Patent ID: 7965133

Claim:
A compensation circuit for reducing power consumption in at least one digital circuit connected to the compensation circuit over variations in at least one of process and temperature conditions, the compensation circuit comprising: a first sample circuit connected to a first supply voltage, the first sample circuit being operative throughout a specified range of process, supply voltage and temperature conditions; a second sample circuit connected to a second supply voltage, the second sample circuit being configured to model one or more performance characteristics of the at least one digital circuit, the first and second sample circuits being substantially functionally equivalent to one another but optimized for different regions of operation within the specified range of process, supply voltage and temperature conditions; and a controller operative to receive respective output signals from the first and second sample circuits so as to monitor a functionality of the second sample circuit relative to the first sample circuit; and to adjust a level of the second supply voltage to ensure correct operation of the second sample circuit throughout the specified range of process, supply voltage and temperature conditions, the at least one digital circuit being operative from the second supply voltage.