply voltage and the reduced supply voltage dependent on the first clock signal and the second clock signal;
- evaluation means for evaluating at least one data input, wherein the dynamic node is, in an evaluation phase, dependent on the evaluation means;
- and
- output means for selectively driving one of the normal supply voltage and the reduced supply voltage onto an output dependent on the dynamic node and a select input to the clock selecting means.
A method for performing dynamic circuit operations using a normal supply voltage and a reduced supply voltage, comprising:
- selectively outputting a first clock signal having a first frequency and a second clock signal having a second frequency, wherein the first frequency is greater than the second frequency;
- in a precharge phase, precharging a dynamic node to one of the normal supply voltage and the reduced supply voltage dependent on the first clock signal and the second clock signal;
- in an evaluation phase, allowing the dynamic node to be driven by an evaluation block dependent on at least one input to the evaluation block;
- and
- selectively driving onto an output one of the normal supply voltage and the reduced supply voltage dependent on the dynamic node and a select signal used for the selectively outputting.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.