US5063304A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Integrated circuit with improved on-chip power supply control
Assignee: Texas Instruments Inc
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Filing: 1990-04-27
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Granted: 1991-11-05
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Expires: 2010-04-27
Abstract
Abstract An on-chip power supply regulation system for a VLSI circuit such as a dynamic RAM is disclosed. The system includes a high power supply voltage detection circuit and a power supply clamp circuit, where a clamped voltage generated by the clamp circuit biases the functional circuitry when the high power supply voltage detection circuit detects an overvoltage conditions. The bias voltage applied to the functional circuitry in the normal operating condition can be a regulated voltage generated from the power supply voltage. Further included in the disclosed circuit is a burn-in voltage generation circuit and a burn-in voltage detection circuit, which can apply an accelerated voltage which depends upon the applied power supply voltage, when the power supply voltage is higher than during normal operation but lower than in the overvoltage condition enabling the clamp operation. A multiplexer connects the regulated voltage, the clamped voltage, or the accelerated voltage, to the circuit depending upon the level of the external power supply voltage. In this way, the offset between the accelerated voltage and the external power supply voltage can be optimized independently from the power supply voltage at which the accelerated voltage is enabled.
Inventors
- 👤 Narasimhan Iyengar
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 21:35
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11C; G11C5/00; G11C5/14; G11C29/00; G11C29/02; G11C29/021; G11C29/028; G11C29/04; G11C29/50; G11C5/147; G11C11/00; G11C11/21; G11C11/34; G11C11/40; G11C11/401; G11C2029/5004
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
52 words
An integrated circuit, comprising: functional circuitry biased at a bias node; a terminal for receiving a power supply voltage; and a circuit, coupled to said terminal, for biasing said bias node of said functional circuitry with a clamped voltage responsive to said power supply voltage at said terminal exceeding a first limit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
52 words
An integrated circuit, comprising: functional circuitry biased at a bias node; a terminal for receiving a power supply voltage; and a circuit, coupled to said terminal, for biasing said bias node of said functional circuitry with a clamped voltage responsive to said power supply voltage at said terminal exceeding a first limit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
92 words
The integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein said circuit comprises: a high power supply voltage detection circuit coupled to said terminal, for indicating at its output that said power supply voltage has exceeded said first limit; and a clamp circuit coupled to said terminal, to said output of said high power supply voltage detection circuit and to said bias node, for biasing said bias node with said clamped voltage responsive to said output of said high power supply voltage detection circuit indicating that said power supply voltage has exceeded said first limit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
100 words
The integrated circuit of claim 2, wherein said clamp circuit comprises: a voltage clamp coupled to said terminal, for providing a clamped voltage at its output from said power supply voltage; a multiplexer, having a first input coupled to said terminal and having a second input connected to said output of said voltage clamp, having a first control input connected to said output of high power supply voltage detection circuit, and having an output coupled to said bias node, for connecting either its first input or its second input to its output responsive to the state of its control input.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
The integrated circuit of claim 3, further comprising: a voltage regulator circuit coupled to said terminal and to said first input of said multiplexer, for coupling a regulated voltage based on said power supply voltage to said first input of said multiplexer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
96 words
The integrated circuit of claim 4, further comprising: a dependent voltage regulator circuit coupled to said terminal and to a third input of said multiplexer, said dependent voltage regulator circuit for coupling a voltage to said third input of said multiplexer which varies with the power supply voltage; a second high power supply voltage detection circuit coupled to said terminal, for indicating at its output that said power supply voltage has exceeded a second limit; wherein said multiplexer has a second control input connected to said output of said second high power supply voltage detection circuit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The integrated circuit of claim 5, wherein said second limit is lower than said first limit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
50 words
The integrated circuit of claim 6, wherein said multiplexer connects either its first input or its second input to its output responsive to the state at its second control input, when the state at its first control input indicates that said power supply voltage has not exceeded said first limit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
The integrated circuit of claim 2, wherein said high power supply voltage detection circuit indicating at its output that said power supply voltage has exceeded said first limit until said power supply voltage drops to a voltage below said first limit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
55 words
The integrated circuit of claim 8, said high power supply voltage detection circuit indicating at its output that said power supply voltage has exceeded said first limit until said power supply voltage drops to a voltage below a third limit, wherein said third limit is a voltage different from and lower than said first limit.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
91 words
An integrated circuit, comprising: functional circuitry biased at a bias node; a terminal for receiving a power supply voltage; a voltage regulator circuit, coupled to said terminal, for providing a regulated bias voltage; a stress voltage circuit, coupled to said terminal, for providing a stress voltage; and a multiplexer, receiving said regulated bias voltage and said stress voltage at its inputs, and having an output coupled to said bias node, for connecting said regulated bias voltage or said stress voltage to said bias node responsive to the voltage at said terminal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
91 words
An integrated circuit, comprising: functional circuitry biased at a bias node; a terminal for receiving a power supply voltage; a voltage regulator circuit, coupled to said terminal, for providing a regulated bias voltage; a stress voltage circuit, coupled to said terminal, for providing a stress voltage; and a multiplexer, receiving said regulated bias voltage and said stress voltage at its inputs, and having an output coupled to said bias node, for connecting said regulated bias voltage or said stress voltage to said bias node responsive to the voltage at said terminal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
The circuit of claim 11, further comprising: a high voltage detection circuit, having an input coupled to said terminal and having an output coupled to said multiplexer, for controlling said multiplexer responsive to the voltage at said terminal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
54 words
The circuit of claim 11, wherein said multiplexer also has an input coupled to said regulated bias voltage; and wherein said high voltage detection circuit controls said multiplexer to connect said stress voltage to said bias node responsive to the voltage at said terminal exceeding said regulated bias voltage by a first differential voltage.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
The circuit of claim 12, wherein said stress voltage circuit generates a stress voltage which varies with the voltage at said terminal.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The circuit of claim 13, wherein said stress voltage is below the voltage at said terminal by a second differential voltage.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The circuit of claim 14, wherein said second differential voltage is less than said first differential voltage.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
46 words
The circuit of claim 10, further comprising: a clamp circuit, coupled to said terminal, for providing a clamped voltage; wherein said multiplexer also receives said clamped voltage at an input, and connects said clamped voltage to said bias node responsive to the voltage at said terminal.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-11-04 | 1995-05-06 | 1995-11-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-11-04 | 1999-05-06 | 1999-11-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-11-04 | 2003-05-06 | 2003-11-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |