Electronic switch for decoupling capacitor
US5506457A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 7, 1995 |
| Grant date | Apr 9, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 7, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03K17/22
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An electronic switch circuit switches out bad decoupling capacitors on a high speed integrated circuit chip. The circuit comprises a control device that operates in the subthreshold or off device state to detect leakage in a decoupling capacitor. This control device operates in a low impedance state if the capacitor is good and in a high impedance sate if the capacitor is bad. A feedback circuit is connected from an internal node of the capacitor to a gate of the control device so that once a state of the capacitor is detected it can be stored on the gate of the control device. A single external signal source shared by a group of capacitors activates the control device to detect leakage in the capacitor. The circuit operates to switch out capacitors that fail during normal operation.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.