POWER MANAGEMENT INTEGRATED CIRCUIT USING A FLEXIBLE SCRIPT-BASED CONFIGURATOR AND METHOD FOR POWER MANAGEMENT

• US 20120260109A1
• Filed: 04/06/2011
• Published: 10/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Integrated Device Technology Incorporated (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Integrated Device Technology Incorporated (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Inventors: Zhai, Shubing, Jiang, Hanbing, Ma, Fei
• Granted Patent: US 9,092,217 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode

Abstract

A power management integrated circuit incorporates (a) a microprocessor; (b) a non-volatile memory accessible by the microprocessor for storing programs executable by the microprocessor; (c) a random access memory accessible by the microprocessor; (d) an external interface which allows an external device to communicate with the power management integrated circuit; and (e) power regulators providing regulated output voltages from the power management integrated circuit, each power regulator being controllable by the microprocessor and the external interface over the register-controlled bus. A second external interface may be provided, which is used to provide a configuration file descriptive of power requirements of a system in which the power management integrated circuit is deployed. Such a system may include a system-on-a-chip (SOC) integrated circuit. Initially, the microprocessor of the power management integrated circuit executes a power sequence to provide the power-up power supply voltages to the SOC integrated circuit. Thereafter, the SOC integrated circuit controls power-up sequences for the peripheral devices. The configuration file is derived from a script file that is editable by a text editor or a word processor. The script file may be based on a scripting language that allows specifying control of the power regulators of the power management integrated circuit.

Claims

1. A power management integrated circuit, comprising:

a microprocessor;

a non-volatile memory accessible by the microprocessor for storing programs executable by the microprocessor;

a random access memory accessible by the microprocessor;

an external interface which allows an external device to communicate with the power management integrated circuit; and

a plurality of power regulators providing a plurality of regulated output voltages from the power management integrated circuit, each power regulator being controllable by the microprocessor and the external interface over the register-controlled bus.

2. The power management integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the external interface comprises a serial interface.

3. The power management integrated circuit of claim 2, wherein the serial interface comprises an I2C interface.

4. The power management integrated circuit of claim 1, further comprising a second external interface for providing a configuration file descriptive of power requirements of a system in which the power management integrated circuit is deployed.

5. The power management integrated circuit of claim 4, wherein the system comprises a system-on-a-chip (SOC) integrated circuit.

6. The power management integrated circuit of claim 5, wherein a power sequence executed by the microprocessor provides the power-up power supply voltages to the SOC integrated circuit.

7. The power management integrated circuit of claim 6, wherein the system further comprises peripheral devices, and wherein the SOC integrated circuit controls power-up sequences for the peripheral devices.

8. The power management integrated circuit of claim 4, wherein the configuration file is derived from a script file that is editable by a text editor or a word processor.

9. The power management integrated circuit of claim 8, wherein the script file is based on a scripting language that allows specifying control of the power regulators of the power management integrated circuit.

10. The power management integrated circuit of claim 9, wherein the scripting language comprises commands that allow specifying a power-up condition for each of the power regulators.

11. The power management integrated circuit of claim 10, wherein the power-up condition comprises one or more of checking the value of the register representing a power regulator, checking the value of a bit of the register representing the power regulator, waiting a specified time period, waiting for a bit of the register representing the power regulator to be set or cleared, and waiting for an interrupt external or internal to the power management integrated circuit.

12. A method comprising:

(a) providing in a power management integrated ciruit;

a microprocessor;

a non-volatile memory accessible by the microprocessor for storing programs executable by the microprocessor;

a random access memory accessible by the microprocessor;

an external interface which allows an external device to communicate with the power management integrated circuit; and

a plurality of power regulators providing a plurality of regulated output voltages from the power management integrated circuit; and

(b) controlling each power regulator by the microprocessor and the external interface over the register-controlled bus.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the external interface comprises a serial interface.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the serial interface comprises an I2C interface.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing a second external interface in the power management integrated circuit; and

loading a configuration file into the random access memory, the configuration file being descriptive of power requirements in a system in which the power management integrated circuit is deployed.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the system comprises a system-on-a-chip (SOC) integrated circuit.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising executing a power sequence in the microprocessor to provide the power-up power supply voltages to the SOC integrated circuit.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the system further comprises peripheral devices, the method further comprising controlling power-up sequences for the peripheral devices through the SOC integrated circuit.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the configuration file is derived from a script file that is editable by a text editor or a word processor.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the script file is based on a scripting language that allows specifying control of the power regulators of the power management integrated circuit.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising providing in the scripting language commands that allow specifying a power-up condition for each of the power regulators.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the power-up condition comprises one or more of checking the value of the register representing a power regulator, checking the value of a bit of the register representing the power regulator, waiting a specified time period, waiting for a bit of the register representing the power regulator to be set or cleared, and waiting for an interrupt external or internal to the power management integrated circuit.