Adaptive voltage scaling circuit and chip

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9529377-B2
Application number	US-201514732373-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 5, 2015
Priority date	Jun 12, 2014
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

The present invention discloses an adaptive voltage scaling circuit and a chip. The adaptive voltage scaling circuit includes a performance classification monitor and an adaptive controller, where the performance classification monitor is disposed inside the chip, and is configured to detect working performance of the chip at a current working voltage, and output a detection result signal to the adaptive controller; and the adaptive controller is connected to the performance classification monitor, and is configured to output a control signal to a power management module of the chip according to the detection result signal output by the performance classification monitor, where the control signal is used to control the power management module to adjust a working voltage of the chip. In embodiments of the present invention, test workload can be reduced.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An adaptive voltage scaling circuit comprising:
a performance classification monitor disposed inside a chip and configured to detect working performance of the chip at a current working voltage; and
an adaptive controller for receiving a detection result signal from the performance classification monitor;
wherein the performance classification monitor comprises a source signal generating circuit, a comparison reference circuit, at least first and second delay circuits, at least first and second comparison branch circuits and at least first and second comparison detection circuits; and the adaptive controller comprises a configuration circuit;
wherein an input end of the source signal generating circuit and first input ends of the comparison reference circuit, the first comparison branch circuit and the second comparison branch circuit each receives a clock signal as a drive;
a first output end of the configuration circuit provides a first configuration signal connected to a first input end of the first delay circuit;
a second output end of the configuration circuit provides a second configuration signal connected to a first input end of the second delay circuit;
an output end of the source signal generating circuit configured to provide a source signal and connected to second input ends of the comparison reference circuit and the first and second delay circuits;
an output end of the first delay circuit connected to a second input end of the first comparison branch circuit;
an output end of the second delay circuit connected to a second input end of the second comparison branch circuit;
an output end of the comparison reference circuit configured to provide a reference signal and connected to each of first input ends of the first comparison detection circuit and the second comparison detection circuit;
an output end of the first comparison branch circuit connected to a second input end of the first comparison detection circuit, and
an output end of the second comparison branch circuit connected to a second input end of the second comparison detection circuit; and
each of an output ends of the first comparison detection circuit and the second comparison detection circuit connected to an input end of the control circuit and configured to provide the detection result signal.

2. The adaptive voltage scaling circuit according to claim 1 , wherein
the adaptive controller is connected to the performance classification monitor, and is configured to output a control signal to a power management module of the chip according to the detection result signal output by the performance classification monitor, wherein the control signal is used to control the power management module to adjust a working voltage of the chip; and
the source signal generating circuit is configured to provide the source signal for the performance classification monitor;
the comparison reference circuit is configured to output the reference signal according to the source signal;
the at least one delay circuit is configured to perform delay processing on the source signal to obtain a delayed source signal;
the at least one comparison branch circuit is configured to output a comparison signal according to the delayed source signal; and
the at least one comparison detection circuit is configured to output the detection result signal according to the reference signal and the comparison signal.

3. The adaptive voltage scaling circuit according to claim 2 , wherein the adaptive controller further comprises a control circuit, wherein
the configuration circuit is configured to generate the first configuration signal and the second configuration signal, wherein the first configuration signal and the second configuration signal are configured to set a delay chain of the performance classification monitor; and
the control circuit is configured to output the control signal to the power management module of the chip according to the detection result signal output by the performance classification monitor.

4. The adaptive voltage scaling circuit according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one delay circuit is a delay circuit, the at least one comparison branch circuit is a comparison branch circuit, and the at least one comparison detection circuit is a comparison detection circuit, wherein
an input end of the source signal generating circuit, a first input end of the comparison reference circuit, and a first input end of the comparison branch circuit separately receive a clock signal as a drive;
the configuration signal comprises a first configuration signal, and a first output end of the configuration circuit is connected to a first input end of the delay circuit and provides the first configuration signal;
an output end of the source signal generating circuit is configured to provide the source signal, and is separately connected to a second input end of the comparison reference circuit and a second input end of the delay circuit;
an output end of the delay circuit is connected to a second input end of the comparison branch circuit;
an output end of the comparison reference circuit is configured to provide the reference signal, and is connected to a first input end of the comparison detection circuit, and an output end of the comparison branch circuit is connected to a second input end of the comparison detection circuit; and
an output end of the comparison detection circuit is connected to an input end of the control circuit, and is configured to provide the detection result signal.

5. The adaptive voltage scaling circuit according to claim 1 further comprising the performance classification monitor among a plurality of performance classification monitors, and the plurality of performance classification monitors are evenly disposed inside the chip.

6. The adaptive voltage scaling circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the comparison detection circuit comprises an exclusive OR gate logic circuit.

7. The adaptive voltage scaling circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the source signal generating circuit comprises a flip-flop.

8. The adaptive voltage scaling circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the comparison reference circuit comprises a flip-flop.

9. The adaptive voltage scaling circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one comparison branch circuit comprises a flip-flop.

10. The adaptive voltage scaling circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the working performance of the chip at the current working voltage comprises: the current working voltage being excessively high, the current working voltage being excessively low, or the current working voltage suitable for normal working.

11. A chip, wherein the chip comprises an adaptive voltage scaling circuit, wherein the adaptive voltage scaling circuit comprises:
a performance classification monitor disposed inside a chip and configured to detect working performance of the chip at a current working voltage; and
an adaptive controller for receiving a detection result signal from the performance classification monitor;
wherein the performance classification monitor comprises a source signal generating circuit, a comparison reference circuit, at least first and second delay circuits, at least first and second comparison branch circuits and at least first and second comparison detection circuits; and the adaptive controller comprises a configuration circuit;
wherein an input end of the source signal generating circuit and first input ends of the comparison reference circuit, the first comparison branch circuit and the second comparison branch circuit each receives a clock signal as a drive;
a first output end of the configuration circuit

Assignees

• Huawei Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Wang Xinru
• Jin Xin
• He Yong

Classifications

• H02M3/157

  with digital control · CPC title

• G01R31/3004

  Current or voltage test · CPC title

• G05F3/02 Primary

  Regulating voltage or current · CPC title

• G06F1/3296

  by lowering the supply or operating voltage · CPC title

• G01R31/31721

  Power aspects, e.g. power supplies for test circuits, power saving during test (for scan test G01R31/318575) · CPC title