Method and apparatus for programmably providing a power supply voltage to an integrated circuit

• US 6,232,893 B1
• Filed: 05/12/1999
• Issued: 05/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Altera Corporation (Intel Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Altera Corporation (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Cliff, Richard, Bielby, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): JEAN PIERRE, PEGUY
• Application Number:
  US09/311,208
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 341/78, 323/304, 326/80
• US Class Current: 341/78
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/465 Internal voltage generators for integrated circuits, e.g. step down generators
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/147 Voltage reference generators, voltage or current regulators; Internally lowered supply levels; Compensation for voltage drops G11C5/141 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/1776 for memories
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/1778 Structural details for adapting physical parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/17784 for supply voltage

Abstract

The invention relates to programmable voltage regulator that programmably provides a desired operating voltage to a power pin based upon operating voltage configuration data. The programmable voltage regulator includes an operating voltage configuration data decoder arranged to decode the operating voltage configuration data. The programmable voltage regulator also includes a programmable voltage down converter connected to the operating voltage configuration data decoder. The programmable voltage down converter uses the decoded operating voltage configuration data to convert the first voltage to the desired operating voltage which is then output to the power pin.

Claims

1. A programmable voltage converter arranged to selectively provide a desired operating voltage based upon operating voltage configuration data, comprising:

an operating voltage decoder arranged to receive and decode selected operating voltage configuration data; and

a programmable voltage down converter connected to the operating voltage decoder by way of a data bus, the programmable voltage down converter arranged to receive a first voltage at an input line and programmably generate using the first voltage the desired operating voltage at an output line based upon the decoded operating voltage configuration data.

2. A programmable voltage converter as recited in claim 1, wherein the programmable voltage down converter includes:

a first voltage down converter (VDC) circuit arranged to convert the first voltage received at a first VDC input line to a first operating voltage at a first VDC output line;

a second voltage down converter (VDC) circuit arranged to convert the first voltage received at a second VDC input line to a second operating voltage at a second VDC output line;

a selector connected to the data bus having a selector first input line, a selector second input line, a selector first output line, and a selector second output line, the selector first input line being connected to the first VDC output line and the selector second input line being connected to the second VDC output line, the selector being arranged to electrically couple the selector first input line and the selector second input line to selected ones of a group consisting of the selector first output line and the selector second output line based upon the decoded operating voltage configuration data.

3. A programmable voltage converter as recited in claim 2, wherein the coupled selector first output line and the coupled selector second output line are connected to a first power line and a second power line, respectively.

4. A programmable voltage converter as recited in claim 3, wherein the operating voltage decoder includes:

a decoder unit connected to the data bus arranged to decode the operating voltage configuration data to form a decoded operating voltage configuration data word; and

a select enable line connected to the decoder unit arranged to provide a decoder select signal used to enable the decoder unit.

5. A programmable voltage converter as recited in claim 4, wherein said voltage down converter circuit includes:

a conversion transistor coupled between a VCCext voltage supply and a VCCint voltage supply; and

an amplifier coupled to receive the VCCint voltage supply and feedback a control signal to the conversion transistor, thereby regulating an output of the conversion transistor.

6. A configuration memory arranged to provide a desired operating voltage to a programmable integrated circuit connected thereto based upon operating voltage configuration data, comprising:

an operating voltage configuration data buffer arranged to store the operating voltage configuration data;

a programmable voltage-down converter as claimed in claim 1; and

a select enable line connected to the programmable voltage-down converter arranged to provide an enable signal.

7. A configuration memory arranged to provide a desired operating voltage to a programmable integrated circuit connected thereto based upon operating voltage configuration data, the configuration memory also includes a memory array arranged to store programmable integrated circuit (PIC) configuration data used by the programmable integrated circuit to fit a desired logic function, a desired memory function, or a desired logic-memory function, the configuration memory is connected to the programmable integrated circuit by way of a configuration bit stream bus arranged to pass the PIC configuration data from the configuration memory to the programmable integrated circuit and a power supply bus arranged to supply the desired operating voltage, comprising:

an operating voltage configuration data buffer arranged to store the operating voltage configuration data;

