The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 27, 2000
Filed:
May. 07, 1998
Kenneth J Goodnow, Essex Junction, VT (US);
Michel S Michail, Poughkeepsie, NY (US);
Clarence R Ogilvie, Huntington, VT (US);
Wilbur D Pricer, Charlotte, VT (US);
Sebastian T Ventrone, South Burlington, VT (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
According to the preferred embodiment, a device and method for reducing power consumption by reducing unneeded node toggling is provided. The preferred embodiment reduces unneeded node toggling in a circuit by utilizing either a pull-up or pull-down transistor to pull the input of the circuit to a state that minimizes power consumption during periods in which the circuit is inactive. By tying the circuit input high or low during inactivity, node toggling is reduced or eliminated in that circuit. In the preferred embodiment, the inputs to the circuit all pulled after a time of inactivity which is proportional to the leakage current of the leakiest transistor in the circuit. By timing the input pulling proportional to the leakage current, the power consumption is minimized without excessive power loss caused by the pulling itself.