Patent Abstract:
One embodiment of the invention provides a circuit. The circuit includes a switching unit configured to connect or disconnect a voltage domain to a supply voltage input. The switching unit includes a first switch, a second switch and a third switch. The circuit includes a control signal input configured to receive a switch control signal. The circuit includes a signal distribution unit that is configured to output the switch control signal to the first switch delayed by a first time interval and to output the switch control signal to the second switch and to the third switch delayed by a second time interval.

Full Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority to German Patent Application No. 10 2005 051 065.5-33, filed on Oct. 25, 2005.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Electrical circuits that are fabricated on semiconductor wafers can include a plurality of voltage domains. A voltage domain is an electrical circuit or circuit block that operates at a specific supply voltage value. The supply voltages for circuits that are used in mobile terminal devices are typically derived from a battery voltage. The supply voltage for a voltage domain is usually connected by means of a switching unit that is arranged outside of a semiconductor device. For this purpose, a voltage source such as a battery that provides the supply voltage is coupled to a supply connection or a supply pin of the semiconductor device via the switching unit. The supply connection is connected to a voltage network within the semiconductor device and forms a voltage domain. The supply connection is connected to or isolated from the voltage source in accordance with a switching state that is selected for the switching unit. If the supply connection is connected to the voltage source, the supply voltage is present at the voltage domain.  
         [0003]     In typical systems, a control signal for connecting or disconnecting the supply voltage from a voltage domain is generated within the semiconductor device. In order to control the switching unit by means of the control signal, a control connection or control pin to pass the control signal to the switching unit is provided at the semiconductor device. As a result, at least two connections are needed at the semiconductor device for each voltage domain. The number of connections or pins available for a semiconductor device can be limited as typically many connections are required for other functions. As a result, a disadvantage of this approach is that only a limited number of voltage domains may be able to be provided within the semiconductor device.  
         [0004]     It is known to provide a switching unit with respect to each voltage domain within the semiconductor device. The respective switching unit enables the supply voltage to be disconnected from or connected to the voltage domain. The switching unit is typically implemented as a switching element that is large in relation to other circuits that are used in the semiconductor device in order to drive large currents without significant voltage drops at the voltage domains. Furthermore, the switching element is typically located within regions of the semiconductor device or circuit that are not fabricated by means of standard cells. As a result, the length of a supply line between a switching element and a voltage domain may result in a significant voltage drop across the supply line.  
         [0005]     In order to avoid the voltage drops, the large switching element is often implemented with multiple switching elements that are relatively smaller in size. The smaller switching elements can be designed and implemented as standard cells. A number of switching elements can be connected in parallel in order to meet the current demands of a voltage domain.  
         [0006]     A plurality of voltage domains are usually coupled to voltage supply. When a connection is first made to a first voltage domain, current flows that initially charges the gates and/or other capacitances of circuits within the first voltage domain. This connection operation can initially give rise to a relatively large change in a current I SUP  supplied by the voltage supply. The supply lines arranged between the voltage supply and the voltage domain typically have an inductance L. As a result of this inductance, a change in the current I SUP  causes a voltage drop ΔU SUP  that occurs along the supply lines in accordance with Equation (1).  
               Δ   ⁢           ⁢     U   SUP       =       L   ⁢       ⅆ     I   SUP         ⅆ   t         +       RI   SUP     .               (   1   )             
 
         [0007]     A non-reactive resistance R that is present in the supply lines is also taken into account by Equation (1).  
         [0008]     In most cases, at least one second voltage domain is connected to a supply line and a same supply voltage is provided to the first and second voltage domains. If the second voltage domain is already in an operating state when the first voltage domain is switched on, the voltage drop ΔU SUP  may be large enough to result in a local malfunction within the second voltage domain. The local malfunction can lead to a global malfunction of the entire semiconductor device. The occurrence of a global malfunction is often times not immediately evident to a user of the semiconductor device.  
