Charge recycling a 1 of n ndl gate with a time varying power supply

Abstract

This disclosure describes a time varying power supply that may include a resonator circuit comprising an inductor having first and second terminals, a first capacitor coupled to the first terminal, and a second capacitor coupled to the second terminal, where the first capacitor produces a first time varying power supply output and wherein the second capacitor produces a second time varying power supply output. The time varying power supply may further include an exciter circuit comprising a first PFET and a first NFET coupled to the first terminal and a second PFET and a second NFET coupled to the second terminal. The first and second PFETs and the first and second NFETs may be coupled to a corresponding one of four non-overlapping clock phases.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A time varying power supply, comprising:
 a resonator circuit comprising an inductor having first and second terminals, a first capacitor coupled to the first terminal, and a second capacitor coupled to the second terminal, wherein the first capacitor produces a first time varying power supply output and wherein the second capacitor produces a second time varying power supply output; and   an exciter circuit comprising a first PFET and a first NFET coupled to the first terminal and a second PFET and a second NFET coupled to the second terminal, wherein each of the first and second PFETs and the first and second NFETs is coupled to a corresponding one of four non-overlapping clock phases.   
     
     
         2 . The time varying power supply of  claim 1 , further comprising an amplitude self tuning circuit coupled to the exciter circuit, wherein in response to detecting that the amplitude of the first and second time varying power supply outputs are lower than a ground voltage, the amplitude self tuning circuit adjusts the exciter circuit to increase energy supplied by the exciter circuit, and wherein in response to detecting that the amplitude of the first and second time varying power supply outputs are higher than a supply voltage, the amplitude self tuning circuit adjusts the exciter circuit to decrease energy supplied by the exciter circuit. 
     
     
         3 . The time varying power supply of  claim 1 , further comprising an overshoot voltage and undershoot voltage clamp circuit, wherein the overshoot voltage and undershoot voltage clamp circuit comprises a first device coupled to a positive power supply and a second device coupled to a ground terminal, wherein in response to detecting that the resonator circuit is attempting to go above a positive power supply voltage, the first device activates and shunts the resonator circuit to the positive power supply, and wherein in response to detecting that the resonator circuit is attempting to go below a ground voltage, the second device activates and shunts the resonator circuit to the ground terminal. 
     
     
         4 . The time varying power supply of  claim 1 , further comprising an amplitude and power check circuit, wherein in response to detecting that the resonator circuit is not at resonance during operation of the time varying power supply, the amplitude and power check circuit connects additional capacitance from a capacitor bank to the resonator circuit until resonance is achieved. 
     
     
         5 . The time varying power supply of  claim 4 , wherein the resonator circuit comprises an inductor having multiple tap locations, and wherein the amplitude and power check circuit further selects a different one of the tap locations until resonance is achieved. 
     
     
         6 . The time varying power supply of  claim 1 , wherein the resonator circuit produces multiple time varying power supply outputs having relative phase differences, and wherein a phase shift control circuitry adjusts the relative phase differences during operation of the time varying power supply. 
     
     
         7 . The time varying power supply of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an overshoot voltage and undershoot voltage clamp circuit that couples to said resonator circuit;   an amplitude self tuning circuit coupled to said resonator circuit;   a phase shift control circuitry that couples to said resonator circuit; and   a distributed control switching circuitry that couples to said resonator circuit;   wherein the frequency self tuning circuit further comprises an inductor tap select controller circuit.   
     
     
         9 . A system, comprising:
 a time varying power supply; and   one or more charge recycling gates coupled to the time varying power supply;   wherein the time varying power supply comprises:
 a resonator circuit comprising an inductor having first and second terminals, a first capacitor coupled to the first terminal, and a second capacitor coupled to the second terminal, wherein the first capacitor produces a first time varying power supply output and wherein the second capacitor produces a second time varying power supply output; and 
 an exciter circuit comprising a first PFET and a first NFET coupled to the first terminal and a second PFET and a second NFET coupled to the second terminal, wherein each of the first and second PFETs and the first and second NFETs is coupled to a corresponding one of four non-overlapping clock phases. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein a given one of the one or more charge recycling gates comprises:
 an output charging network that couples to a signal output and connects the signal output to the time varying power supply during evaluation of the given charge recycling gate to adiabatically charge and discharge the signal output;   an output pre-charge and null propagate network that couples to said signal output and maintains a ground level of the signal output during precharge of the charge recycling gate; and   a keeper circuit that couples to said signal output.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein a given one of the one or more charge recycling gates comprises:
 a precharge node; and   an evaluation network coupled to a signal input and to said precharge node, and further coupled to the time varying power supply;   wherein when the signal input causes the evaluation network to evaluate, the evaluation network couples the second time varying power supply input to adiabatically charge and discharge the precharge node.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the charge recycling gate further comprises a PFET controlled by the time varying power supply, wherein the PFET is coupled to charge the precharge node. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the charge recycling gate comprises:
 a precharge node;   an output charging network that couples to a signal output;   an output pre-charge and null propagate network that couples to said signal output; and   an evaluation network with a signal input that couples to said precharge node and to said output charging network and said output precharge and null propagate network.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the charge recycling gate further comprises:
 a first time varying power supply input coupled to the time varying power supply, wherein the first time varying power supply input couples to said precharge node and said output charging network;   a second time varying power supply input coupled to the time varying power supply, wherein the second time varying power supply input couples to said evaluation network; and   a keeper circuit that couples to said signal output and said evaluation network.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the time varying power supply is included within a plurality of time varying power supplies, wherein the time varying power supplies are configured to produce time varying power supply outputs, and wherein the system further comprises one or more switches, each coupled to receive the time varying power supply outputs from the time varying power supplies and further coupled to one or more charge recycling circuits; and
 wherein each of the one or more switches is controlled by a respective control signal such that when a given switch is closed, the time varying power supply outputs coupled to the given switch are passed to the one or more charge recycling circuits coupled to the given switch.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein each of the one or more switches is further controlled by the respective control signal such that when the one or more charge recycling circuits coupled to the given switch are not needed for a period of time, the given switch disconnects the time varying power supply outputs from the one or more charge recycling circuits coupled to the given switch. 
     
     
         17 . A method, comprising:
 generating a first and a second time varying power supply output from a resonator circuit controlled by an exciter circuit;   detecting that the amplitude of the first and second time varying power supply outputs are either lower than a ground voltage or higher than a supply voltage; and   in response to detecting that the amplitude of the first and second time varying power supply outputs are either lower than a ground voltage or higher than a supply voltage, adjusting the exciter circuit to vary the energy supplied by the exciter circuit to the resonator circuit.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 detecting that the resonator circuit is attempting to go above the supply voltage and responsively shunting the resonator circuit to a positive power supply.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 detecting that the resonator circuit is attempting to go below the ground voltage and responsively shunting the resonator circuit to a ground terminal.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 detecting that the resonator circuit is not at resonance and responsively connecting additional capacitance from a capacitor bank to the resonator circuit until resonance is achieved.