Synchronous power state control scheme for multi-chip integrated power management solution in embedded systems

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first power management integrated circuit comprising:

a first power supply controller;

a first power state sequence controller coupled to the first power supply controller, the first power state sequence controller configured to:

receive, over an interface from an embedded system, a power state control signal, wherein the power state control signal is a sleep signal or an error tracking signal;

determine a power state in accordance with the power state control signal; and

drive the first power supply controller to activate a first set of rails to apply power to the embedded system according to the power state;

and

a first communication interface coupled to the first power supply controller and to the first power state sequence controller, the first communication interface configured to transmit a message comprising the power state over a system interface; and

a second power management integrated circuit coupled to the first power management integrated circuit, the second power management integrated circuit comprising:

a second power supply controller; and

a second power sequence controller coupled to the second power supply controller, the second power sequence controller configured to receive the message via the system interface from the first power management integrated circuit; and

the second power supply controller configured to activate a second set of rails to apply power to the embedded system in accordance with the power state.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the embedded system includes a system on a chip.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second power management integrated circuit is masked from the embedded system by the first power management integrated circuit.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first power management integrated circuit further includes a first power state sequence configuration memory including a finite state machine defining power states.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first power management integrated circuit is configured to communicate with the embedded system via the system interface.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the first power management integrated circuit further includes signal arbitration logic configured to communicate with the embedded system via the system interface.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including a third power management integrated circuit connected to the first power management integrated circuit via the system interface, the third power management integrated circuit configured to receive the power state control signal from the first power management integrated circuit indicating the power state to the third power management integrated circuit to control the third power management integrated circuit to operate with the first power management integrated circuit and the second power management integrated circuit according to the power state to apply power to the embedded system.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the third power management integrated circuit is masked from the embedded system by the first power management integrated circuit.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a first power management integrated circuit comprising:

a power supply controller;

a power state sequence controller coupled to the power supply controller, the power state sequence controller configured to:

receive, over an interface from an embedded system, a power state control signal, wherein the power state control signal is a sleep signal or an error tracking signal;

determine a power state in accordance with the power state control signal; and

drive the power supply controller to activate a set of rails to apply power to the embedded system according to the power state;

a communication interface configured to transmit the power state over a system interface to a second power management integrated circuit.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , further including an inter-power management integrated circuit interface configured to connect the first power management integrated circuit and the second power management integrated circuit for exchanging information related to the power state between the first power management integrated circuit and the second power management integrated circuit.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first power management integrated circuit is configured to control the second power management integrated circuit to operate in synchrony according to the power state to apply power to the embedded system.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first power management integrated circuit further includes a power state sequence configuration memory including a finite state machine defining power states.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first power management integrated circuit is configured to communicate with the embedded system via the system interface.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first power management integrated circuit further includes signal arbitration logic to communicate with the embedded system via the system interface.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first power management integrated circuit is configured to power-up the embedded system in an initial power-up state for communication once the first power management integrated circuit is enabled.

16. A power management integrated circuit configured to:

receive, over an interface from an embedded system, a power state control signal;

determine a power state based on the power state control signal, wherein the power state control signal is a sleep signal or an error tracking signal;

drive a power supply controller to activate a set of rails to apply power to the embedded system according to the power state;

and

transmit the power state over a system interface to another power management integrated circuit.

17. The power management integrated circuit of claim 16 , further configured to generate error feedback with respect to the power state.