Apparatus and method for recycling and reusing charge in an electronic circuit

An electronic circuit for minimizing power consumption by recycling and reusing charge in an electrical system, comprising:

• a power supply configured to provide supply voltage to an electronic circuit;
• a circuit block;
• and
• at least two switched capacitors coupled to said circuit block, each capacitor of said at least two switched capacitors being configured to collect current charge when set to a charge collection mode and being configured to discharge said current charge collected when set to a charge discharge mode, said each capacitor of said at least two switched capacitors being configured to alternate between said charge collection mode and said charge discharge mode, wherein when a first capacitor of said at least two capacitors is set to said charge collection mode, said first capacitor is connected at a local ground level of said circuit block for collecting said current charge, a second capacitor of said at least two capacitors is set to said discharge collection mode, said second capacitor is connected at a supply level of said circuit block for discharging said current charge collected into said power supply for use by said electronic circuit, and wherein alternating collecting and discharging of said current charge by said at least two switched capacitors minimizes power consumption of said electrical system and maintains continuous operation of said electronic circuit.

A method for recycling and reusing charge within an electronic circuit, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing at least one switched capacitor coupled to a circuit block of an electronic circuit powered by a power supply, said at least one switched capacitor being configured for switching from a charge collection mode to a charge discharge mode;
• collecting current charge, using said at least one switched capacitor connected in said charge collection mode to a local ground level of said power supply for collecting said current charge consumed by said electronic circuit, said current charge comprising at least one of:
• leakage current charge and active current charge;
• detecting when said at least one switched capacitor connected at said local ground level has achieved a fully charged state in said charge collection mode;
• and
• connecting, in said charge discharge mode, said at least one switched capacitor to a supply level of said power supply for discharging said current charge collected into said circuit block of said electronic circuit, wherein said current charge is recycled within said electronic circuit as a result of alternating configuration of said at least one switched capacitor from said charge collection mode to said charge discharge mode.

A method for minimizing power consumption by recycling and reusing charge in an electrical system, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing at least two switched capacitors coupled to an electronic circuit in an electrical system powered by a power supply, each capacitor of said at least two switched capacitors being configured to be switched from a charge collection mode, for collecting current charge consumed by said electronic circuit, to a charge discharge mode for discharging said current charge collected into said electronic circuit, said current charge being charge consumed by said electronic circuit;
• collecting a respective current charge consumed by said electronic circuit using a first capacitor of said at least two switched capacitors, while simultaneously discharging a respective current charge collected by a second capacitor of said at least two switched capacitors, said first capacitor being connected in said charge collection mode at a local ground level of said electronic circuit, while said second capacitor is connected in said charge discharge mode to a supply level of said electronic circuit for reusing and recycling said current charge discharged into said electronic circuit;
• and
• detecting when said first capacitor connected at said local ground level has achieved a fully charged state and disconnecting said first capacitor from said local ground level and reconnecting said first capacitor to said supply level of said electronic circuit for discharging said current charge collected into said electronic circuit and detecting when said second capacitor connected at said supply level has achieved a fully discharged state and disconnecting said second capacitor from said supply level and reconnecting said second capacitor to said local ground level of said electronic circuit for collecting said current charge consumed by said electronic circuit, wherein said current charge is recycled within said electronic circuit as a result of alternating connection of a respective capacitor of said at least two switched capacitors from said charge collection mode to said charge discharge mode.