Integrated circuit with power gating function

• US 20070090815A1
• Filed: 10/24/2005
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Faraday Technology Corp.
• Original Assignee: Faraday Technology Corp.
• Inventors: Hsieh, Shang-Chih
• Application Number:
  US11/257,592
• Publication Number:
  US 20070090815A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 323/269
• 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 with power gating function is disclosed, comprising a low dropout regulator coupled to a first power line to provide power to the first power line, a switch module connected between a second power line and a voltage source, turned on and off based on a mode signal to determine whether the voltage source provides power to the second power line, and an equalizer connected between the first and second power lines, activated with the switch module based on the mode signal to equalize the voltage of the second power line to that of the first power line when the mode signal permits the voltage source to provide power to the second power line.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit, comprising:

a first low dropout regulator coupled to and providing power to a first power line; and

a second low dropout regulator coupled to and providing power to a second power line based on a mode signal.

2. The integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a data storage unit connected between the first power line and a ground line, and a logic operation unit connected between the second power line and the ground line.

3. The integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a data storage unit having a first part connected between the first power line and a ground line and a second part connected between the second power line and the ground line, and a logic operation unit connected between the second power line and the ground line.

4. The integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the integrated circuit is in active mode, the mode signal directs the second low dropout regulator to provide power.

5. The integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the integrated circuit is in active mode, the mode signal commands the second low dropout regulator to interrupt power.

6. An integrated circuit, comprising:

a low dropout regulator coupled to a first power line to provide power to the first power line;

a switch module connected between a first power line and a voltage source, turned on and off based on a mode signal to determine whether the voltage source provides electric power to the second power line; and

an equalizer connected between the first and second power lines, activated with the switch module based on a mode signal, to equalize the voltage of the second power line with that of the first power line when the voltage source provides power to the second power line.

7. The integrated circuit as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a data storage unit connected between the first power line and a ground line, and a logic operation unit connected between the second power line and the ground line.

8. The integrated circuit as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a data storage unit having a first part connected between the first power line and a ground line and a second part connected between the second power line and the ground line, and a logic operation unit connected between the second power line and the ground line.

9. The integrated circuit as claimed in claim 6, wherein when the integrated circuit is in active mode, the mode signal turns on the switch module.

10. The integrated circuit as claimed in claim 9, wherein when the integrated circuit is in static mode, the mode signal turns off the switch module.

11. The integrated circuit as claimed in claim 10, wherein the switch module comprises a switch and a control module having an output terminal outputting different voltages based on the mode signal to control the switch.

12. The integrated circuit as claimed in claim 11, wherein the switch is a switch transistor having a gate coupled to the terminal of the control module, a first source/drain coupled to the voltage source, and a second source/drain coupled to the second power line.

13. The integrated circuit as claimed in claim 12, wherein the low dropout regulator comprises an operational amplifier, a reference voltage generator, a resistance voltage divider, and a first transistor, wherein one input of the operational amplifier is coupled to the reference voltage generator, the other input terminal of the operational amplifier is coupled to the input terminal of the resistance voltage divider, and the first transistor has a gate connected to the output terminal of the operational amplifier, a first source/drain coupled to the voltage source and a second source/drain coupled to the input terminal of the resistance voltage divider and the first power line.

14. The integrated circuit as claimed in claim 13, wherein when the integrated circuit is in active mode, the output terminal of the control module passes the gate voltage of the first transistor to the switch transistor to control the degree of turning on for the switch transistor.

15. The integrated circuit as claimed in claim 6, wherein the equalizer is a transistor having a gate controlled by the mode signal and first and second source/drains connected to the second power line.

16. The integrated circuit as claimed in claim 7, wherein the equalizer, the data storage unit, and the logic operation unit are produced in a common process.