Method and Device For Supplying Power to a Microelectronic Chip

• US 20110109378A1
• Filed: 11/09/2010
• Published: 05/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Buechner, Thomas, Huber, Andreas, Folberth, Harald, Supper, Jochen, Bieswanger, Andreas
• Application Number:
  US12/942,092
• Publication Number:
  US 20110109378A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 327/540
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3004 Current or voltage test

Abstract

A method and a device for supplying power to one or more microelectronic chips. The method comprises the steps of reading a process characteristic parameter associated with the chip from a non-volatile storage, wherein the process characteristic parameter represents a manufacturing process characteristics of the chip; determining a minimal voltage (VDD_min) based on the parameter; and supplying electric power to the chip (10) with the minimal voltage (VDD_min). The device includes a hardware portion, and a firmware portion wherein the firmware portion includes a unit for determining a minimal voltage (VDD_min) based on a process characteristic parameter of the one or more chips.

Claims

1. A method for supplying power to one or more microelectronic chips, the method comprising the steps of:

reading a process characteristic parameter associated with a chip from a non-volatile storage, wherein the process characteristic parameter represents a manufacturing process characteristics of the chip;

determining a minimal voltage (VDD_min) based on the parameter; and

supplying electric power to the chip with the minimal voltage (VDD_min).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the minimal voltage (VDD_min) based on the process characteristic parameter is determined by calculating the minimal voltage (VDD_min) from a functional correlation between the minimal voltage (VDD_min) and the process characteristic parameter associated with the chip.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the minimal voltage (VDD_min) based on the process characteristic parameter is read from a look-up table.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the non-volatile storage is powered pre to initializing the chip.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

powering the non-volatile storage with a stand-by voltage (Vstb);

reading the process characteristic parameter associated with the chip from the non-volatile storage;

determining the minimal voltage (VDD_min) based on the process characteristic parameter;

setting a voltage device to the voltage to the minimal voltage (VDD_min) based on the read process characteristic parameter; and

supplying power to the chip with the minimal voltage (VDD_min).

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

setting a voltage device to a first voltage (VDD_minw) which is equal to or higher than the minimum voltage (VDD_min);

powering the non-volatile storage with the first voltage (VDD_minw);

reading the process characteristic parameter associated with the chip from the non-volatile storage;

determining the minimal voltage (VDD_min) based on the process characteristic parameter;

setting the voltage device to the minimal voltage (VDD_min) based on the read PSRO value; and

supplying power to the chip with the minimal voltage (VDD_min).

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the voltage is provided by a programmable voltage regulator.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein each chip in a system of a multitude of chips is supplied with its individual minimal voltage (VDD_min).

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the process characteristic parameter includes a cycle time of a performance screen ring oscillator (PSRO) provided on the chip.

10. A device for supplying power to one or more microelectronic chips, the device comprising:

a hardware portion; and

a firmware portion;

wherein the firmware portion comprises a unit for determining a minimal voltage (VDD_min) based on a process characteristic parameter of the one or more chips.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the hardware portion comprises:

a chip which includes a non-volatile storage;

a programmable voltage regulator; and

a control structure coupled to the chip and to the programmable voltage regulator.

12. The device according to claim 10, wherein the device is configured to adapt the minimal voltage (VDD_min) individually for each chip of the one or more chips.

13. The device according to claim 10, wherein a lookup table is provided for reading the process characteristic parameter associated with the chip from the non-volatile storage.

14. The device according to claim 10, wherein the one or more chips are coupled to a voltage source supplying a standby voltage (Vstb).