         [0009]     For these and other reasons, there is a need for the present invention.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0010]     One embodiment of the invention provides a circuit. The circuit includes a switching unit configured to connect or disconnect a voltage domain to a supply voltage input. The switching unit includes a first switch, a second switch and a third switch. The circuit includes a control signal input configured to receive a switch control signal. The circuit includes a signal distribution unit that is configured to output the switch control signal to the first switch delayed by a first time interval and to output the switch control signal to the second switch and to the third switch delayed by a second time interval. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]     Embodiments of the invention will be explained in detail in the following text with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of a voltage supply of a semiconductor circuit with two voltage domains.  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  illustrates a first embodiment of a switching unit in a voltage supply.  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  illustrates a second embodiment of a switching unit in a voltage supply.  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  illustrates a third embodiment of a switching unit in a voltage supply.  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  illustrates a fourth embodiment of a switching unit in a voltage supply.  
         [0017]      FIG. 6  illustrates a fifth embodiment of a switching unit in a voltage supply. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0018]      FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of a voltage supply of a semiconductor circuit with two voltage domains. The voltage supply has a first input  101 , at which a first supply potential, a ground potential, or a reference potential may be provided. In some embodiments, the supply potential can be provided by a voltage source such as a battery, which is not illustrated in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0019]     The voltage supply has a second input  102 , at which a second supply potential may be provided. In one embodiment, the second supply potential is a bias voltage. The first input  101  is coupled via a first supply line  103  to a first voltage domain  104  (illustrated by broken lines) and a second voltage domain  105  (illustrated by broken lines). A supply voltage of the two voltage domains results from the difference between the first supply voltage potential and the second supply voltage potential. On account of physical properties, in various embodiments, the first supply line has a first inherent inductance  106  and a first non-reactive resistance  107 . The second input  102  is coupled via a second supply, line  108  to the first voltage domain  104  and the second voltage domain  105 . On account of physical properties, in various embodiments, the second supply line  108  has a second inherent inductance  109  and a second non-reactive resistance  110 . The second supply line  108  connects to the first voltage domain  104  via a switching unit  111 .  
         [0020]     In the illustrated embodiment, the second supply voltage potential may be provided to the first voltage domain  104  by means of the switching unit  111 . The switching unit  111  is coupled to a control unit  112 . In various embodiments, the control unit  112  regulates a switching state of switching unit  111  by means of a control signal. In the event of an operation to connect the supply voltage to the first voltage domain  104 , the second supply voltage potential is provided to the first voltage domain  104  by means of the switching unit  111 . As a result, a current flows through the first supply line  103  and through the second supply line  108 . In various embodiments, these currents charge various elements within the first voltage domain  104  that include, but are not limited to, MOSFET (metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor) gates and/or other intrinsic capacitances. A change in the currents can result in voltage drops in the first supply line  103  on account of the first inherent inductance  106  and in the second supply line  108  on account of the second inherent inductance  109 . The induced voltage drops may lead to a decrease in the voltage supplied to the second voltage domain  105 , with the result that a malfunction of the semiconductor circuit may occur.  
         [0021]      FIG. 2  illustrates a first embodiment of a switching unit in a voltage supply. The switching unit  201  has a control signal input  202  that receives a control signal. In some embodiments, the control signal is provided by a control unit as shown in  FIG. 1 . In the illustrated embodiment, the control input  202  is coupled to an input of a first delay element  203 . An output of the first delay element  203  is coupled to a first switching element  205  in order to regulate the switching state of the first switching element  205 . The output of the first delay element  203  is coupled to an input of a second delay element  204 . The first switching element  205  is coupled between a third supply line  207  and a fourth supply line  208 . In one embodiment, if the first switching element  205  is in a closed switching state, equalization current may flow between the third supply line  207  and the fourth supply line  208  until the potential in both supply lines match. In one embodiment, the third supply line  207  may correspond to the second supply line  108  shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0022]     In the illustrated embodiment, an output of the second delay element  204  is coupled to the input of a third delay element  206  and is also coupled to a second switching element  210  in order to define the switching state of the second switching element  210 . The output of the third delay element  206  is coupled to a third switching element  211  and is also coupled via none or one or more further delay elements to a fourth delay element  209  (illustrated by dashes). An output of the fourth delay element  209  is coupled to a fourth switching element  213 . The input of the fourth delay element  209  is coupled to the input of a fifth delay element  212 . The output of the fifth delay element  212  is coupled to a sixth switching element  214 .  
         [0023]     The second switching element  210 , the third switching element  211 , the fourth switching element  213  and the fifth switching element  215  are each coupled between the third supply line  207  and the fourth supply line  208 , so that in a closed switching state each switching element connects the third supply line  207  to the fourth supply line  208 . In one embodiment, if one of the switching elements is in a closed switching state, the potentials on the first supply line  207  and the second supply line  208  are the same. In some embodiments, an implementation uses a number of standard cells that each comprise a delay element, an individual element, or both a delay element and an individual element. In some embodiments, the delay elements comprise inverter elements. In the illustrated embodiment, delay elements such as the first delay element  203  and the second delay element  204  include a series circuit that comprises two inverter elements. In this embodiment, the polarity of the control signal is not altered by a delay element. In one embodiment, the switching elements may be realized as n-MOS transistors or p-MOS transistors.  
         [0024]     In the illustrated embodiment, the implementation of the switching unit  201  allows for carrying out the connection of a voltage domain progressively. In one embodiment, the control signal closes a switching element having a high voltage potential, that is to say, logic “1”. In the event of a switch-on operation, the control signal provided at the control input closes the first switching element  205 . After a time delay defined by the second delay element  204 , the control signal reaches the control input of the second switching element  210  and closes the second switching element  210 . In this embodiment, the first switching element  205  is closed, the second switching element  210  is closed after the first switching element  205  is closed, and the third switching element  211  is closed after the second switching element  210  is closed. The fourth switching element  213  and the fifth switching element  214  are closed simultaneously after the third switching element  211  is closed.  
         [0025]     In the illustrated embodiment, at each point in time after the beginning of the switch-on operation, the control signal is present at a defined number of individual elements that are closed. The number of closed switching elements limits the flow of an equalization current between the first supply line  207  and the second supply line  208 . In this embodiment, a temporal change in the switch-on current is limited. The number of closed switching elements defines the maximum switch-on current by the sum of the saturation currents of the closed switching elements. In other words, only a current driven by the closed switching elements will flow. The temporal sequence of the closing of the switching elements likewise limits the maximum change in the switch-on current over time. As a consequence, an excessively large voltage drop is prevented from arising in the leads of the voltage supply.  
         [0026]     In one embodiment, a rapid connection or disconnection of the voltage domain to the voltage supply can occur. In this embodiment, frequent disconnection and connection of the voltage supply may provide for an energy savings potential in the case of the supply voltage. The energy savings potential can be particularly advantageous for battery-powered systems, such as portable computers, mobile phones or mobile terminal devices.  
         [0027]      FIG. 3  illustrates a second embodiment of a switching unit in a voltage supply. The same reference symbols or numerals are used for similar elements of the various embodiments. The switching unit  301  includes a control input  202  to receive a control signal. In one embodiment, the control signal may be provided by a control unit as shown in  FIG. 1 . In the illustrated embodiment, the control input  202  is coupled to an input of a first delay element  203 . The control input is likewise coupled to the input of a second delay element  204 . An output of the first delay element  203  is coupled to a first switching element  205 . The output of the second delay element  204  is coupled to a second switching element  210 . The output of the second delay element  204  is coupled to the input of a third delay element  206 . The first switching element  205  and the second switching element  210  are coupled in series between a third supply line  207  and a fourth supply line  208 . If the first switching element  205  and the second switching element  210  are in a closed switching state, an equalization current flows between the third supply line  207  and the fourth supply line  208  until the respective potentials are equal. The current flowing through the first switching element  205  and the second switching element  210  is limited by the respective saturation currents of the first switching element  205  and the second switching element  210 . In one embodiment, the higher resistance that results from the first switching element  205  and the second switching element  210  being coupled in series results in a reduced current flowing through switching elements  205  and  210 .  
         [0028]     In the illustrated embodiment, an output of the third delay element  206  is coupled to a third switching element  211 . The output of the third delay element  206  is likewise coupled via none or one or more further delay elements to a fourth delay element  209  (illustrated by dashes). An output of the fourth delay element  209  is coupled to a fourth switching element  213  and to the input of a fifth delay element  212 . An output of the fifth delay element  212  is coupled to a sixth switching element  214 .  
         [0029]     In the illustrated embodiment, the third switching element  211 , the fourth switching element  213  and the fifth switching element  214  are arranged between the third supply line  207  and the fourth supply line  208 , so that each switching element in a closed switching state connects the third supply line  207  to the fourth supply line  208 . If one of the switching elements is in a closed switching state, the potentials on the first supply line  207  and the second supply line  208  will equalize. In one embodiment, the switching elements may be implemented as n-MOS transistors or p-MOS transistors.  
         [0030]     In the illustrated embodiment, a switch-on operation takes place in a manner analogous to that in  FIG. 2 . In this embodiment, the first switching element  205  and the second switching element  210  are closed simultaneously. The current that flows through the series circuit comprising the two switching elements is lower than a current that would flow through a single switching element, such as, for example, the third switching element  211 , the fourth switching element  213  or the fifth switching element  214 . In this embodiment, the lower initial current limits a temporal change in the current flow. In this embodiment, the limited change in the current flow enables the voltage domain that is coupled to the switching unit to be switched on as rapidly as possible while ensuring the functioning of the remaining circuit domains. In various embodiments, the switching elements illustrated in  FIG. 3  can be implemented using standard cells.  
         [0031]      FIG. 4  illustrates a third embodiment of a switching unit in a voltage supply. The same reference symbols or numerals are used for similar elements of the various embodiments. The switching unit  401  shown in  FIG. 4  has a control input  202  to receive a control signal. In various embodiments, the control signal may be provided, as in  FIG. 2 , by means of a control unit as shown in  FIG. 1 . The control input  202  is coupled to an input of a first delay element  203 , and an output of the first delay element  203  is coupled to an input of a second delay element  204 . In addition, the output of the first delay element  203  is coupled to a first switching element  205 . As a result, the first switching element can be put into a closed switching state or an open switching state by means of the control signal.  
         [0032]     In the illustrated embodiment, an output of the second delay element  204  is coupled to a second switching element  210 , a third switching element  211  and to an input of a fourth delay element  209 . An output of the fourth delay element  209  is coupled to a fourth switching element  213 , to a fifth switching element  214  and the input of a fifth delay element  212 . An output of the fifth delay element  212  is coupled to a sixth switching element  216 .  
         [0033]     In the illustrated embodiment, the first switching element  205 , the second switching element  210 , the third switching element  211 , the fourth switching element  213 , the fifth switching element  214  and the sixth switching element  216  are each coupled between a third supply line  207  and a fourth supply line  208 . Each of the switching elements when in a closed switching state electrically couples the third supply line  207  to the fourth supply line  208 . In one embodiment, this enables the potential on the supply lines to be equalized  
         [0034]     In the illustrated embodiment, a switch-on operation of the switching unit shown in  FIG. 4  is effected in such a way that the first switching element  205  is closed first. As a result, an electrical current flows between the third supply line  207  and the fourth supply line  208  as a result of a potential difference. The current is restricted by the saturation current or the internal resistance of the first switching element  205 . If the first switching element  205  is embodied as field effect transistor, this restriction also results from a channel length or channel width of a gate region of the field-effect transistor.  
         [0035]     In the illustrated embodiment, the second delay element  204  delays the propagation time of the control signal by a predetermined time interval, after which the second switching element  210  is closed. In one embodiment, the second switching element  210  drives a higher current for equalizing the potentials on the third supply line  207  and the fourth supply line  208 . In one embodiment, the second switching element  210  has a higher saturation current or a lower internal resistance as compared to the first switching element  205 .  
