Power distribution network (PDN) conditioner
AssigneeQUALCOMM Incorporated
InventorQing Li
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for conditioning a power rail (e.g., reducing voltage droops and/or voltage overshoots on the power rail) are described herein. In one embodiment, a power circuit comprises a capacitor coupled to a high-voltage rail, and a droop slope limiter (DSL) coupled between the high-voltage rail and a power rail. The DSL is configured to detect a downward voltage slope on the power rail, and to control current flow from the high-voltage rail to the power rail through the DSL based on the detected downward voltage slope.
Claims28
A power circuit, comprising:
- a capacitor coupled to a high-voltage rail;
- and
- a droop slope limiter (DSL) coupled between the high-voltage rail and a power rail, wherein the DSL comprises:
- a slope-detection circuit configured to detect a downward voltage slope on the power rail, and to output a slope signal based on the detected downward voltage slope;
- a power transistor coupled between the high-voltage rail and the power rail;
- and
- a control circuit configured to compare the slope signal from the slope-detection circuit with a slope-threshold signal, to turn on the power transistor if the slope signal is above the slope-threshold signal to allow current flow from the capacitor to the power rail, and to turn off the power transistor if the slope signal is below the slope-threshold signal to block the current flow from the capacitor to the power rail.
A method for conditioning a power rail, comprising:
- detecting a downward voltage slope on the power rail;
- and
- controlling current flow from a capacitor to the power rail via a high-voltage rail based on the detected downward voltage slope, wherein controlling the current flow further comprises:
- blocking the current flow from the capacitor to the power rail if a magnitude of the detected downward voltage slope is below a slope threshold;
- and
- allowing the current flow from the capacitor to the power rail if the magnitude of the detected downward voltage slope exceeds the slope threshold.
An apparatus for conditioning a power rail, comprising:
- means for detecting a downward voltage slope on the power rail;
- and
- means for controlling current flow from a capacitor to the power rail via a high-voltage rail based on the detected downward voltage slope, wherein the means for controlling the current flow further comprises:
- means for blocking the current flow from the capacitor to the power rail if a magnitude of the detected downward voltage slope is below a slope threshold;
- and
- means for allowing the current flow from the capacitor to the power rail if the magnitude of the detected downward voltage slope exceeds the slope threshold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.