Electronic device having power supply regulators controlled according to operation mode of internal circuit

• US 6,424,128 B1
• Filed: 01/10/2001
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Hiraki, Mitsuru, Ito, Takayasu
• Primary Examiner(s): STERRETT, JEFFREY L
• Application Number:
  US09/756,868
• Publication Number:
  US 20020041178A1
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 323/268, 323/271, 323/272
• US Class Current: 323/268
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/32 Means for saving power
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0032 Control circuits allowing low power mode operation, e.g. in standby mode
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0045 Converters combining the concepts of switch-mode regulation and linear regulation, e.g. linear pre-regulator to switching converter, linear and switching converter in parallel, same converter or same transistor operating either in linear or switching mode
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/155 using semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

For an internal circuit having a first operation mode consuming a first operational current and a second operation mode consuming a second and smaller operational current, a first regulator for providing a predefined voltage from an input voltage and having a current supply ability corresponding to the first operational current and a second regulator having a current supply ability corresponding to the second operational current are provided. A power supply control unit operates the first regulator in response to a first control signal instructing the first operation mode and operates the second regulator in response to a second control signal instructing the second operation mode. The internal circuit and power supply control unit are provided in one semiconductor integrated circuit device.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

an internal circuit having a first operation mode consuming a first operational current and a second operation mode consuming a second operational current, which is smaller than said first operational current;

a first regulator that provides a predefined supply voltage from an input voltage and having a current supply ability corresponding to said first operational current of said internal circuit;

a second regulator having a current supply ability corresponding to said second operational current; and

a power supply control unit to operate said first regulator in response to a first control signal instructing said first operation mode, and to operate said second

regulator in response to a second control signal instructing said second operation mode,

wherein said internal circuit and power supply control unit are provided in one semiconductor integrated circuit device;

said first regulator is a switching regulator having a pulse output circuit formed in said semiconductor integrated circuit device and a smoothing circuit having an inductance and a condenser provided externally of said semiconductor integrated circuit device;

said second regulator is a first series regulator formed in said semiconductor integrated circuit device;

said internal circuit includes a signal processing unit and a memory unit;

a first voltage line connected to said signal processing unit and a second voltage line connected to said memory unit are connected by a switch;

a second series regulator is included to provide said predefined supply voltage from said input voltage; and

said second operation mode of said internal circuit includes an operation for turning said switch ON in order to supply current from said first series regulator to said signal processing unit and said memory unit, and an operation in which said first series regulator is suspended from operation and said second series regulator is suspended from operation in order to supply current only to said memory unit when said switch is turned OFF.

2. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said internal circuit is operative to output signals to indicate the operation mode of said internal circuit.

3. An electronic device, comprising:

an internal circuit having a first operation mode consuming a first operational current and a second operation mode consuming a second operational current, which is smaller than said first operational current;

a first regulator that provides a predefined supply voltage from an input voltage and having a current supply ability corresponding to said first operational current of said internal circuit;

a second time regulator having a current supply ability corresponding to said second operational current; and

a power supply control unit to operate said first regulator in response to a first control signal instructing said first operation mode, and to operate said second regulator in response to a second control signal instructing said second operation mode,

wherein said internal circuit and power supply control;

unit are provided in one semiconductor integrated circuit device;

said first regulator is a switching regulator having a pulse output circuit formed in said semiconductor integrated circuit device and a smoothing circuit having an inductance and a condenser provided externally of said semiconductor integrated circuit device;

said second regulator is a first series regulator formed in said semiconductor integrate circuit device;

a second series regulator is included to receive said input voltage or said predefined supply voltage and to provide a low voltage not more than said predefined supply voltage;

a partial circuit is included to which an operational voltage is supplied from said second series regulator; and

said operation of said second series regulator can be suspended at the same time when operations by said switching and first series regulators are suspended.

4. An electronic device according to claim 3, wherein said internal circuit is operative to output signal to indicate the operation mode of said internal circuit.

5. An electronic device, comprising:

an internal circuit having a first operation mode consuming a first operational current and a second operation mode consuming a second operational current, which is smaller than said first operational current;

a first regulator that provides a predefined supply voltage from an input voltage and having a current supply ability corresponding to said first voltage operational current of said internal circuit;

a second regulator having a current supply ability corresponding to said second operational current; and

a power supply control unit to operate said first regulator in response to a first control signal instructing said first operation mode, and to operate said second regulator in response to a second control signal instructing said second operation mode,

wherein said internal circuit and power supply control unit are provided in one semiconductor integrated circuit device;

said first regulator is a switching regulator having a pulse output circuit formed in said semiconductor integrated circuit device and a smoothing circuit having an inductance and a condenser provided externally of said semiconductor integrated circuit device;

said second regulator is a first series regulator formed in said semiconductor integrated circuit device;

a second series regulator is included to provide a predefined supply voltage from said input voltage and an analog circuit is included to which an operational voltage is supplied by said second series regulator; and

said operation of said second series regulator can be suspended at the same time when operations by said switching and first series regulator are suspended.

