Method and apparatus for regulating a power supply of an integrated circuit
View Patent ↗Disclosed is a circuit for adjusting a voltage supplied to an IC by a power supply. The circuit includes a PVT detector configured to generate a control signal and an adjustable resistance device configured to adjust its resistance in response to the control signal.
1. A circuit for adjusting a voltage supplied to an integrated circuit (IC) by a power supply comprising:
a PVT detector configured to generate a control signal based on a detection of at least one of process, voltage, and temperature of at least one switching element on said IC; and
an adjustable resistance device connected to said power supply and said PVT detector, and configured to adjust its resistance in response to said control signal, wherein adjusting the resistance of the adjustable resistance device adjusts the voltage provided by the power supply to said IC.
2. The circuit of claim 1 wherein said adjustable resistance device comprises a resistor connected to a first switch and a second switch.
3. The circuit of claim 2 wherein said first switch connects said resistor to a maximum voltage when said first switch is closed.
4. The circuit of claim 2 wherein said second switch connects said resistor to a minimum voltage when said second switch is closed.
5. The circuit of claim 2 wherein said first and second switches are controlled in response to said control signal.
6. The circuit of claim 1 wherein said adjustable resistance device comprises a first plurality of resistors, each connected to a switch.
7. The circuit of claim 6 wherein said each of said first plurality of resistors is connected to a maximum voltage when its switch is closed.
8. The circuit of claim 6 wherein said adjustable resistance device comprises a second plurality of resistors, each connected to a switch.
9. The circuit of claim 8 wherein said each of said second plurality of resistors is connected to a minimum voltage when its switch is closed.
10. The circuit of claim 1 wherein said adjustable resistance device comprises at least one active element.
11. A method for adjusting a voltage supplied to an integrated circuit (IC) by a power supply comprising:
detecting at least one of process, voltage, and temperature of at least one switching element on said IC;
generating a control signal based on said detecting; and
adjusting the resistance of an adjustable resistance device in response to said control signal wherein adjusting the resistance of the adjustable resistance device adjusts the voltage provided by the power supply to said IC.
12. The circuit of claim 11 wherein adjusting the resistance of the adjustable resistance device comprises connecting at least one resistor in parallel with a plurality of resistors connected to said power supply to a maximum voltage in response to said control signal.
13. The circuit of claim 11 wherein adjusting the resistance of the adjustable resistance device comprises connecting at least one resistor in parallel with a plurality of resistors connected to said power supply to a minimum voltage in response to said control signal.
14. The circuit of claim 11 wherein adjusting the resistance of the adjustable resistance device comprises turning on at least one active element an amount in response to said control signal.
15. The circuit of claim 11 wherein adjusting the resistance of the adjustable resistance device comprises turning off at least one active element an amount in response to said control signal.
16. A circuit for adjusting a voltage supplied to an integrated circuit (IC) by a power supply comprising:
means for detecting at least one of process, voltage, and temperature of at least one switching element on said IC;
means for generating a control signal based on said detecting; and
means for adjusting the resistance of an adjustable resistance device in response to said control signal, wherein adjusting the resistance of the adjustable resistance device adjusts the voltage provided by the power supply to said IC.
17. The circuit of claim 16 wherein said means for adjusting comprises means for connecting at least one resistor in parallel with a plurality of resistors connected to said power supply to a maximum voltage in response to said control signal.
18. The circuit of claim 16 wherein said means for adjusting comprises means for connecting at least one resistor in parallel with a plurality of resistors connected to said power supply to a minimum voltage in response to said control signal.
19. The circuit of claim 16 wherein said means for adjusting comprises means for turning on at least one active element an amount in response to said control signal.
20. The circuit of claim 16 wherein said means for adjusting comprises means for turning off at least one active element an amount in response to said control signal.
21. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein both said PVT detector and at least one element of said adjustable resistance device are internal to said IC.
22. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
said detecting at least one of process, voltage, and temperature of at least one switching element on said IC is performed by a PVT detector that is internal to said IC, and
said adjusting the resistance of said adjustable resistance device is performed by an adjustable resistance device that is internal to said IC.
23. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein both said means for detecting and said means for adjusting the supply voltage of said IC are internal to said IC.