Freescale Semiconductor,inc.

Apple Inc.

Integrated Device Technology, Inc.

Dongbu Hitek Co., Ltd.

Renesas Electronics America Inc.

Jan Krellner

Kenneth C Kwok

Jack Cornish

Bin Zhao

Inder M Sodhi

James S Ismail

Victor K Lee

Weizhuang Wayne Xin

Andrew Kameya

Brian Horng

Stephen Ulbrich

Ron Neuman

Joon Ho Park

Steven Ulbrich

Daniele Perretta

Carmel Yamberger

Keith Alan Cox

Achmed Rumi Zahir

Manjit Singh

Serge Di Matteo

Sanjaya Maniktala

Michael Fitchett

Techniques are disclosed relating to electromigration control implemented by a power management unit. In some embodiments, the power management unit itself is configured to monitor operating conditions, implement control for one or more electromigration loops, and send reduction alerts, via an inter-chip interconnect, to the processor circuitry it powers. In some embodiments, the power management unit implements both thermal and electromigration control loops. Disclosed techniques may advantageously reduce or avoid electromigration issues, potentially with reduced impact on processor performance relative to traditional techniques.

PMU-side electromigration control

Techniques are disclosed relating to thermal control implemented by a power management unit. In some embodiments, the power management unit itself is configured to monitor thermal conditions, implement control for one or more thermal loops, and send reduction alerts, via an inter-chip interconnect, to the processor circuitry it powers. In some embodiments, the power management unit implements both thermal and electromigration control loops. Disclosed techniques may advantageously reduce or avoid thermal issues, potentially with reduced impact on processor performance relative to traditional techniques.

PMU-side thermal control

The invention relates to an arrangement and a method performing data exchange between various integrated circuits, IC, () in an automotive control system wherein the data are exchanged by a bus and has the object to enable ASIL C/D system coverage and to tie various ICs (clocks, regulators, memory interfaces, sensor signal conditioners, power management ICs etc.) This is solved the data are exchanged by a bus being ASIL C/D compliant and forming a common protocol to exchange information among the integrated circuits (). The method is solved by functions implemented within the bus as setting the frequency of operation; arbitrating roles of the integrated circuits as master or slave device; checking integrity of exchanged data; frame repetition; detecting bus stuck-at failure modes; filtering or denouncing failures and warnings from peripheral devices; detecting remote out of specification local clock; and monitoring and predicting system reliability and profiling maintenance events.

Arrangement and method for connecting various integrated circuits in an automotive control system

Power control systems and power control devices may include a power control chip having a power control module configured to generate a power stage control signal, and an external power stage having a timing control module. The timing control module may be configured to receive the power stage control signal and generate a timing control signal controlling at least one switch to regulate an output voltage of the external power stage. The power control device further includes an auto-configuration module configured to communicate with the external power stage and request auto-configuration information from the external power stage. A related method of auto-configuring a power control system includes communicating auto-configuration information between at least one external power stage of a power control system and a power control chip, and configuring a setting of the at least one external power stage of the power control system based on the auto-configuration information.

Apparatuses and system and method for auto-configuration of a power control system

Power control systems and power control devices may include a power control chip having a power control module configured to generate a power stage control signal, and at least one power stage having a timing control module that is physically separate from the power control module. The timing control module may be configured to receive the power stage control signal and generate a timing control signal controlling at least one switch to regulate an output voltage of the at least one power stage. A related method may include generating power stage control information indicating an offset between an output voltage and a desired regulated output voltage, transmitting the power stage control information between modules that are physically separate, and timing signals for controlling a switching converter to regulate the output voltage. A related method of auto-configuring a power control system is also disclosed.

Apparatuses and system having separate power control and timing control of a power control system and related method

Current sources, systems including the current source, and methods for regulating and/or controlling a circuit using the current source. The current source is generally configured to (i) receive a reference current, a bias voltage and a feedback/input current and (ii) provide an output current. The systems generally include the current source, a circuit directly or indirectly receiving the output current, a bias source/generator configured to provide the bias voltage, and a current reference configured to sink or source a predetermined amount of current from or to the output current. The method generally includes (a) applying a bias voltage to the current source, the current source receiving an input current and providing an output current; (b) sinking or sourcing a reference current from or to the output current; (c) applying the output of the current source directly or indirectly to a regulated circuit; and (d) providing the input current from the regulated circuit.

Current controlled current source, and methods of controlling a current source and/or regulating a circuit

Circuits for regulating and/or controlling integrated circuits such as drivers and switching regulators generally include a first switch configured to control or regulate a current, voltage drop or voltage boost; a first regulator or driver configured to transmit first pulses to the first switch, the pulses having a first pulse width; and pulse width modulation circuitry configured to (i) reduce the first pulse width when a first thermal threshold is met and (ii) increase the first pulse width when a second thermal threshold is met, the second thermal threshold being less than the first thermal threshold.

Thermally controlled driver/switching regulator, and methods of controlling and/or regulating a driver and/or switching regulator

Disclosed are example techniques for frame-based power management in a light emitting diode (LED) system having a plurality of LED strings. A voltage source provides an output voltage to drive the LED strings. An LED driver generates a frame timing reference representative of the frame rate or display timing of a series of image frames to be displayed via the LED system. An update reference is generated from the frame timing reference. The LED driver monitors one or more operating parameters of the LED system. In response to update triggers marked by the update reference, the LED driver adjusts the output voltage of the voltage source based on the status of each of the one or more monitored operating parameters (either from the previous update period or determined in response to the update trigger), thereby synchronizing the updating of the output voltage to the frame rate (or a virtual approximation of the frame rate) of the video being displayed.

LED driver with frame-based dynamic power management

Power management in a light emitting diode (LED) system having a plurality of LED strings is disclosed. A voltage source provides an output voltage to drive a plurality of LED strings. An LED driver implements a feedback mechanism to monitor the tail voltages of the active LED strings to identify the minimum tail voltage and adjust the output voltage of the voltage source based on the lowest tail voltage. A loop calibration module of the LED driver calibrates the feedback mechanism of the LED driver based on a relationship between a digital code value used to generate a particular output voltage and another digital code value generated based on the minimum tail voltage resulting from the particular output voltage.

LED driver with feedback calibration

According to an exemplary embodiment, a method includes the step () of driving a buck section of a DC/DC converter with a buck signal that has a buck duty cycle and concurrently with driving the buck section, driving a boost section of the DC/DC converter with a boost signal that has a boost duty cycle, a difference existing between the buck duty cycle and the boost duty cycle. The method also includes the step () of monitoring an input voltage that is coupled to the buck section for a change in the input voltage, and in response to a change in the input voltage, the step () of changing the buck duty cycle and the boost duty cycle such that the difference between the buck duty cycle and the boost duty cycle is substantially constant.

Mode transitioning in a DC/DC converter using a constant duty cycle difference

An analogue/digital interface circuit is disclosed in which an integral bistable circuit has its state changed by the arrival of an incoming analogue signal, however transient, and irrespective of when it arrives relative to the clock signal driving the digital circuit. The use of a bistable (flip-flop) circuit enables each parth of the interface circuit to be traversed when scan test signals are applied to it. Concurrently with the application of such signals, an inhibition signal is applied to the analogue signal inlet to prevent the arrival of any subsequency analogue signals from changing the state of the signal-storage element.

Growing community of inventors

Laguna Niguel, CA, United States of America

Jan Krellner