Granted Patent B2

US 9,413,351 · App. 14/122,556 · Granted Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

Claims (31)

1. An integrated circuit device comprising:

a power domain;

a power gating component operatively coupled between a node of the power domain and a power supply node to electrically couple the node of power domain to the power supply node when enabled;

an isolation component operatively coupled between a chargeable device and the node of the power domain to electrically couple the chargeable device to node of the power domain when enabled; and

a power gating control module coupled to the isolation component and to the power gating component to electrically de-couple the chargeable device from the node of the power domain, to electrically couple the power supply node while the chargeable device is electrically de-coupled from the node of the power domain, and, after waiting for a non-zero period of time and while the node of the power domain is electrically coupled to the power supply node, electrically couple the chargeable device to the node of the power domain.

2. The integrated circuit device of claim 1 wherein the isolation component is coupled in series between the chargeable device and the node of the power domain.

3. The integrated circuit device of claim 1 wherein the power gating component is arranged to receive a power gating control signal at an input thereof, and to electrically couple the node of the power domain to the power supply node in accordance with the received power gating control signal.

4. The integrated circuit device of claim 1 wherein the power gating component comprises a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor.

5. The integrated circuit device of claim 1 wherein the isolation component is arranged to receive an isolation control signal at an input thereof, and to electrically couple the chargeable device to the node of the power domain in accordance with the received isolation control signal.

6. The integrated circuit device of claim 5 wherein the isolation component comprises a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor.

7. The integrated circuit device of claim 1 wherein the power gating control module is further arranged to configure the isolation component to electrically de-couple the chargeable device from the node of the power domain prior to electrically coupling the node of the power domain to the power supply node.

8. The integrated circuit device of claim 1 wherein the power gating control module is further arranged to configure the isolation component to electrically de-couple the chargeable device from the node of the power domain prior to the node of the power domain being electrically decoupled from the power supply node.

9. The integrated circuit device of claim 7 wherein the power gating control module is further arranged to configure the isolation component to progressively electrically couple the chargeable device to the node of power domain, following electrically coupling the node of the power domain to the power supply node.

10. The integrated circuit device of claim 1 wherein the chargeable device comprises a capacitance such as a de-coupling capacitance.

11. A method of implementing power gating within an integrated circuit device, the method comprising:

electrically decoupling a chargeable device from a node of a power domain prior to electrically coupling the power domain to a power supply node;

subsequent to electrically decoupling the chargeable device, electrically coupling the power domain to the power supply node;

in response to electrically coupling the power domain to the power supply node, waiting a time period; and

in response to the time period ending and to the power domain being electrically coupled to the power supply node, electrically coupling the chargeable device to the node of the power domain.

12. The method of implementing power gating within an integrated circuit device of claim 11 wherein electrically decoupling the chargeable device is performed prior to the node of the power domain being electrically decoupled from the power supply node in order to maintain at least a part of a charge during a low power gating period.

13. An integrated circuit device comprising at least one power gating arrangement the at least one power gating arrangement) comprising:

at least one gated power domain;

at least one power gating component coupled between at least one node of the at least one gated power domain and at least a first power supply node, the at least one power gating component being arranged to selectively couple the at least one node of the at least one gated power domain to the at least first power supply node, wherein the at least one power gating arrangement further comprises at least one isolation component operably coupled between at least one chargeable device and the at least one node of the at least one gated power domain; and

a power gating control module coupled to the at least one isolation component and to the least one power gating component, the power gating control module to electrically decouple the at least one chargeable device from the at least one node of the at least one gated power domain, to electrically couple the at least first power supply node while the at least one chargeable device is electrically de-coupled from the at least one node of the at least one gated power domain, and, after waiting for a non-zero period of time and while the at least one node of the at least one gated power domain is electrically coupled to the at least first power supply node, electrically couple the at least one chargeable device to the at least one node of the at least one gated power domain.

14. The integrated circuit device of claim 13 wherein the at least one isolation component is coupled in series between the at least one chargeable device and the at least one node of the power domain.

15. The integrated circuit device of claim 13 wherein the at least one power gating component is arranged to receive a power gating control signal at an input thereof, and to electrically couple the at least one node of the power domain to the at least one power supply node in accordance with the received power gating control signal.

16. The integrated circuit device of claim 13 wherein the at least one power gating component comprises a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor.

17. The integrated circuit device of claim 13 wherein the at least one isolation component is arranged to receive an isolation control signal at an input thereof, and to electrically couple the at least one chargeable device to the at least one node of the power domain in accordance with the received isolation control signal.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

receiving a power gating control signal; and

electrically coupling the node of the power domain to the power supply node in accordance with the received power gating control signal.

Assignments (31)