Semiconductor device and communications terminal and automobile having the same

• US 7,574,312 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2005
• Issued: 08/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Eiji, Nakayama, Takeshi, Saito, Yoshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Feliciano; Eliseo Ramos
• Assistant Examiner(s): O MALLEY, MARY CATHERINE
• Application Number:
  US11/268,662
• Publication Number:
  US 20060097748A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,372 Days
• Field of Search: 702/57, 702 60- 63, 702/75, 702/188, 701/2, 701/22, 701/29, 701/36, 701/45, 701/47, 701 55- 56
• US Class Current: 702/75
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/38 Impedance-matching networks

Abstract

A semiconductor device is disclosed in which resistance to the influence of external noise on internal power source network is improved. A semiconductor device operating at any predetermined frequency among a plurality thereof, and having power source networks for supplying power from a power source to internal functional units in the semiconductor device comprises switches, a storage unit, and a control unit. The switches are provided in the power source networks, and switch ON/OFF the supply of power from the power source to the functional units. In the storage unit are mapped and stored a plurality of predetermined operating frequencies and switching information designating an ON state or an OFF state for the switches. The control unit reads, from the storage, switching information corresponding to a current operating frequency, and controls the ON/OFF switching of the switches in accordance with the read switching information.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device that is configured to operate at any of a plurality of predetermined frequencies, the semiconductor device comprising:

a plurality of functional units;

a power source network having a plurality of branches that supply power from a power source to said pluraity of functional units; and

a plurality of switching units, each of said switching units provided along one of said pluraltiy of branches for switching ON/OFF the supply of power via the associate branch from the power source to said plurality of functional units, wherein

said plurality of functional units includes;

a storage unit configured to map and store the plurality of predetermined frequencies and pieces of switching information designating on ON state or an OFF state of said switching units, the pieces of switching information being set to provide different impedance values of said power source network; and

a control unit configured to read, from said storage unit, a piece of switching information corresponding to a current operating frequency of the semiconductor device, and control the ON/OFF switching of said plurality of switching units in accordance with the read piece of switching information,

the pieces of switching information are set so as to keep an impedance value of said power source network within a predetermined range, for any of the plurality of predetermined frequencies at which the semiconductor device operates,

said plurality of functional units further includes a frequency detecting unit configured to monitor the current operating frequency and, when the current operating frequency changes, detect a new current operating frequency after the change, and

said control unit read from said storage unit a piece of switching information corresponding to the current operating frequency after change as detected by said frequency detecting unit.

2. A semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said switching units are connected in parallel.

3. A semiconductor device that is configured to operate at any of a plurality of predetermined frequencies, the semiconductor device comprising:

a plurality of functional units;

a power source network having a plurality of branches that supply power from a power source to said pluraity of functional units; and

a plurality of switching units, each of said switching units provided along one of said pluraltiy of branches for switching ON/OFF the supply of power via the associate branch from the power source to said plurality of functional units, wherein

said plurality of functional units includes;

a storage unit configured to map and store the plurality of predetermined frequencies and pieces of switching information designating on ON state or an OFF state of said switching units, the pieces of switching information being set to provide different impedance values of said power source network; and

a control unit configured to read, from said storage unit, a piece of switching information corresponding to a current operating frequency of the semiconductor device, and control the ON/OFF switching of said plurality of switching units in accordance with the read piece of switching information,

the pieces of switching information are set so as to keep an impedance value of said power source network within a predetermined range, for any of the plurality of predetermined frequencies at which the semiconductor device operates,

said storage unit further stores pieces of functional status information designating an ON/OFF state of at least one of said plurality of functional units, the pieces of functional information being respectively mapped to the predetermined frequencies and to the pieces of switching information, and

said control unit reads a piece of switching information from said storage unit in accordance with the functional status detected by said frequency status detecting unit, a piece of functional status information stored in said storage unit, and the current operating frequency.

4. A semiconductor according to claim 3, wherein the pieces of functional status information are set in accordance with criticality of processing executed in said plurality of functional units.

5. A semiconductor device according to claim 3, wherein said switching units are connected in parallel.

6. A communications terminal for communicating with at least one other terminal via a communications network, the communtcations terminal comprising:

a semiconductor device configured to operate at any of a plurality of predetermined frequencies, the semiconductor device comprising;

a plurality of functional units;

a power source network having a plurality of branches connected in parallel that supply power from a power source to said pluraity of functional units; and

a plurality of switching units connected in parallel, each of said switching units provided along one of said pluraltiy of branches for switching ON/OFF the supply of power via the associated branch from the power source to said plurality of functional units,

wherein said plurality of functional units includes;

a storage unit configured to map and store the plurality of predetermined frequencies and pieces of switching information designating on ON state or an OFF state of each of said switching units, the pieces of switching information being set to provide different impedance values of said power source network;

a control unit configured to read, from said storage unit, a piece of switching information corresponding to a current operating frequency of the semiconductor device, and separately control the ON/OFF switching of said plurality of switching units in accordance with the read piece of switching information;

a communications unit for communicating with the at least one other terminal; and

a frequency detecting unit configured to monitor the current operating frequency and, when the current operating frequency changes, detect a new current operating frequency after the change, wherein

said control unit reads from said storage unit a piece of switching information corresponding to the new current operating frequency after change as detected by said frequency detecting unit.

