VOLTAGE REGULATION SUBSYSTEM
First Claim
1. A voltage regulation system for regulating voltage in an integrated circuit, the system comprising:
- an auxiliary regulator;
a bandgap comparator; and
an interface with an external regulator,wherein the bandgap comparator compares an external regulator bandgap voltage with an internal reference voltage and outputs a comparison signal to the auxiliary regulator,wherein the auxiliary regulator is enabled if the comparison signal indicates that the external regulator bandgap voltage is less than the internal reference voltage and a predetermined offset, andwherein the enabled auxiliary regulator boosts a first supply voltage in accordance with predetermined criteria, thereby ensuring that the integrated circuit exits reset.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A voltage regulation subsystem for a microprocessor has both internal and external regulation modes. An internal auxiliary voltage regulator is selectively enabled to overdrive the voltage. The enablement of the auxiliary voltage regulator is contingent upon a comparison of bandgap references of the internal and external regulators used in the respective regulation modes, which boosts the supply voltage, enables circuitry supplied by the external regulator (with the assistance of auxiliary voltage regulators) to boot robustly in extreme Process-Voltage-Temperature (PVT) conditions.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A voltage regulation system for regulating voltage in an integrated circuit, the system comprising:
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an auxiliary regulator; a bandgap comparator; and an interface with an external regulator, wherein the bandgap comparator compares an external regulator bandgap voltage with an internal reference voltage and outputs a comparison signal to the auxiliary regulator, wherein the auxiliary regulator is enabled if the comparison signal indicates that the external regulator bandgap voltage is less than the internal reference voltage and a predetermined offset, and wherein the enabled auxiliary regulator boosts a first supply voltage in accordance with predetermined criteria, thereby ensuring that the integrated circuit exits reset. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for regulating voltage in an electronic circuit, the method comprising:
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receiving an external regulator bandgap from a first voltage regulator, said first voltage regulator being external to the electronic circuit; receiving an internal reference voltage from a reference generator, said reference generator being internal to the electronic circuit; comparing, in a bandgap comparator unit, the external regulator bandgap with the internal reference voltage; outputting a comparison signal to an auxiliary regulator; enabling the auxiliary regulator if the comparison signal indicates that the external regulator bandgap is less than the internal reference voltage and a predetermined offset; and boosting, at the enabled auxiliary regulator, a supply voltage in accordance with a predetermined criterion, thereby ensuring that the electronic circuit comes out of reset. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. The method of claim 166, wherein the internal reference voltage is trimmed during load transitions, said internal reference voltage varying across a trimmed range of voltage values and said trimmed range being narrower than an untrimmed range.
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18. A method for verifying power management in an integrated circuit design using an external design verification apparatus, wherein the integrated circuit design includes an auxiliary regulator, a bandgap comparator module and a plurality of load modules, the method comprising:
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generating an estimated a current load requirement of the plurality of load modules based on a predefined current load model; testing the integrated circuit design with the external design verification apparatus using the estimated current load requirement by executing predetermined test patterns, said test patterns including patterns corresponding to one or more of start-up, mode transition and load transition, and during said testing; comparing, in the bandgap comparator module, an external regulator bandgap with an internal reference voltage, outputting a comparison signal from the bandgap comparator module to the auxiliary regulator, enabling the auxiliary regulator if the comparison signal indicates that the external regulator bandgap is less than the internal reference voltage and a predetermined offset, monitoring a supply voltage of the integrated circuit design, wherein the supply voltage is regulated by the enabled auxiliary regulator, the enabled auxiliary regulator boosting the supply voltage in accordance with a predetermined criterion; and verifying that the supply voltage regulation performed by the auxiliary regulator, which is based on the estimated current load requirement, does not deviate from a predetermined operating voltage of the integrated circuit design.
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Specification