Operating parameter monitoring circuit and method
US8330478B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 3, 2009 |
| Grant date | Dec 11, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 22, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01R31/2621
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A monitoring circuit 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 for monitoring an operating parameter of an integrated circuit 2 comprises a ring oscillator circuit 80 comprising a plurality of serially connected inverting stages 82-1, 82-2, 82-3. At least one of the inverting stages 82-1, 82-2 comprises at least one leakage transistor 64-1, 64-2 which is configured to operate in a leakage mode in which substantially all current through the at least one leakage transistor is a leakage current, and a capacitive element 70-1 arranged to be charged or discharged in dependence on the leakage current. The ring oscillator circuit 80 thus generates an oscillating signal with an oscillation period dependent on a rate at which the capacitive element 70-1 is charged or discharged. The operating parameter controls a magnitude of the leakage current so that the oscillation period indicates the operating parameter.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.