Dual Voltage Flash Memory Card

• US 20080080255A1
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Published: 04/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SanDisk Corporation (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Kagan, Yishai, McCarthy, Michael James
• Granted Patent: US 7,675,802 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 365/185.23
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/30 Power supply circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/147 Voltage reference generators, voltage or current regulators; Internally lowered supply levels; Compensation for voltage drops G11C5/141 takes precedence

Abstract

A voltage regulation circuit in a nonvolatile memory card accepts an input voltage from a host at two or more different voltage levels and provides an output voltage at a single level to components including a memory die. The voltage regulation circuit can provide an output voltage that is higher or lower than the input voltage.

Claims

1. A nonvolatile memory card that interfaces with a host comprising:

an array of nonvolatile memory cells on a first die;

a memory controller that manages data in the array of nonvolatile memory cells, the memory controller on a second die; and

a voltage regulation circuit on at least a third die, the voltage regulation circuit receiving an input voltage from the host, the voltage regulation circuit providing an output voltage at a first level equal to the input voltage when the input voltage is at the first level, and the voltage regulation circuit also providing the output voltage at the first level when the input voltage is at a second level, the output voltage of the voltage regulation circuit provided to the first die.

2. The nonvolatile memory card of claim 1 wherein the first level is lower than the second level.

3. The nonvolatile memory card of claim 2 wherein the voltage regulation circuit includes a Low Dropout (LDO) regulator that reduces the input voltage at the second level to an output voltage at the first level.

4. The nonvolatile memory card of claim 3 wherein, when the input voltage is at the first level, the output voltage at the first level is supplied to the second die.

5. The nonvolatile memory card of claim 4 wherein the first voltage level is between 1.7 volts and 1.95 volts and the second voltage level is between 2.7 volts and 3.6 volts.

6. The nonvolatile memory card of claim 1 wherein the first level is higher than the second level.

7. The nonvolatile memory card of claim 6 wherein the voltage regulation circuit includes a charge pump that increases the input voltage at the second level to an output voltage at the first level.

8. The nonvolatile memory card of claim 6 wherein the voltage regulation circuit includes a buck/boost converter that increases the input voltage at the second level to an output voltage at the first level.

9. The nonvolatile memory card of claim 6 wherein, when the input voltage is at the first level, the output voltage at the first level is supplied to the second die.

10. The nonvolatile memory card of claim 6 wherein, the first voltage level is between 2.7 volts and 3.6 volts and the second voltage level is between 1.7 volts and 1.95 volts.

11. The nonvolatile memory card of claim 1 wherein the third die is stacked on the second die.

12. A nonvolatile memory card comprising:

an array of nonvolatile memory cells on a first die;

a memory controller that manages data in the array of nonvolatile memory cells, the memory controller on a second die;

a host interface that includes a power supply contact that receives an input voltage from a host; and

a voltage reduction circuit on at least a third die, the voltage reduction circuit receiving the input voltage from the power supply contact, the voltage reduction circuit providing an output voltage at a first level equal to the input voltage when the input voltage is at the first level, and the voltage reduction circuit also providing the output voltage at the first level when the input voltage is at a second level that is higher than the first level, the output voltage of the voltage reduction circuit provided to the first die.

13. The nonvolatile memory card of claim 12 wherein the voltage regulation circuit includes a Low Dropout (LDO) regulator that reduces the input voltage at the second level to an output voltage at the first level.

14. The nonvolatile memory card of claim 13 wherein, when the input voltage is at the first level, the output voltage at the first level is supplied to the second die.

15. The nonvolatile memory card of claim 12 wherein the first voltage level is between 1.7 volts and 1.95 volts and the second voltage level is between 2.7 volts and 3.6 volts.

16. The nonvolatile memory card of claim 12 further comprising a bus extending between the first die and the second die, the bus using a voltage at the first level as a logical voltage level.

17. A nonvolatile memory card comprising:

an array of nonvolatile memory cells on a first die;

a memory controller that manages data in the array of nonvolatile memory cells, the memory controller on a second die;

a host interface that includes a power supply contact that receives an input voltage from a host; and

a voltage boosting circuit on the second die or on at least a third die, the voltage boosting circuit receiving the input voltage from the power supply contact, the voltage boosting circuit providing an output voltage at a first level equal to the input voltage when the input voltage is at the first level, and the voltage boosting circuit also providing the output voltage at the first level when the input voltage is at a second level that is lower than the first level, the output voltage of the voltage reduction circuit provided to the first die.

18. The nonvolatile memory card of claim 17 wherein the voltage regulation circuit includes a charge pump that increases the input voltage at the second level to an output voltage at the first level.

19. The nonvolatile memory card of claim 17 wherein the voltage regulation circuit includes a buck/boost converter that increases the input voltage at the second level to an output voltage at the first level.

20. The nonvolatile memory card of claim 17 wherein, when the input voltage is at the first level, the output voltage at the first level is supplied to the second die.

21. The nonvolatile memory card of claim 17 wherein, the first voltage level is between 2.7 volts and 3.6 volts and the second voltage level is between 1.7 volts and 1.95 volts.

22. The nonvolatile memory card of claim 17 wherein the voltage boosting circuit is on the second die and provides the output voltage to first circuits on the second die.

23. The nonvolatile memory card of claim 22 wherein the input voltage is supplied to second circuits on the second die.