US 12,169,221 B2
Adaptive body biasing or voltage regulation using slack sensors
Sebastien Genevey, Gieres (FR); Mathieu Louvat, Grenoble (FR); and Lionel Jure, Domene (FR)
Assigned to Dolphin Design, Meylan (FR)
Filed by Dolphin Design, Meylan (FR)
Filed on Sep. 8, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/468,982.
Claims priority of application No. 20/09234 (FR), filed on Sep. 11, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0082615 A1, Mar. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. G06F 1/08 (2006.01); G01R 31/30 (2006.01); G01R 31/317 (2006.01); G06F 1/3203 (2019.01); H03K 3/011 (2006.01); H03K 5/134 (2014.01); H03K 5/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01R 31/3016 (2013.01) [G01R 31/31725 (2013.01); G06F 1/08 (2013.01); G06F 1/3203 (2013.01); H03K 3/011 (2013.01); H03K 5/134 (2014.07); H03K 2005/00013 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An adaptive body biasing or voltage regulation circuit for a circuit region, comprising:
a first delay module having a plurality of delay circuits configured to delay at least one edge of a local clock signal of the circuit region, a first of the delay circuits providing a first output signal delayed by a first delay with respect to the local clock signal, and a second of the delay circuits providing a second output signal delayed by a second delay with respect to the local clock signal;
a multiplexer configured to select one of the first and second output signals;
a first slack monitor circuit configured to generate a first detection signal indicating when a slack time of the selected one of the first and second output signals is less than a first threshold;
a voltage generation circuit configured to generate at least one supply voltage for the circuit region, or at least one biasing voltage for biasing wells of transistors in the circuit region, using a further control loop comprising a process, voltage and/or temperature sensor; and
a control circuit configured to adjust a gain of the further control loop based on the first detection signal.