REAL-TIME ADAPTIVE VOLTAGE CONTROL OF LOGIC BLOCKS

• US 20150002217A1
• Filed: 06/28/2013
• Published: 01/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GlobalFoundries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Graf, Richard S., Iadanza, Joseph A., Pakbaz, Faraydon, Smith, Jack R., Ventrone, Sebastian T., Wemple, Ivan L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,988,140 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 327/540
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/46 wherein the variable actually regulated by the final control device is dc G05F1/625 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C

Abstract

An integrated circuit includes logic regions and dynamically adjustable voltage controllers. A voltage controller connected to each logic region enables voltage adjustment while the chip is operating. Each voltage controller has a selector device connected to voltage input lines providing different voltages. A voltage sensor connected to the output of the selector device provides a supply voltage to one of the logic regions. A control circuit dynamically monitors the supply voltage, captures and stores a digital representation of the supply voltage during each cycle of a clock, and tracks variations over time, based on operation of the logic regions. When variations in the supply voltage exceed an operational threshold of one of the logic regions, the control circuit submits a request to a central controller. When the central controller grants permission, the control circuit dynamically adjusts the voltage by enabling the selector device to choose a different voltage input line.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

logic regions; and

voltage controllers, each of said voltage controllers being operatively connected to one of said logic regions and independently controlling a supply voltage to said one of said logic regions, and each of said voltage controllers comprising;

a selector device having inputs and a single output;

voltage input lines operatively connected to said inputs of said selector device, at least two of said voltage input lines providing different voltages;

a voltage sensing device operatively connected to said single output of said selector device, said single output providing said supply voltage from a first voltage input line of said voltage input lines to said one of said logic regions; and

a control circuit operatively connected to said selector device,

said voltage sensing device sensing said supply voltage,

said control circuit capturing and storing a digital representation of said supply voltage during each cycle of a clock,

said control circuit tracking variations in said supply voltage over time, based on operation of said one of said logic regions, and

responsive to said variations in said supply voltage exceeding an operational threshold of said one of said logic regions, said control circuit enabling said selector device to choose a second voltage input line of said voltage input lines that is different from said first voltage input line to adjust said supply voltage.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, said control circuit further comprising:

capture registers storing a digital representation of said supply voltage during each cycle of said clock; and

a programmable threshold register, storing a value representing said operational threshold for said one of said logic regions, said operational threshold indicating a maximum amount that said supply voltage can vary before said control circuit adjusts said supply voltage.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, each of said voltage controllers further comprising:

a comparator system comprising logical comparators operatively connected to a reference generation unit and a supply selection control logic device,

said reference generation unit providing a programmable threshold value that defines a maximum voltage variation for said one of said logic regions,

said logical comparators comparing said supply voltage to a high reference and a low reference based on said programmable threshold, and

said supply selection control logic device interpreting an output of said comparator system and providing a switch control signal to said selector device.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, said selector device further comprising voltage supply selection switches operatively connected between said inputs and said single output, a voltage supply selection switch being connected to each of said voltage input lines, said control circuit providing a switch control signal to said voltage supply selection switches to electrically connect a voltage input line to said one of said logic regions.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a power routing layer operatively connected to two or more logic regions, said voltage sensing device providing a same supply voltage to each of said two or more logic regions through said power routing layer.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising a central controller operatively connected to said logic regions and said voltage controllers, said central controller coordinating actions of said voltage controllers,

responsive to said variations in said supply voltage exceeding an operational threshold of said one of said logic regions, said control circuit outputting a change request to said central controller to obtain permission to choose a second voltage input line of said voltage input lines that is different from said first voltage input line to adjust said supply voltage for said one of said logic regions.

7. The semiconductor device according to claim 6, said central controller monitoring change requests from said control circuit and operating conditions of said logic regions,

said central controller enabling said voltage controllers to adjust said supply voltage to said logic regions based on evaluation of said operating conditions of said logic regions and evaluation of loads on said voltage input lines.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, said control circuit dynamically adjusting said supply voltage to said one of said logic regions while said one of said logic regions maintains operation.