an operating voltage decoder connected to the operating voltage configuration data buffer by way of an operating voltage configuration data bus arranged to decode the operating voltage configuration data to form decoded operating voltage configuration data;

a select enable line connected to the operating voltage decoder arranged to provide a decoder enable signal; and

a programmable voltage down converter (VDC) connected to the operating voltage decoder by way of a data bus, the programmable VDC having a VDC input line connected to a first voltage supply and a VDC output line connected to the power supply bus, the programmable VDC being arranged to receive a first voltage at the VDC input line and programmably convert the first voltage to the desired operating voltage at an output line based upon the decoded operating voltage configuration data, the desired operating voltage being supplied in turn to the programmable integrated circuit by way of the power supply bus.

8. A configuration memory as recited in claim 7, wherein the programmable voltage down converter includes:

a conversion transistor coupled between a VCCext voltage supply and a VCCint voltage supply; and

an amplifier coupled to receive the VCCint voltage supply and feedback a control signal to the conversion transistor, thereby regulating an output of the conversion transistor.

9. A configuration memory as recited in claim 7 wherein the programmable integrated circuit is a programmable logic device.

10. A configuration memory as recited in claim 7, wherein the memory array is a non-volatile memory array.

11. A configuration memory as recited in claim 7, wherein the memory array is a volatile memory array.

12. A method of programmably providing appropriate VCCint supply voltages to a selected integrated circuit connected by way of a power supply bus to a programmable voltage regulator based upon supply voltage configuration data, the programmable voltage regulator includes a supply voltage configuration data decoder connected to a programmable voltage down converter by way of a data bus, the programmable voltage down converter having an output line connected to the power supply bus and an input line connected to VCCext voltage supply, comprising:

receiving supply voltage configuration data at the supply voltage configuration data decoder;

decoding the supply voltage configuration data to form decoded supply voltage configuration data;

converting the VCCext supply voltage to the appropriate VCCint supply voltage based upon the decoded supply voltage configuration data;

outputting the appropriate VCCint supply voltage to the output line; and

supplying the appropriate VCCint supply voltage to the selected integrated circuit.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the programmable voltage down converter includes:

a conversion transistor coupled between a VCCext voltage supply and a VCCint voltage supply; and

an amplifier coupled to receive the VCCint voltage supply and feedback a control signal to the conversion transistor, thereby regulating an output of the conversion transistor.

14. A circuit board for connecting to an external voltage supply the circuit board being arranged to programmably provide desired operating supply voltages to each of a plurality of integrated circuits on the circuit board based upon operating supply voltage configuration data associated with each of the plurality of integrated circuits, the circuit board comprising;

an internal power supply bus for connecting to each of the plurality of integrated circuits;

an external power supply bus arranged to carry an external voltage provided by an external voltage supply; and

a programmable voltage regulator connected to the external power supply bus and the internal power supply bus, the programmable voltage regulator being arranged to programmably provide the desired operating supply voltages to each of the integrated circuits by way of the internal power supply bus, wherein the programmable voltage regulator uses the supply voltage configuration data associated with each of the plurality of integrated circuits to convert the external voltage to the desired operating supply voltages.

15. A circuit board as recited in claim 14, wherein the programmable voltage regulator includes:

an operating voltage decoder arranged to decode the operating voltage configuration data to form decoded operating voltage configuration data;

a select enable line connected to the operating voltage decoder arranged to provide a decoder enable signal; and

a programmable voltage down converter (VDC) connected to the operating voltage decoder by way of a data bus, the programmable VDC having a VDC input line connected the external voltage supply bus and a VDC output line connected to the internal power supply bus, the programmable VDC being arranged to receive the external voltage at the VDC input line and programmably convert the external voltage to desired operating voltages at an output line based upon the decoded operating voltage configuration data.

16. A circuit board as recited in claim 15, wherein the VCD includes:

a conversion transistor coupled between the external voltage supply bus and the internal voltage supply bus; and

an amplifier coupled to receive an internal voltage and feedback a control signal to the conversion transistor, thereby regulating an output of the conversion transistor.

17. A circuit board as recited in claim 14, wherein the plurality of integrated circuits includes a programmable logic device.