Charge pump based over-sampling with uniform step size for current detection
US9698676B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 11, 2016 |
| Grant date | Jul 4, 2017 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 11, 2036 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11C16/32
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Techniques are presented for determining current levels based on the behavior of a charge pump system while driving a load under regulation. Rather than diving the load directly, a fixed pump output voltage is used to supply a step-down regulator, which it turn drives the load at the selected voltage. While driving the load under regulation, the number of pump clocks during a set interval is counted. This can be compared to a reference that can be obtained, for example, from the numbers of cycles needed to drive a known load current over an interval of the duration. By comparing the counts, the amount of current being drawn by the load can be determined. This technique can be applied to determining leakage from circuit elements, such as word lines in a non-volatile memory.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.