Patent US6788037B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6788037B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Voltage converter system and method having a stable output voltage
Assignee: Micron Technology Inc
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Filing: 2003-03-12
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Granted: 2004-09-07
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Expires: 2023-03-12
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and method for compensating for a decreasing internal voltage that is generated from a higher external voltage. In response to the internal voltage decreasing in excess of a voltage margin, the amount by which the higher external voltage is reduced in generating the internal voltage is adjusted to raise the internal voltage.
Inventors
- 👤 Christophe J. Chevallier
- 👤 Dumitru Cioaca
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 12:49
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05F; G05F1/00; G05F1/10; G05F1/46; G05F1/462; G05F1/465
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
191 words
A compensation circuit for a voltage converter that converts a first voltage applied to an input voltage node to an output voltage provided at an output voltage node, the output voltage having a lower voltage than the first voltage based on the voltage of a control signal applied to a control terminal of a voltage controlled impedance device coupled between the input and output voltage nodes, the compensation circuit comprising: a switch coupled between the input voltage node and the control terminal of the voltage controlled impedance device and having a control terminal, the switch coupling the input voltage node to the control terminal in response to the output voltage decreasing in excess of a voltage difference; and a voltage divider having load elements coupled between the input node and ground and further having a bias node coupled to the control terminal of the switch and the output node, the voltage divider maintaining a voltage at the control terminal of the switch to isolate the input node and the control terminal of the voltage controlled impedance device until the voltage of the output voltage decreases in excess of the voltage difference.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
191 words
A compensation circuit for a voltage converter that converts a first voltage applied to an input voltage node to an output voltage provided at an output voltage node, the output voltage having a lower voltage than the first voltage based on the voltage of a control signal applied to a control terminal of a voltage controlled impedance device coupled between the input and output voltage nodes, the compensation circuit comprising: a switch coupled between the input voltage node and the control terminal of the voltage controlled impedance device and having a control terminal, the switch coupling the input voltage node to the control terminal in response to the output voltage decreasing in excess of a voltage difference; and a voltage divider having load elements coupled between the input node and ground and further having a bias node coupled to the control terminal of the switch and the output node, the voltage divider maintaining a voltage at the control terminal of the switch to isolate the input node and the control terminal of the voltage controlled impedance device until the voltage of the output voltage decreases in excess of the voltage difference.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The compensation circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a capacitor coupled between the output node and the bias node.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The compensation circuit of claim 1 wherein the load elements of the voltage divider comprise active load elements.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The compensation circuit of claim 1 wherein the load elements of the voltage divider comprise diode coupled transistors.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The compensation circuit of claim 1 wherein the switch comprises a metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
169 words
A compensation circuit for a voltage converter that converts a first voltage applied to an input voltage node to an output voltage provided at an output voltage node, the output voltage having a lower voltage than the first voltage based on the voltage of a control signal applied to a control terminal of a voltage controlled impedance device coupled between the input and output voltage nodes, the compensation circuit comprising: a switch coupled between the input voltage node and the control terminal of the voltage controlled impedance device and having a control terminal, the switch coupling the input voltage node to the control terminal in response to the output voltage decreasing in excess of a voltage difference; a voltage divider having load elements coupled between the input node and ground and further having a bias node coupled to the control terminal of the switch and the output node; and a capacitor having a first terminal coupled to the output node and a second terminal coupled to the bias node.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
169 words
A compensation circuit for a voltage converter that converts a first voltage applied to an input voltage node to an output voltage provided at an output voltage node, the output voltage having a lower voltage than the first voltage based on the voltage of a control signal applied to a control terminal of a voltage controlled impedance device coupled between the input and output voltage nodes, the compensation circuit comprising: a switch coupled between the input voltage node and the control terminal of the voltage controlled impedance device and having a control terminal, the switch coupling the input voltage node to the control terminal in response to the output voltage decreasing in excess of a voltage difference; a voltage divider having load elements coupled between the input node and ground and further having a bias node coupled to the control terminal of the switch and the output node; and a capacitor having a first terminal coupled to the output node and a second terminal coupled to the bias node.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
The compensation circuit of claim 6 wherein the switch comprises a voltage controlled impedance device and the device dimensions of the voltage controlled impedance device and the capacitor are optimized to counteract a Miller capacitance effect of the voltage controlled impedance device.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The compensation circuit of claim 6 wherein the load elements of the voltage divider comprise active load elements.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The compensation circuit of claim 6 wherein the load elements of the voltage divider comprise diode coupled transistors.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The compensation circuit of claim 1 wherein the switch comprises a PMOS transistor and the load elements comprise first and second diode coupled PMOS transistors.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
The compensation circuit of claim 10 wherein the first diode coupled PMOS transistor is coupled between the input node and the bias node and has a threshold voltage greater than the threshold voltage of the PMOS transistor switch.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The compensation circuit of claim 6 wherein the switch comprises a PMOS transistor and the load elements comprise diode coupled PMOS transistors.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
The compensation circuit of claim 12 wherein one of the PMOS transistors is coupled between the input node and the bias node and has a threshold voltage greater than the threshold voltage of the PMOS transistor switch.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
163 words
A compensation circuit for a voltage converter that converts a first voltage applied to an input voltage node to an output voltage provided at an output voltage node, the output voltage having a voltage based on the voltage of a control signal applied to a control terminal of a first transistor coupled between the input and output voltage nodes, the compensation circuit comprising: a voltage divider coupled between the input node and ground, the voltage divider further having a bias node coupled to the output voltage node; and a second transistor coupled between the input voltage node and the control terminal of the first transistor, the second transistor having a control terminal coupled to the bias node of the voltage divider, the voltage divider maintaining a voltage at the control terminal of the second transistor to isolate the input node and the control terminal of the first transistor until the difference between the output voltage and the first voltage exceed a voltage difference.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
163 words
A compensation circuit for a voltage converter that converts a first voltage applied to an input voltage node to an output voltage provided at an output voltage node, the output voltage having a voltage based on the voltage of a control signal applied to a control terminal of a first transistor coupled between the input and output voltage nodes, the compensation circuit comprising: a voltage divider coupled between the input node and ground, the voltage divider further having a bias node coupled to the output voltage node; and a second transistor coupled between the input voltage node and the control terminal of the first transistor, the second transistor having a control terminal coupled to the bias node of the voltage divider, the voltage divider maintaining a voltage at the control terminal of the second transistor to isolate the input node and the control terminal of the first transistor until the difference between the output voltage and the first voltage exceed a voltage difference.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
The compensation circuit of claim 14 , further comprising a capacitor coupled between the bias node of the voltage divider and the output voltage node.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
45 words
The compensation circuit of claim 14 wherein the voltage divider comprises first and second active load devices coupled in series between the input voltage node and ground, and the bias node of the voltage divider is disposed between the first and second active load devices.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
35 words
The compensation circuit of claim 16 wherein the first and second active load devices comprise diode coupled PMOS transistors, the first diode coupled PMOS transistor having a control terminal coupled to the output voltage node.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
The compensation circuit of claim 14 wherein the second transistor comprises a PMOS transistor.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
42 words
The compensation circuit of claim 14 wherein the voltage divider comprises a diode coupled PMOS transistor having a control terminal coupled to the output voltage node, the PMOS transistor having a threshold voltage greater than the threshold voltage of the second transistor.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
34 words
The compensation circuit of claim 14 , further comprising a capacitor having a first node coupled to the control terminal of the first transistor and further having a second node coupled to the ground.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
124 words
A compensation circuit for a voltage converter that converts a first voltage applied to an input voltage node to an output voltage provided at an output voltage node, the output voltage having a voltage based on the voltage of a control signal applied to a control terminal of a voltage controlled impedance device coupled between the input and output voltage nodes, the compensation circuit comprising: an inverter coupled between the input node and ground, the inverter having an input node coupled to the output voltage node and further having an output node; and a capacitor having a first node coupled to the output node of the inverter and further having a second node coupled to the control terminal of the voltage controlled impedance device.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
124 words
A compensation circuit for a voltage converter that converts a first voltage applied to an input voltage node to an output voltage provided at an output voltage node, the output voltage having a voltage based on the voltage of a control signal applied to a control terminal of a voltage controlled impedance device coupled between the input and output voltage nodes, the compensation circuit comprising: an inverter coupled between the input node and ground, the inverter having an input node coupled to the output voltage node and further having an output node; and a capacitor having a first node coupled to the output node of the inverter and further having a second node coupled to the control terminal of the voltage controlled impedance device.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
23 words
The compensation circuit of claim 21 further comprising a capacitor coupled between the output voltage node and the input node of the inverter.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
13 words
The compensation circuit of claim 21 wherein the inverter comprises a CMOS inverter.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
60 words
A method for compensating for an internal voltage that is decreasing, the internal voltage generated from an external voltage, the method comprising: in response to the internal voltage decreasing relative to the external voltage in excess of a voltage difference, applying the external voltage to adjust an amount by which the external voltage is transferred in generating the internal voltage.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
60 words
A method for compensating for an internal voltage that is decreasing, the internal voltage generated from an external voltage, the method comprising: in response to the internal voltage decreasing relative to the external voltage in excess of a voltage difference, applying the external voltage to adjust an amount by which the external voltage is transferred in generating the internal voltage.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 24 wherein applying the external voltage to adjust an amount by which the external voltage is transferred in generating the internal voltage comprises applying the external voltage to decrease an impedance relationship between the external and internal voltages.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method of claim 24 wherein applying the external voltage to adjust an amount by which the external voltage is transferred in generating the internal voltage in response to the internal voltage decreasing comprises providing a negative feedback mechanism between the internal voltage and a voltage controlled impedance device used to generate the internal voltage from the external voltage.
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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) | 2007-09-07 | 2008-03-08 | 2008-09-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-09-07 | 2012-03-08 | 2012-09-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-09-07 | 2016-03-08 | 2016-09-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |