Power management system

• US 20060139827A1
• Filed: 01/17/2003
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: North Star Innovations Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Chun, Christopher K. Y., Voorwinden, Cornelis H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,608,942 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/90
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/56 using semiconductor devices in series with the load as final control devices G05F1/461 takes precedence

Abstract

An integrated circuit having a plurality of integrated circuit portions where each of the plurality of integrated circuit portions receives a corresponding voltage of a plurality of voltages. Selection circuitry selects a selected voltage of the plurality of voltages and provides an indication of the selected voltage to adjust the supply voltage to the integrated circuit. In one embodiment, the indication may correspond to an analog signal proportional to the selected voltage such as e.g. at the selected voltage or at a voltage less than or greater than the selected voltage. In one embodiment, the selected voltage corresponds to a maximum voltage of the plurality of voltages which may be selected based on sensing the plurality of voltages or based on a plurality of voltage level indicators which set the plurality of voltages. A power supply system, coupled to the integrated circuit, may be used to receive the indication of the selected voltage and adjust the supply voltage based on the indication.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit, comprising:

an input to receive power at a supply voltage;

a plurality of integrated circuit portions each receiving a corresponding voltage of a plurality of voltages;

selection circuitry that selects a selected one of the plurality of voltages and provides an indication of the selected one of the plurality of voltages to adjust the supply voltage.

2. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the selection circuitry selects the selected one of the plurality of voltages based on sensing at least a portion of the plurality of voltages, wherein the selected one of the plurality of voltages corresponds to a maximum voltage sensed from the portion of the plurality of voltages.

4. The integrated circuit of claim 1, further comprising:

storage circuitry that stores a plurality of voltage level indicators which set each of the plurality of voltages, and wherein the selection circuitry selects the selected one of the plurality of voltages based on the plurality of voltage level indicators.

5. The integrated circuit of claim 4, wherein the selection circuitry determines which one of the plurality of voltage level indicators indicates a maximum voltage of the plurality of voltages, and wherein the selected one of the plurality of voltages corresponds to the one of the plurality of voltage level indicators that indicates the maximum voltage.

6. The integrated circuit of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of voltage regulators, each having an input to receive the supply voltage and an output to provide a corresponding one of the plurality of voltages.

7. The integrated circuit of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of voltage regulators has a voltage drop, and the supply voltage is adjusted based on the voltage drop and the selected one of the plurality of voltages.

8. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the selected one of the plurality of voltages corresponds to a maximum voltage of the plurality of voltages.

9. The integrated circuit of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of switching devices, each having a first current electrode coupled to receive the supply voltage and a second current electrode coupled to provide a corresponding one of the plurality of voltages.

10. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the indication of the selected one of the plurality of voltages is provided to a power supply system, external to the integrated circuit, the power supply system adjusting the supply voltage based on the indication of the selected one of the plurality of voltages.

11. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the indication is an analog signal having a voltage proportional to the selected one of the plurality of voltages.

13. The integrated circuit of claim 1, further comprising:

multiplexer circuitry having a plurality of inputs for receiving the plurality of voltages and an output for providing the selected one of the plurality of voltages.

3. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

14. An electronic system, comprising:

an integrated circuit having an input to receive power at a supply voltage, a plurality of integrated circuit portions each receiving a corresponding voltage of a plurality of voltages, and selection circuitry that selects a selected one of the plurality of voltages and provides an indication of the selected one of the plurality of voltages; and

a power supply system coupled to the integrated circuit, wherein the power supply system adjusts the supply voltage based on the indication of the selected one of the plurality of voltages provided by the selection circuitry.

15. The electronic system of claim 14, wherein the selection circuitry selects the selected one of the plurality of voltages based on sensing at least a portion of the plurality of voltages, wherein the selected one of the plurality of voltages corresponds to a maximum voltage sensed from the portion of the plurality of voltages.

17. The electronic system of claim 14, further comprising:

storage circuitry that stores a plurality of voltage level indicators which set each of the plurality of voltages, wherein the selection circuitry selects the selected one of the plurality of voltages based on the plurality of voltage level indicators.

18. The electronic system of claim 17, wherein the selection circuitry determines which one of the plurality of voltage level indicators indicates a maximum voltage of the plurality of voltages, and wherein the selected one of the plurality of voltages corresponds to the one of the plurality of voltage level indicators that indicates the maximum voltage.

19. The electronic system of claim 14, wherein the power supply system further comprises:

comparison circuitry that compares the indication of the selected one of the plurality of voltages to a reference voltage based on the supply voltage and outputs a control signal; and

a converter having an output to provide the supply voltage, wherein the converter adjusts the supply voltage based on the control signal.

20. A hand held electronic device comprising the electronic system of claim 14.

21. The electronic system of claim 14, wherein the indication of the selected one of the plurality of voltages is an analog signal at a voltage proportional to the selected one of the plurality of voltages.

22. The electronic system of claim 21 wherein the indication of the selected one of the plurality of voltages is the selected one of the plurality of voltages.

23. The electronic system of claim 22 wherein the voltage of the analog signal is at the selected one of the plurality of voltages.

16. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

25. A method for managing power in an electronic system, comprising:

powering an integrated circuit at a supply voltage;

providing a corresponding voltage of a plurality of voltages to each integrated circuit portion of a plurality of integrated circuit portions of the integrated circuit;

selecting a selected one of the plurality of voltages; and

using the selected one of the plurality of voltages to adjust the supply voltage.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the selected one of the plurality of voltages corresponds to a maximum voltage of the plurality of voltages.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the selected one of the plurality of voltages corresponds to a voltage level indicator that indicates a maximum voltage of the plurality of voltages.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the voltage level indicator is one of a plurality of voltage level indicators, and wherein each voltage level indicator sets a voltage of the plurality of voltages.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

comparing the selected one of the plurality of voltages to a reference voltage based on the supply voltage; and

adjusting the supply voltage in response to comparing.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein providing the corresponding voltage comprises powering each integrated circuit portion at the corresponding voltage.