A voltage reduction technique for battery-operated systems

Two techniques for voltage reduction are presented, both of which can significantly reduce the power consumption of digital CMOS circuits. The fixed reduction of voltage is applicable to small systems with a low initial consumption, however, the optimum voltage is not reached and the correct operation of the circuit is not guaranteed. The self-adjusted reduction of voltage is adapted to bigger digital systems. The correct operation of the digital circuit is guaranteed, and the supply voltage is near the optimum for the speed requirements. This technique is more versatile, accurate, and reliable than the fixed one. >