Power management system switched capacitor voltage regulator with integrated passive device

Abstract

Power management systems are described. In an embodiment, a power management system includes a voltage source, a circuit load located within a chip, and a switched capacitor voltage regulator (SCVR) coupled to voltage source and the circuit load to receive an input voltage from the voltage source and supply an output voltage to the circuit load. The SCVR may include circuitry located within the chip and a discrete integrated passive device (IPD) connected to the chip.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of operating a power management system comprising:
 reading a low performance state for a circuit load;   selecting a power supply conductor rail that is coupled to a buck inductor;   selecting an auxiliary conversion ratio for a switched capacitor voltage regulator (SCVR) coupled between the auxiliary power supply conductor rail and the circuit load; and   adjusting an auxiliary voltage input value to the SCVR from the buck inductor to achieve a specified voltage output value from the SCVR to the circuit load.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 reading a high performance state for the circuit load;   selecting a main power supply conductor rail that is coupled to a first level voltage regulator; and   adjusting an output voltage value from the first level voltage regulator to the circuit load.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 detecting a voltage droop in voltage supplied to the circuit load;   drawing a compensation charge from the SCVR; and   supplying the compensation charge to the circuit load to compensate the voltage droop.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 :
 wherein reading the low performance state for the circuit load comprises reading a corresponding performance state for a plurality of circuit loads, weighted energy usage of the plurality of circuit loads, and binned voltage information for the plurality of circuit loads; and   further comprising assigning a priority to the circuit load based on the weighted energy usage of the plurality of circuit loads.   
     
     
         5 . A method of operating a power management system comprising:
 reading a high performance state and a binned voltage for a circuit load;   selecting a power supply conductor rail that is coupled to a first level voltage regulator:   selecting a conversion ratio for a switched capacitor voltage regulator (SCVR) coupled between the power supply conductor rail and the circuit load; and   adjusting a voltage input value to the SCVR from the first level voltage regulator to achieve a specified voltage output value from the SCVR to the circuit load.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 reading a low performance state for the circuit load;   selecting an auxiliary power supply conductor rail that is coupled to a buck inductor; and   selecting a conversion ratio for a second SCVR coupled between the auxiliary power supply conductor rail and the circuit load; and   adjusting a second voltage input value to the second SCVR from the buck inductor to achieve a specified voltage output value from the second SCVR to the circuit load.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 :
 wherein reading the high performance state for the circuit load comprises reading a corresponding performance state for a plurality of circuit loads, weighted energy usage of the plurality of circuit loads, and binned voltage information for the plurality of circuit loads; and   further comprising assigning a priority to the circuit load based on the weighted energy usage of the plurality of circuit loads.   
     
     
         8 . A power management system comprising:
 a circuit load;   a voltage output rail to the circuit load;   a power supply conductor rail;   a switched capacitor voltage regulator (SCVR) coupled to the power supply rail, the and the voltage output rail the circuit load; and   a control circuit to:
 read a performance state for the circuit load; 
 select the power supply conductor rail; 
 select a conversion ratio for the SCVR; and 
 adjust a voltage input value to the SCVR to achieve a specified voltage output value from the SCVR to the circuit load. 
   
     
     
         9 . The power management system of  claim 8 :
 further comprising an auxiliary power supply conductor rail that is coupled to a buck inductor;   wherein the power supply conductor rail is a main power supply conductor rail, and the SCVR is coupled to the main power supply rail, the auxiliary power supply conductor rail, and the voltage output rail the circuit load; and   wherein the control circuit is configured to:
 read a low performance state for the circuit load; 
 select the auxiliary power supply conductor rail; 
 select an auxiliary conversion ratio for the SCVR; and 
 adjust an auxiliary voltage input value to the SCVR from the buck inductor to achieve a specified voltage output value from the SCVR to the circuit load. 
   
     
     
         10 . The power management system of  claim 9 , wherein the main power supply conductor rail is coupled to a first level voltage regulator, and the control circuit is configured to:
 read a high performance state for the circuit load;   select the main power supply conductor rail; and   adjust an output voltage value from the first level voltage regulator to the circuit load.   
     
     
         11 . The power management system of  claim 10 , wherein the control circuit is configured to: detect a voltage droop in voltage supplied to the circuit load;
 draw a compensation charge from the SCVR; and   supply the compensation charge to the circuit load to compensate the voltage droop.   
     
     
         12 . The power management system of  claim 9 , wherein the control circuit is configured to:
 read a corresponding performance state for a plurality of circuit loads, weighted energy usage of the plurality of circuit loads, and binned voltage information for the plurality of circuit loads; and   assign a priority to the circuit load based on the weighted energy usage of the plurality of circuit loads.   
     
     
         13 . The power management system of  claim 12 , wherein the binned voltage information for the plurality of circuit loads is stored in a lookup table within control circuit. 
     
     
         14 . The power management system of  claim 8 :
 further comprising an auxiliary power supply conductor rail;   wherein the power supply conductor rail is a main power supply conductor rail coupled to a first level voltage regulator, and the SCVR is coupled to the main power supply rail, the auxiliary power supply conductor rail, and the voltage output rail the circuit load; and   wherein the control circuit is configured to:
 read a high performance state and a binned voltage for the circuit load; 
 select the main power supply conductor rail; 
 select a conversion ratio for the SCVR; and 
 adjust a voltage input value to the SCVR from the first level voltage regulator to achieve a specified voltage output value from the SCVR to the circuit load. 
   
     
     
         15 . The power management system of  claim 14 , wherein the auxiliary power supply conductor raid is coupled to a buck inductor, and the control circuit is configured to:
 read a low performance state for the circuit load;   select the auxiliary power supply conductor rail;   select a conversion ratio for a second SCVR coupled between the auxiliary power supply conductor rail and the circuit load; and   adjust a second voltage input value to the second SCVR from the buck inductor to achieve a specified output voltage value from the second SCVR to the circuit load.   
     
     
         16 . The power management system of  claim 14 , wherein the control circuit is configured to:
 read a corresponding performance state for a plurality of circuit loads, weighted energy usage of the plurality of circuit loads, and binned voltage information for the plurality of circuit loads; and   assign a priority to the circuit load based on the weighted energy usage of the plurality of circuit loads.   
     
     
         17 . The power management system of  claim 16 , wherein the binned voltage information for the plurality of circuit loads is stored in a lookup table within control circuit.