Patent ID: 8392728

Claim:
A method of reducing idle leakage power in an integrated circuit, the method comprising: providing a voltage source interface to a core of the integrated circuit; providing a first set of input/output pins for the integrated circuit; providing a second set of input/output pins for the integrated circuit; receiving a signal indicating an idle state for the integrated circuit; and in response to receiving the signal indicating the idle state for the integrated circuit, reducing leakage power in the idle state by: maintaining power to the first set of input/output pins; using the first set of input/output pins to notify external circuitry to cut off power to the second set of input/output pins; and using the first set of input/output pins to notify the external circuitry to power up the second set of input/output pins upon receiving a power up signal from a chipset, wherein the external circuitry and the chipset are externally coupled to the integrated circuit; wherein the voltage source interface to the core, the first set of input/output pins, and the second set of input/output pins occupy separate voltage planes, and wherein the first and second sets of input/output pins conduct data.