Patent ID: 6552601
Filing Date: 2003-04-22
Classification: G05F

Abstract:
A method for supply gating an electronic component comprising:providing a first supply voltage; providing at least one device; providing a second supply voltage; coupling a first low threshold gating transistor between said first supply voltage and said at least one device; coupling a second low threshold gating transistor between said at least one device and said second supply voltage; wherein, said first and second low threshold gating transistors have an unbiased threshold voltage with a magnitude of less than 300 millivolts; and overdriving said first and second low threshold gating transistors on, such that when said first and second low threshold gating transistors are in an on state, a voltage differential between a gate and a source of said first and second low threshold gating transistors is greater than a voltage differential between said first and second supply voltages, wherein; said at least one device is a low power device including device transistors and, said voltage differential between said first supply voltage and said second supply voltage is less than 1.0 volt and, said voltage differential between said gate and said source of said first and second low threshold gating transistors when said first and second low threshold gating transistors are overdriven on is less than 2.5 volts.