         [0036]     In the illustrated embodiment, the third switching element  211  and the second switching element  210  are closed simultaneously. The fourth switching element  213  is subsequently closed after a time interval determined by the third delay element  209 .  
         [0037]     The fifth switching element  214  is closed together with the fourth switching element  213 . The sixth switching element  216  is subsequently closed after a time interval determined by the fourth delay element  209 .  
         [0038]     In the illustrated embodiment, the switching elements are arranged in pairs. Thus, the first switching element  205  is arranged spatially in proximity to the second switching element  210 . The third switching element  211  is arranged spatially in proximity to the fourth switching element  213 . The fifth switching element  214  is arranged spatially in proximity to the sixth switching element  216 . Each switching element pair includes one switching element driving a low current and one switching element driving a higher current. The pairs may be distributed spatially over the voltage domain. In this embodiment, a specific switch on operation may be applied. In one embodiment, a switching element that can drive a low current for pre-charging an environment is closed first, and a switching element that drives a higher current is closed later for faster charging.  
         [0039]     In various embodiments, to accelerate the overall charging operation, a “weaker” switching element of a different switching element pair, which can already pre-charge a different environment in the voltage domain, is already closed with the “stronger” switching element. If the second switching element  210  and the first switching element  205  are implemented as field effect transistors, then, by way of example, the channel width of the second switching element  210  is greater than the channel width of the first switching element  205 .  
         [0040]      FIG. 5  illustrates a fourth embodiment of a switching unit in a voltage supply. The same reference symbols or numerals are used for similar elements of the various embodiments. In the illustrated embodiment, a switching unit  501  has a control signal input  202  suitable for receiving a control signal. In one embodiment, the control input is the same as in  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 3  or  FIG. 4 . In the illustrated embodiment, the control signal is provided for example by a control unit as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The control input  202  is coupled to an input of a first delay element  203 . An output of the first delay element  203  is coupled to an input of a second delay element  204  and the input of a seventh delay element  502 . The output of the second delay element  204  is coupled to a first switching element  205 . An output of the seventh delay element  502  is coupled to an input of an eight delay element  503 . An output of the eighth delay element  503  is coupled to an input of a ninth delay element  504 . The output of the eighth delay element  503  is additionally coupled to a seventh switching element  505 . The output of the ninth delay element  504  is coupled to an eighth switching element  506 . The output of the ninth delay element  504  is coupled to the input of a tenth delay element  507  and the input of an eleventh delay element  508 . The output of the eleventh delay element  508  is coupled to an input of a twelfth delay element  511  and also to further delay elements. The output of the tenth delay element  507  is coupled to a ninth switching element  509 . The output of the eleventh delay element  508  is coupled to a tenth switching element  510 . The output of the twelfth delay element  511  is coupled to an eleventh switching element  512 . Each of the outputs of the second delay element  204 , of the eighth delay element  503 , of the ninth delay element  504 , of the tenth delay element  507 , of the eleventh delay element  508  and of the twelfth delay element  511  may in be the starting point for a further “daisy chain”.  
         [0041]     In the event of a switch-on operation of the switching unit according to  FIG. 5 , the first switching element  205  is closed in order to pre-charge the voltage domain. The seventh switching element  505  and the eighth switching element  506  are subsequently closed progressively. The ninth switching element  509  and simultaneously the tenth switching element  510  are subsequently closed in parallel. Afterwards, the eleventh switching element  512  and possibly a series of further switching elements over the voltage domain are closed. This enables a single switching element, namely the first switching element  205 , to be closed in the event of a switch-on operation. The seventh switching element  505  is subsequently closed, the embodiment of which switching element may be such that it has more current, that is to say a higher saturation current than the first switching element  205 . The eighth switching element  506 , which is subsequently closed, is also able to drive a higher current than the first switching element  505 . In one embodiment it is designed in the same way as the seventh switching element  505 . The next two switching elements are subsequently closed simultaneously, so that in total a higher current than previously can be driven. In the concluding part, a plurality of switching elements are closed in parallel, so that the charging operation overall proceeds more rapidly than if the switching elements are closed progressively. It is simultaneously ensured that precisely during charging, the current required for charging of the voltage domain is limited by the saturation currents of the switching elements.  