6. An electronic device according to claim 5, wherein:

said internal circuit comprises a data processing circuit having a microcomputer function for performing signal processing through a built-in program; and

said first operation mode and second operation mode are switched and said first and second control signals are generated in accordance with said program.

7. An electronic device according to claim 5, wherein said internal circuit is operative to output signals to indicate the operation mode of said internal circuit.

8. An electronic device, comprising:

an internal circuit having a first operation mode consuming a first operational current and a second operation mode consuming a second operational current, which is smaller than said first operational current;

a first regulator that provides a predefined supply voltage from an input voltage and having a current supply ability corresponding to said first operational current of said internal circuit;

a second regulator having a current supply ability corresponding to said second operational current; and

a power supply control unit to operate said first regulator in response to a first control signal instructing said first operational mode, and to operate said second regulator in response to a second control signal instructing said second operation mode,

wherein said internal circuit and power supply control unit are provided in one semiconductor integrated circuit device;

said internal circuit comprises a data processing circuit having a microcomputer function for performing signal processing through a built-in program; and

said first operation mode and second operation mode are switched and said first and second control signals are generated in accordance with said program.

9. An electronic device according to claim 8, wherein said input voltage is generated by a battery.

10. An electronic device according to claim 8, wherein said internal circuit is operative to output signals to indicate the operation mode of said internal circuit.

11. An electronic device, comprising:

an internal circuit having a first operation mode consuming a first operational current and a second operation mode consuming a second operational current, which is smaller than said first operational current;

a first regulator that provides a predefined supply voltage from an input voltage and having a current supply ability corresponding to said first operational current of said internal circuit;

a second regulator having a current supply ability corresponding to said second operational current; and

a power supply control unit to operate said first regulator in response to a first control signal instructing said first operation mode, and to operate said second regulator in response to a second control signal instructing said second operation mode,

wherein said internal circuit and power supply control unit are provided in one semiconductor integrated circuit device;

said second regulator is a first switching regulator having a pulse output circuit formed in said semiconductor integrated circuit device, two output a pulse formed in a large size output transistor corresponding to said first operational current, and a smoothing circuit having an inductance and a condenser provided externally of said semiconductor integrated circuit device; and

said second regulator is a second switching regulator including a pulse output circuit formed in said semiconductor integrated circuit device, to output a pulse formed in a small size output transistor corresponding to said second operational current, and said smoothing circuit.

12. An electronic device according to claim 11, wherein said internal circuit is operative to output signal to indicate the operation mode of said internal circuit.

13. An electronic device, comprising:

an internal circuit having a first operation mode consuming a first operational current and a second operation mode consuming a second operational current, which is smaller than said first operational current;

a first regulator that provides a predefined supply voltage from an input voltage and having a current supply ability corresponding to said first operational current of said internal circuit;

a second regulator having a current supply ability corresponding to said second operational current; and

a power supply control unit to operate said first regulator in response to a first control signal instructing said first operation mode, and to operate said second regulator in response to a second control signal instructing said second operation mode,

wherein said internal circuit and power supply control unit are provided in one semiconductor integrated circuit device;

said first regulator is a switching regulator having a pulse output circuit formed in said semiconductor integrated circuit device and a smoothing circuit having an inductance and a condenser provided externally of said semiconductor integrated circuit device;

said second regulator is a first series regulator formed in said semiconductor integrated circuit device;

said internal circuit includes a signal processing unit and a memory unit;

a first voltage line connected to said signal processing unit and a second voltage line connected to said memory unit are connected by a switch; and

said second operation mode includes an operation for turning said switch ON in order to supply current from said first series regulator to said signal processing unit and said memory unit, and an operation for turning said switch OFF in order to supply current only to said memory unit.

14. An electronic device according to claim 13, wherein:

said internal circuit comprises a data processing circuit having a microcomputer function for performing signal processing through a built-in program; and

said first operation mode and second operation mode are switched and said first and second control signals are generated in accordance with said program.

15. An electronic device according to claim 13, wherein said input voltage is generated by a battery.

16. An electronic device according to claim 13, wherein said internal circuit is operative to output signals to indicate the operation mode of said internal circuit.