7. A communications terminal for communicating with at least one other terminal via a communications network, the communtcations terminal comprising:

a semiconductor device configured to operate at any of a plurality of predetermined frequencies, the semiconductor device comprising;

a plurality of functional units;

a power source network having a plurality of branches connected in parallel that supply power from a power source to said pluraity of functional units; and

a plurality of switching units connected in parallel, each of said switching units provided along one of said pluraltiy of branches for switching ON/OFF the supply of power via the associated branch from the power source to said plurality of functional units,

wherein said plurality of functional units includes;

a storage unit configured to map and store the plurality of predetermined frequencies and pieces of switching information designating on ON state or an OFF state of each of said switching units, the pieces of switching information being set to provide different impedance values of said power source network;

a control unit configured to read, from said storage unit, a piece of switching information corresponding to a current operating frequency of the semiconductor device, and separately control the ON/OFF switching of said plurality of switching units in accordance with the read piece of switching information;

a communications unit for communicating with the at least one other terminal; and

a functional status detecting unit configured to detect a functional unit status indicating an ON/OFF state of at least one of said plurality of functional units, wherein

said storage unit further stores pieces of functional status information designating an ON/OFF state of at least one of said plurality of functional units, the pieces of functional information being respectively mapped to the predetermined frequencies and to the pieces of switching information, and

said control unit reads a piece of switching information from said storage unit in accordance with the functional status detected by said frequency status detecting unit, a piece of functional status information stored in said storage unit, and the current operating frequency.

8. A communications terminal according to claim 7, wherein the pieces of functional status information are set in accordance with criticality of processing executed in said plurality of functional units.

9. An automobile comprising:

at least one on board device; and

a semiconductor device comprising;

a plurality of functional units;

a power source network having a plurality of branches connected in parallel that supply power from a power source to said pluraity of functional units; and

a plurality of switching units connected in parallel, each of said switching units provided along one of said pluraltiy of branches for switching ON/OFF the supply of power via the associated branch from the power source to said plurality of functional units,

wherein said plurality of functional units includes;

a storage unit configured to map and store the plurality of predetermined frequencies and pieces of switching information designating on ON state or an OFF state of each of said switching units, the pieces of switching information being set to provide different impedance values of said power source network;

a control unit configured to read, from said storage unit, a piece of switching information corresponding to a current operating frequency of the semiconductor device, and separately control the ON/OFF switching of said plurality of switching units in accordance with the read piece of switching information;

an output unit for outputting singals for controlling said at least one on-board device; and

a frequency detecting unit configured to monitor the current operating frequency and, when the current operating frequency changes, detect a new current operating frequency after the change, wherein

said control unit reads from said storage unit a piece of switching information corresponding to the new current operating frequency after change as detected by said frequency detecting unit.

10. An automobile comprising:

at least one on board device; and

a semiconductor device comprising;

a plurality of functional units;

a power source network having a plurality of branches connected in parallel that supply power from a power source to said pluraity of functional units; and

a plurality of switching units connected in parallel, each of said switching units provided along one of said pluraltiy of branches for switching ON/OFF the supply of power via the associated branch from the power source to said plurality of functional units,

wherein said plurality of functional units includes;

a storage unit configured to map and store the plurality of predetermined frequencies and pieces of switching information designating on ON state or an OFF state of each of said switching units, the pieces of switching information being set to provide different impedance values of said power source network;

a control unit configured to read, from said storage unit, a piece of switching information corresponding to a current operating frequency of the semiconductor device, and separately control the ON/OFF switching of said plurality of switching units in accordance with the read piece of switching information;

an output unit for outputting singals for controlling said at least one on-board device; and

a functional status detecting unit configured to detect a functional unit status indicating an ON/OFF state of at least one of said plurality of functional units, wherein

said storage unit further stores pieces of functional status information designating an ON/OFF state of at least one of said plurality of functional units, the pieces of functional information being respectively mapped to the predetermined frequencies and to the pieces of switching information, and

said control unit reads a piece of switching information from said storage unit in accordance with the functional status detected by said frequency status detecting unit, a piece of functional status information stored in said storage unit, and the current operating frequency.

11. An automobile according to claim 10, wherein the pieces of functional status information are set in accordance with criticality of processing executed in said plurality of functional units.