9. A voltage control system, comprising:

logic regions;

voltage controllers, each of said voltage controllers being operatively connected to one of said logic regions and independently controlling a supply voltage to said one of said logic regions, and

a central controller operatively connected to said logic regions and said voltage controllers, said central controller coordinating actions of said voltage controllers,

each of said voltage controllers comprising;

a selector device having inputs and a single output;

voltage input lines operatively connected to said inputs of said selector device, at least two of said voltage input lines providing different voltages;

a voltage sensing device operatively connected to said single output of said selector device, said single output providing said supply voltage from a first voltage input line of said voltage input lines to said one of said logic regions; and

a control circuit operatively connected to said selector device,

said voltage sensing device sensing a voltage of said single output,

said control circuit capturing and storing a digital representation of said voltage during each cycle of a clock,

said control circuit tracking variations in said voltage over time, based on operation of said one of said logic regions, and

responsive to said variations in said voltage exceeding a threshold, said control circuit outputting a change request to said central controller to obtain permission for selecting a different voltage input line to change said supply voltage for said one of said logic regions

said central controller enabling said selector device to choose a second voltage input line of said voltage input lines that is different from said first voltage input line to adjust said voltage based on evaluation of operating conditions of said logic regions and evaluation of loads on said voltage input lines.

10. The voltage control system according to claim 9, said control circuit further comprising:

capture registers storing a digital representation of said voltage of said single output during each cycle of said clock; and

a programmable threshold register, storing a value representing said threshold, said threshold indicating a maximum amount that said voltage of said single output can vary before said control circuit adjusts said voltage of said single output.

11. The voltage control system according to claim 9, further comprising:

a comparator system comprising logical comparators operatively connected to a reference generation unit and a supply selection control logic device,

said reference generation unit providing a programmable threshold value that defines a maximum voltage variation for said single output,

said logical comparators comparing said voltage to a high reference and a low reference based on said threshold, and

said supply selection control logic device interpreting an output of said comparator system and providing a switch control signal to said selector device.

12. The voltage control system according to claim 9, said selector device further comprising voltage supply selection switches operatively connected between said inputs and said single output, a voltage supply selection switch being connected to each of said voltage input lines, said control circuit providing a switch control signal to said voltage supply selection switches to electrically connect a voltage input line to said single output.

13. A method, comprising:

providing voltage input lines operatively connected to inputs of voltage selector devices, at least two of said voltage input lines providing different voltages;

each voltage selector device independently providing a supply voltage to a logic region of an integrated circuit from a first voltage input line of said voltage input lines;

tracking variations in said supply voltage over time based on operation of said logic region;

defining a threshold for said variations in said supply voltage for said logic region; and

upon said variations in said supply voltage reaching said threshold, said voltage selector device providing said supply voltage from a second voltage input line of said voltage input lines that is different from said first voltage input line to adjust said supply voltage for said logic region.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

storing a digital representation of said supply voltage in a capture register during each cycle of a clock; and

storing a programmable value representing said threshold in a threshold register, said threshold indicating a maximum amount that said supply voltage can vary before adjusting said supply voltage.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

responsive to said variations in said supply voltage reaching said threshold, outputting a change request to a central controller operatively connected to said voltage selector devices to obtain permission to adjust said supply voltage for said logic region.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

upon receiving permission from said central controller, said voltage selector device choosing a second voltage input line of said voltage input lines that is different from said first voltage input line to adjust said supply voltage.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

said central controller monitoring change requests and operating conditions of logic regions operatively connected to said central controller and coordinating actions of said voltage selector devices.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

said central controller evaluating said operating conditions of said logic regions and evaluating loads on said voltage input lines, and

responsive to each change request, said central controller one of;

granting permission to change said supply voltage for said logic region to a destination voltage;

granting permission to change said supply voltage for said logic region in incremental steps toward said destination voltage; and

denying permission.

19. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

comparing said supply voltage to a high reference and a low reference based on said threshold, and

providing a switch control signal to said voltage selector device based on said comparing.

20. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

adjusting said supply voltage to said logic region while said logic region maintains operation.