US 8,149,048 B1 · Apparatus and method for programmable power management in a programmable analog circuit block

Abstract

An apparatus and method for programmable power management in a programmable analog circuit block. Specifically, the present invention describes an operational amplifier circuit that includes current sources that are coupled in parallel. Configuration bits are asserted to selectively enable or selectively disable one or more of the current sources in order to modulate the performance of the operational amplifier circuit block. Selective addition or removal of current sources increases or decreases the amount of current within the operational amplifier and, correspondingly, the speed and power consumption of the operational amplifier. Combinations of asserted configuration bits pass a bias voltage in order enable selected current sources. In one embodiment, the bias voltage can be increased in order to increase the current output of one of the current sources which, correspondingly, increases the speed of the operational amplifier circuit block.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A programmable analog circuit block having programmable power management comprising:

an operational amplifier circuit for driving a load;
a plurality of paired current sources located within said operational amplifier circuit, wherein a first current source in each pair is coupled in a first parallel configuration to a first node that is coupled to transistors receiving input voltages to said operational amplifier circuit, and a second current source in each pair is coupled in a second parallel configuration to an output of said operational amplifier circuit, wherein a ratio of the amount of current between said current sources of each pair of current sources is proportionally equal;
a bias supply signal for generating a given bias voltage;
and
a plurality of configuration bits for selectively applying said given bias voltage to an associated pair of current sources in order to modulate the performance of said operational amplifier circuit.

2 more elements

A programmable analog circuit block having programmable power management comprising:

an operational amplifier circuit for driving a load;
a plurality of paired current sources contained within said operational amplifier circuit for increasing current within said operational amplifier circuit, wherein a ratio of the amount of current between current sources of each pair of current sources is proportionally equal;
a bias supply signal for biasing said plurality of paired current sources;
and
a plurality of configuration bits for selectively applying said bias supply voltage to one or more of said plurality of paired current sources, based upon a current state of the configuration bits, in order to modulate performance of said operational amplifier circuit.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus and method for programmable power management in a programmable analog circuit block

Life of this patent

Apparatus and method for programmable power management in a programmable analog circuit block

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18