Powered ring to maintain IO state independent of the core of an integrated circuit device

• US 9,423,846 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2008
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Original Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Inventors: Smith, Brian, Kubalska, Ewa
• Primary Examiner(s): Alrobaye, Idriss N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yimer, Getente A
• Application Number:
  US12/101,028
• Publication Number:
  US 20090256607A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,057 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/323, 713/324, 713/320
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/32 Means for saving power

Abstract

In an integrated circuit device, a power circuit for maintaining asserted values on an input output pin of the device when a functional block of the device is placed in a sleep mode. The device includes a power circuit disposed along the periphery of the device, the power circuit configured to maintain power when the device is placed in a low-power mode. A plurality of input output blocks are included in the device and are for receiving external inputs for the integrated circuit device and for providing outputs from the integrated circuit device. The power circuit is coupled to provide power to at least one of the input output blocks to maintain state when the integrated circuit device is in the low-power mode.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit device, comprising:

a power circuit configured to maintain asserted values on an input output pin of the device when a functional block of the device is placed in a sleep mode, wherein the power circuit is disposed along a periphery of an integrated circuit device and the power circuit is configured to maintain power when the integrated circuit device is placed in a low-power mode, wherein the power circuit comprises a plurality of segments along the periphery of the integrated circuit device, and wherein a first set of the plurality of segments are powered segments and a second set of the plurality of segments are unpowered segments, and wherein the unpowered segments do not receive power when the integrated circuit device is in the low-power mode;

input output blocks for receiving external inputs for the integrated circuit device and for providing outputs from the integrated circuit device, wherein the power circuit is coupled to provide power to at least one of the input output blocks to maintain state when the integrated circuit device is in the low-power mode; and

a signal routing path disposed along the periphery of the integrated circuit device, the signal routing path is configured to;

route signals from the input output blocks; and

receive power from the power circuit to enable the reception of a wake-up signal from an external source when the integrated circuit device is in the lower-power mode.

2. The integrated circuit device of claim 1, further comprising:

a core coupled to the input output blocks, the core having a plurality of functional blocks, wherein at least one of the functional blocks is a processor, and wherein the core is shut down when the integrated circuit device is in the low-power mode.

3. The integrated circuit device of claim 1, wherein the input output blocks are configured to minimize leakage current when the integrated circuit device is in the low-power mode.

4. The integrated circuit device of claim 1, wherein the signal routing path includes a plurality of buffers sending and receiving signals across the unpowered segments when the integrated circuit device is in the low-power mode.

5. A system on a chip (SOC) comprising:

an always on power domain;

a core power domain, the core power domain further comprising a computer readable memory storing computer readable code, and a processor coupled to the computer readable memory and for executing a computer readable code;

a power ring coupled to the always on power domain and disposed along a periphery of an integrated circuit device, the power ring configured to maintain power when the integrated circuit device is placed in a low-power mode, wherein the system is configured to enter a sleep mode and exit sleep mode, wherein the power ring comprises a plurality of segments along the periphery of the SOC, and wherein a first set of the plurality of segments are powered segments and a second set of the plurality of segments are unpowered segments, and wherein the unpowered segments do not receive power when the SOC is in the low-power mode;

input output blocks for receiving external inputs for the integrated circuit device and for providing outputs from the integrated circuit device, wherein the power ring is coupled to provide power to at least one of the input output blocks to maintain state when the integrated circuit device is in the low-power mode; and

a signal routing path disposed along the periphery of the SOC, the signal routing path configured to;

route signal from the input output blocks; and

receive power from the power ring to enable the reception of a wake-up signal from an external source when the SOC is in the low-power mode.

6. The SOC of claim 5, wherein the core is shut down when the SOC is in the low-power mode.

7. The SOC of claim 5, wherein the input output blocks are configured to minimize leakage current when the SOC is in the low-power mode.

13. The SOC of claim 5, wherein the signal routing path includes a plurality of buffers sending and receiving signals across the unpowered segments when the integrated circuit device is in the low-power mode.

8. A battery-powered handheld device, comprising:

a programmable system on a chip (SOC) integrated circuit device;

plurality of power domains included within the integrated circuit device, each of the power domains having a respective voltage rail to supply power to the power domain, wherein one of the power domains is an always on power domain and is configured to control turning power off and turning power on for a remaining one or more power domains;

a plurality of functional blocks included within the integrated circuit device, wherein each power domain includes at least one functional block

a power circuit coupled to the always on power domain and disposed along a periphery of the integrated circuit device, the power circuit configured to maintain power when the integrated circuit device is placed in a low-power mode, wherein the power circuit comprises a plurality of segments along the periphery of the integrated circuit device, and wherein a first set of the plurality of segments are powered segments and a second set of the plurality of segments are unpowered segments, and wherein the unpowered segments do not receive power when the integrated circuit device is in the low-power mode;

a plurality of input output blocks for receiving external inputs for the integrated circuit device and for providing outputs from the integrated circuit device, wherein the power circuit is coupled to provide power to at least one of the input output blocks to maintain state when the integrated circuit device is in the low-power mode; and

a signal routing oath disposed along the periphery of the SOC, the signal routing path configured to;

route signal from the input output blocks; and

receive power from the power ring to enable the reception of a wake-up signal from an external source when the SOC is in the low-power mode.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the core is shut down when the SOC is in the low-power mode.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the input output blocks are configured to minimize leakage current when the SOC is in the low-power mode.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the input output blocks are configured to minimize leakage current by using back biasing.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein the power circuit maintains retention of output state in order to maintain proper operation of a peripheral device coupled to the SOC integrated circuit device.

14. The device of claim 8, wherein the signal routing path includes a plurality of buffers sending and receiving signals across the unpowered segments when the integrated circuit device is in the low-power mode.