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:
May. 01, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 28, 1999
Carlo Guardiani, Mezzago, IT;
Roberta Burger Riccio, Vimodrone, IT;
Roberto Zafalon, Venezia, IT;
Andrea Veggetti, Cologno Monzese, IT;
Nicola Dragone, Brescia, IT;
STMicroelectronics, S.r.l., Agrate Brianza, IT;
Abstract
A method of reducing power consumption of an electric circuit having a primary supply voltage and first and second circuit blocks is discussed. The method includes determining for the first circuit block an operation time for a first critical path of the first circuit block and determining for the second circuit block an operation time of a second critical path of the second circuit block. From those operation times, the method determines that the operation time of the first critical path is faster than the operation time of the second critical path. The method then creates a first supply voltage for the first circuit block that is less than the primary supply voltage in response to determining that the operation time of the first critical path is faster than the operation time of the second critical path.