摘要:
Apparatus for storing a data value in the form of a master-slave latch supporting zig-zag power gating is described. A NAND gate 52 at the output of the latch forces a predetermined retention signal value at the output from the latch during a retention mode. A scan multiplexer 42 at the input to the latch selects the scan input, which is the predetermined retention signal from another latch, during the retention mode. Within the latch power gated circuitry 32 is subject to zig-zag power gating using virtual power rails VDDZ and VSSZ so as to reduce the leakage current. State storing circuitry 34 is permanently connected to the power supplies VDDG, VSSG such that it is able to maintain whatever signal value is stored therein during the retention mode.
摘要:
A power control integrated circuit is provided having a voltage switching device and a retention switching device that has an input from an overdrive voltage supply such that in a retention enabled configuration a retention switching device is switched on more strongly relative to being both coupled to and driven from the voltage supply input signal associated with the voltage switching device. An overdriven retention switching device is provided as a separate entity from the voltage switching device itself and a computer readable storage medium is provided storing a data structure comprising a standard cell circuit definition for use in generating validating the circuit layout of a circuit cell of an integrated circuit. The circuit cell comprising an overdriven retention switching device. A further data structure corresponding to a standard cell is provided comprising an overdriven retention switching device and a voltage switching device and yet a further standard cell data structure is provided comprising an overdriven voltage switching device.
摘要:
A monitoring circuit for an integrated circuit comprises a non-temperature-inverted circuit and a temperature-inverted circuit. Operating parameters of the two circuits are measured, representing the propagation speed of signals in the respective circuits. In response to a change in temperature, the non-temperature-inverted circuit slows down and the temperature-inverted circuit speeds up. In contrast, in response to a change in operating voltage both circuits either speed up or slow down. This divergence in response to temperature and similar response to voltage enables the monitoring circuit to distinguish between changes in operating voltage and changes in operating temperature.
摘要:
An integrated circuit, a method of generating a layout of such an integrated circuit using standard cells, and a standard cell library providing such standard cells, are disclosed. The method of generating the layout comprises forming a plurality of rows, and populating each row with a plurality of standard cells chosen in dependence on the functional components required by the integrated circuit, each standard cell having its abutment area abutting the abutment area of at least one adjacent standard cell in the row. Within each row, each standard cell in that row is arranged to have a voltage connection area that is aligned with a common routing track, but with each standard cell having its voltage connection area configured so as not to extend across the entire width of the standard cell. Within each row, for each standard cell in the row, the voltage connection area of that standard cell is then connected to one of a plurality of voltage supplies having regards to a voltage requirement of the corresponding functional component defined by the standard cell, and independent of the voltage supply to which each adjacent cell in the row is connected. This provides a particularly flexible mechanism for placing standard cells during the layout operation, since standard cells that are required to run off the same voltage supply no longer need to be placed together.
摘要:
An integrated circuit includes a main power rail, a ground power rail as well as a virtual main power rail and a virtual ground power rail. Combinatorial logic circuitry is connected to draw its power from the virtual main power rail and the virtual ground power rail. Signal value storage circuitry is connected to draw its power from one of the main power rail and the ground power rail with the other power connection being to a virtual rail. The integrated circuit has an operational mode, a retention mode and a power off mode. In the retention mode, the voltage difference across the combinatorial logic circuitry is a low power voltage difference insufficient to support data processing operations whereas the voltage difference across the signal value storage circuitry is higher and is sufficient to support signal value retention within the signal value storage circuitry.
摘要:
An integrated circuit, a method of generating a layout of such an integrated circuit using standard cells, and a standard cell library providing such standard cells, are disclosed. The method of generating the layout comprises forming a plurality of rows, and populating each row with a plurality of standard cells chosen in dependence on the functional components required by the integrated circuit, each standard cell having its abutment area abutting the abutment area of at least one adjacent standard cell in the row. Within each row, each standard cell in that row is arranged to have a voltage connection area that is aligned with a common routing track, but with each standard cell having its voltage connection area configured so as not to extend across the entire width of the standard cell. Within each row, for each standard cell in the row, the voltage connection area of that standard cell is then connected to one of a plurality of voltage supplies having regards to a voltage requirement of the corresponding functional component defined by the standard cell, and independent of the voltage supply to which each adjacent cell in the row is connected. This provides a particularly flexible mechanism for placing standard cells during the layout operation, since standard cells that are required to run off the same voltage supply no longer need to be placed together.
摘要:
A monitoring circuit for an integrated circuit comprises a non-temperature-inverted circuit and a temperature-inverted circuit. Operating parameters of the two circuits are measured, representing the propagation speed of signals in the respective circuits. In response to a change in temperature, the non-temperature-inverted circuit slows down and the temperature-inverted circuit speeds up. In contrast, in response to a change in operating voltage both circuits either speed up or slow down. This divergence in response to temperature and similar response to voltage enables the monitoring circuit to distinguish between changes in operating voltage and changes in operating temperature.
摘要:
A clock gating circuitry unit for supplying either a clock signal or a predetermined gated value to a plurality of synchronous elements within an integrated circuit is disclosed. The clock gating circuitry is configured to receive a clock signal and to output an output signal comprising either the clock signal or the predetermined gated value. The clock gating circuitry unit receives a clock signal, a clock enable signal having either an enable value indicating the plurality of synchronous elements to are currently functional and are to be clocked, or a disable value indicating the plurality of synchronous elements are currently not required and are not to be clocked, and a power mode signal having either a low power value indicating entry to a low power mode in which at least a portion of the plurality of synchronous elements are powered to retain data and are not clocked and at least a further portion of the plurality of synchronous elements are powered down, or a functional mode value indicating the plurality of synchronous elements are to be powered. The clock gating unit has logic circuitry that is configured in response to the clock enable signal having the enable value and to the low power mode signal having the functional mode value to output the clock signal and in response to at least one of the clock enable signal having the disable value and the low power mode signal having the low power value to output the predetermined gated value.
摘要:
A multi-layer power bus (18) is described that includes input tabs (24) and three legs (32, 34, and 36) and that connects a matrix of power supplies to a circuit board (12) in a computer system. The power bus (18) is substantially planar and attached to the circuit board (12) so that the power bus (18) and circuit board (12) are parallel to one another. This parallel relationship decreases the amount of space utilized by the circuit board (12) in the computer system. The circuit board (12) also has connectors for delivering power directly to tabs (72, 74) on circuit board (12) which increases the efficiency of power delivery. Each connector (44) includes a U-shaped spring housing (48) located within a hollow shield (52) and is joined to one of the power bus voltage layers by a braided copper cable (46).
摘要:
A method of providing power to a circuit module on a circuit board by connecting a bus leg to the circuit module via a conductor device wherein at least one V-shaped connector device is attached to the bus leg to connect the bus leg to the circuit module via the conductor device.