Power supply selection for multiple circuits on an integrated circuit

• US 7,638,903 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2007
• Issued: 12/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Moyer, William C., Pelley, Perry H. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Deberadinis; Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US11/695,974
• Publication Number:
  US 20080246341A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 307/140
• US Class Current: 307/140
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/10 Parallel operation of dc sources

Abstract

An integrated circuit comprising a plurality of circuits is provided. The integrated circuit further comprises a plurality of power circuits, wherein each of the plurality of power circuits can supply a selected voltage to at least one of the plurality of circuits.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit comprising a plurality of circuits, the integrated circuit comprising:

control circuitry for providing first control information and for providing second control information;

a first power circuit for receiving the first control information and for providing a first voltage,

wherein the first voltage is determined by the first control information, and

wherein the first power circuit comprises a first charge pump and a first regulator coupled via a first feedback path from the first regulator to the first charge pump;

a second power circuit for receiving the first control information and for providing a second voltage,

wherein the second voltage is determined by the first control information, and

wherein the second power circuit comprises a second charge pump and a second regulator coupled via a second feedback path from the second regulator to the second charge pump; and

switching circuitry coupled to the plurality of circuits, to the first power circuit, and to the second power circuit, said switching circuitry receiving the second control information,

wherein the first power circuit is couplable via the switching circuitry to a first one of the plurality of circuits in response to the second control information received by the switching circuitry, and

wherein the second power circuit is couplable via the switching circuitry to said first one of the plurality of circuits in response to the second control information received by the switching circuitry.

2. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of circuits comprises a processing core.

3. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the first power circuit provides the first voltage to more than one of the plurality of circuits.

4. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the first and second power circuits are provided the first control information via a serial bus.

5. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the plurality of circuits and the first and second power circuits are packaged as a single integrated circuit package comprising a plurality of integrated circuits.

6. The integrated circuit of claim 5, wherein the plurality of integrated circuits communicate via a serial bus.

7. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the first voltage provided by the first power circuit is higher than an input voltage received by the first power circuit.

8. The integrated circuit of claim 7, wherein the second voltage provided by the second power circuit is higher than the input voltage received by the second power circuit.

9. The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the first one of the plurality of circuits is initially coupled to the first power circuit, and is dynamically switched by the switching circuitry to be coupled to the second power circuit.

10. An integrated circuit comprising a plurality of circuits, the integrated circuit comprising:

a plurality of power circuits, wherein each of the plurality of power circuits can supply a selected voltage to more than one of the plurality of circuits; and

switching circuitry coupled to the each of the plurality of circuits and to each of the plurality of power circuits, said switching circuitry receiving control information,

wherein the switching circuitry switches a first one of the plurality of circuits from being coupled to the first power circuit to being coupled to the second power circuit in response to the control information.

11. The integrated circuit of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of circuits comprises a processing core.

12. The integrated circuit of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of power circuits comprises a charge pump and a regulator.

13. The integrated circuit of claim 10, wherein the plurality of circuits and the plurality of power circuits are packaged as a single integrated circuit package comprising a plurality of integrated circuits.

14. The integrated circuit of claim 13, wherein the plurality of integrated circuits communicate via a serial bus.

15. The integrated circuit of claim 10, wherein a second one of the plurality of circuits is coupled via the switching circuitry to receive power from the first power circuit when the control information configures a first connectivity, and said second one of the plurality of circuits is coupled via the switching circuitry to receive power from the second power circuit when the control information configures a second connectivity.

16. The integrated circuit of claim 10, wherein at least one of the plurality of power circuits can supply a selected voltage to at least a subset of the plurality of circuits, wherein the subset of the plurality of circuits comprises at least three circuits.

17. A method for providing a selected voltage to one of a plurality of circuits located on an integrated circuit, the method comprising:

in response to a control signal configuring a first connectivity, coupling a first power circuit to a first one of a plurality of circuits for providing power from the first power circuit to the first one of the plurality of circuits; and

in response to the control signal configuring a second connectivity, coupling a second power circuit to said first one of the plurality of circuits for providing power from the second power circuit to said first one of the plurality of circuits.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising receiving the control signal via a serial bus connected to the first power circuit and to the second power circuit.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein a first voltage provided by the first power circuit to said first one of the plurality of circuits is greater than an input voltage provided to the integrated circuit, and wherein a second voltage provided by the second power circuit to said first one of the plurality of circuits is less than the input voltage provided to the integrated circuit.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

in response to the control signal configuring a third connectivity, decoupling the first power circuit from said first one of the plurality of circuits and coupling the second power circuit to said first one of the plurality of circuits.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the control signal which configures the connectivity between the plurality of circuits and the first and second power circuits is at least one of a pre-determined control signal or a dynamically generated control signal.