Power saving arrangement for a clocked digital circuit

• US 5,025,387 A
• Filed: 06/01/1990
• Issued: 06/18/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Frane, Terrie L.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mattson, Brian M.
• Application Number:
  US07/532,157
• Time in Patent Office: 382 Days
• Field of Search: 364/493, 364/200, 364/900, 364/273.1, 307/269, 307/271, 328/72, 365/227
• US Class Current: 713/322
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/08 Clock generators with changeable or programmable clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/324 by lowering clock frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/325 Power saving in peripheral device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A power saving arrangement for a microcomputer having a first clock signal operating at a predetermined frequency employs a reduced clock frequency to peripheral circuitry to limit power consumption during a disable or halt mode. A control circuit disables a clock signal provided to the microcomputer, while a clock divider divides the predetermined frequency to generate a reduced frequency signal upon which the peripheral circuitry may operate. After receiving an external wake-up signal, the peripheral circuitry interrupts the microcomputer in order to revert the microcomputer back to normal operation.

Claims

1. A power control apparatus for a digital circuit having control means for generating an interrupt signal, processing means for generating a disable signal, and clocking means for generating a first clock signal at a first predetermined frequency, the power control apparatus comprising:

a) disabling means having an input coupled to the first clock signal and an output, generating a second clock signal at the first predetermined frequency, coupled to the processing means, for disabling the second clock signal in response to the disable signal, and enabling the second clock signal in response to the interrupt signal; and

b) means, having an input coupled to the first clock signal and an output, generating a third clock signal at the first predetermined frequency, coupled to the control means, for reducing in response to the disable signal, the first predetermined frequency of the third clock signal to a second predetermined frequency, and increasing in response to the interrupt signal, the second predetermined frequency to the first predetermined frequency;

wherein the processing means consumes substantially no power when the second clock signal is disabled and the control means consumes less power when the first predetermined frequency of the third clock signal is reduced to the second predetermined frequency.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control means comprises a peripheral input/output integrated circuit.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processing means is a microprocessor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for reducing comprises frequency dividing means.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second predetermined frequency is one tenth of the first predetermined frequency.

6. A power control apparatus for a digital electronic circuit having processing means for generating a halt signal, a peripheral circuit for generating an interrupt signal, and clocking means for generating a first clock signal at a first predetermined frequency, the power control apparatus comprising:

a) control means, having a first input coupled to the first clock signal, a second input coupled to the halt signal, and a third input coupled to the interrupt signal, for generating a disabling signal in response to the halt signal and an enabling signal in response to the interrupt signal;

b) means, having a first input coupled to an output of the control means, a second input coupled to the first clock signal, and an output, generating a second clock signal at the first predetermined frequency, coupled to the processing means, for disabling the second clock signal in response to the disabling signal, and enabling the second clock signal in response to the enabling signal; and

c) means, having an input coupled to the first clock signal and an output, generating a third clock signal at the first predetermined frequency, coupled to the control means, for reducing, in response to the disabling signal, the first predetermined frequency to a second predetermined frequency, and increasing, in response to the enabling signal, the second predetermined frequency to the first predetermined frequency;

wherein the processing means consumes substantially no power when the second clock signal is stopped and the peripheral circuit consumes less power when the first predetermined frequency of the third clock signal is reduced to the second predetermined frequency.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the disabling means is a logical AND gate.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the control means includes a shift register having an input clocked by the clock signal and an output coupled to an input of a D type flip flop, the D type flip flop having an output that produces the control signal.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the means for reducing comprises frequency dividing means.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the processing means is a microprocessor.

11. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the second predetermined frequency is one tenth of the first predetermined frequency.

12. An electronic circuit having a plurality of electronic components, processing means for generating a disable signal, a peripheral circuit for generating an interrupt signal, clocking means for generating a first clock signal at a first predetermined frequency, and a power control apparatus, the power control apparatus comprising:

a) disabling means, generating a second clock signal at the first predetermined frequency, coupled to the processing means and the first clock signal, for disabling the second clock signal clocking in response to the disable signal, and enabling the second clock signal in response to the interrupt signal; and

b) means, generating a third clock signal at the first predetermined frequency, coupled to the first clock signal and the peripheral circuit, for reducing, in response to the disable signal, the first predetermined frequency of the third clock signal to a second predetermined frequency, and increasing, in response to the interrupt signal, the second predetermined frequency to the first predetermined frequency;

wherein the processing means consumes substantially no power when the second clock signal is disabled and the control means consumes less power when the first predetermined frequency of the third clock signal is reduced to the second predetermined frequency.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the control means comprises a peripheral input/output integrated circuit.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the processing means is a microprocessor.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the means for reducing comprises frequency dividing means.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the second predetermined frequency is one tenth of the first predetermined frequency.