Abstract: A common (ground) of a low voltage regulator is connected to a virtual common (ground) of an integrated circuit device that is also connected to transistor sources but isolated from a true ground connected to the substrate of the integrated circuit device. The regulated output voltage from the low voltage regulator rises the same as the virtual ground voltage rises when back-biased sufficient to reduce leakage current to an acceptable level in a given process technology. Therefore, the output of the low voltage regulator will maintain a normal operating voltage for the logic during a power saving back-biased condition.

Abstract: A common (ground) of a low voltage regulator is connected to a virtual common (ground) of an integrated circuit device that is also connected to transistor sources but isolated from a true ground connected to the substrate of the integrated circuit device. The regulated output voltage from the low voltage regulator rises the same as the virtual ground voltage rises when back-biased sufficient to reduce leakage current to an acceptable level in a given process technology. Therefore, the output of the low voltage regulator will maintain a normal operating voltage for the logic during a power saving back-biased condition.

Abstract: A virtual ground restoration circuit is used to substantially eliminate excessive current from occurring in an integrated circuit device having two or more logic circuit modules in different voltage domains. Excessive current is caused when a signal between the two or more logic circuit modules in different voltage domains is at logic “0” and one of the logic circuit modules is biased at a voltage level above the true ground or common power source voltage, VSS, of the integrated circuit device.