         [0042]      FIG. 6  illustrates a fifth embodiment of a switching unit in a voltage supply. The same reference symbols or numerals are used for similar elements of the various embodiments. In the illustrated embodiment, a switching unit has a control signal input  202  that is suitable for receiving a control signal, in various embodiments, such as is illustrated in  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 4  or  FIG. 5 . The control signal is provided for example by means of a control unit as provided in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0043]     In the illustrated embodiment, the control input  202  is coupled to an input of a first delay element  203 . An output of the first delay element  203  is coupled to a first switching element  205  and to a second switching element  210 . Furthermore, the output of the first delay element  203  is coupled to an input of a third delay element  206 . An output of the third delay element  206  is coupled to an input of a fourth delay element  209 . An output of the fourth delay element  209  is coupled to a third switching element  211  and to a fourth switching element  213 . Furthermore, the output of the fourth delay element  209  is coupled to an input of a fifth delay element  212 . This circuitry chain can be correspondingly continued, so that further switching elements are provided, to which the control signal is fed via further delay elements. In this case, it proves to be advantageous for the delay elements to be embodied as inverter elements, as is the case in this exemplary embodiment. A very compact configuration of the circuitry chain is obtained as a result.  
         [0044]     In the event of a switch-on operation for the switching unit in accordance with  FIG. 6 , first of all the first switching element  205  and the second switching element  210  are closed. The third switching element  211  and the fourth switching element  213  are subsequently closed. In this case, by way of example, the first switching element  205  and the second switching element  210  are designed in such a way that they drive a small current. By contrast, the third switching element  211  and the fourth switching element  213  may be set up in such a way that they drive a higher current. The switching elements are distributed over a voltage domain, for example, so that first of all a current for pre-charging the voltage domain is switched on, which current turns out to be smaller than the current required for the connection of the voltage domain.  
         [0045]     It is advantageous that the control signal is passed to the switching elements via delay elements the delay elements likewise being supplied by the supply voltage. If the supply voltage drops to an excessively great extent as a result of an excessively rapid switch-on operation, a sufficient signal is not provided at the outputs of the delay elements, so that the control signal is not forwarded. Additional switching elements in the switch chain (daisy chain) are not closed. In one embodiment, this ensures that the voltage domain is charged rapidly overall without a dip in the supply voltage on the voltage supply and without causing a malfunction of the entire integrated semiconductor circuit in which the voltage domain is situated.  
         [0046]     In one embodiment, the daisy chain is having a tree structure, i.e. having different branches. By way of example, each branch may be designed equally. The branches may as well include different structures as e.g. shown in the  FIG. 6 .  
         [0047]     In one embodiment the switching elements may be distributed over the voltage domain, so that a local charging of circuit elements takes place prior to a comprehensive connection of the supply voltage  
         [0048]     In one embodiment, the switching elements are arranged in a manner distributed uniformly over regions of the integrated semiconductor circuit in which is located at least one voltage domain whose voltage supply is to be switched. It is thereby possible, in the event of a connection operation, to effect rapid and uniform charging of the circuit elements in the voltage domain.  
         [0049]     In one embodiment the switching unit is located within the voltage domain. Supply lines between the switching unit and the voltage domain can thereby be made short. Unnecessary interference effects due to inductances and capacitances in the supply lines can be prevented in this way.  
         [0050]     In one embodiment, the first individual switching element, the second individual switching element and the third individual switching element are arranged in a manner distributed uniformly over regions of the integrated semiconductor circuit in which is located at least one voltage domain whose voltage supply is to be switched. It is thereby possible, in the event of a connection operation, to effect rapid and uniform charging of the circuit elements in the voltage domain.  
         [0051]     The embodiments shown may be combined as desired and/or according to the conditions of a voltage domain. In particular, different branches of the daisy chain may be provided.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8