Timing error detection in ultra dynamic voltage scaling systems

Energy per operation minimum can be reached, depending on the process node, at near- or subthreshold voltages. However, throughput of a system is severely limited at ultra-low operation voltages. Therefore, it would be ideal to have the system operate across a wide voltage range but achieving minimum energy operation simultaneously with operation over the entire voltage range is challenging. Further, process, supply voltage, temperature, and aging (PVTA) induced variation becomes a design challenge. In order to conform to varying throughput requirements and to compensate for PVTA variations, an adaptive design is required. In this paper, an extension to a previously presented subthreshold Timing-Error Detection (TED) microprocessor is proposed. The extension allows the system to operate efficiently at both low and high operation frequencies from 300 mV to 1.2 V.