Patent ID: 7071863

Claim:
A circuit with reduced power consumption, comprising: a first circuit that has periodic active and inactive phases and that switches between said periodic active and inactive phases during operation of said first circuit; a second circuit that communicates with said first circuit, that has periodic active and inactive phases, and that switches between said periodic active and inactive phases during operation of said second circuit, wherein when said first circuit is in said active phase, said second circuit is in said inactive phase, and when said second circuit is in said active phase, said first circuit is in said inactive phase; and a power supply that communicates with said first and second circuits and that generates first and second bias signals, wherein said power supply selectively generates said first bias signal for said first circuit during said active phase of said first circuit, said second bias signal for said second circuit during said inactive phase of said second circuit, said second bias signal for said first circuit during said inactive phase of said first circuit, and said first bias signal for said second circuit during said active phase of said second circuit; wherein said second bias signal is less than said first bias signal.