Patent ID: 6147539
Filing Date: 2000-11-14
Classification: G06F,H03K

Abstract:
An electrical component comprising a plurality of devices which are powered by a plurality of voltages, said devices arranged in signal paths, said signal paths including critical signal paths wherein during operation of the component a signal must propagate through the critical signal paths within a maximum propagation delay required to maintain the operating frequency of the component, said component operating with a minimum amount of power consumption, said component comprising:a first portion of the component having only first voltage signal paths of devices which operate below the maximum propagation delay when the devices are operated at a first voltage said first portion operating using low power consumption;a second portion of the component having only second voltage signal paths of devices which do not operate below the maximum propagation delay when the devices in the signal paths are operated at the first voltage, the devices of the second portion of the component operated at a second higher voltage thereby decreasing the propagation delay through the signal paths; andswitches coupling certain signal paths from the first portion and second portion of the component which propagate the signal between the first voltage signal paths and higher second voltage signal paths.