SUPPLY CIRCUIT

• US 20160179123A1
• Filed: 12/15/2015
• Published: 06/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Herfurth, Kirk
• Granted Patent: US 10,452,092 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 3/26 Current mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/32 Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection

Abstract

A supply circuit is provided including a supply generation circuit coupled to a supply terminal. A voltage deviation detection circuit is adapted to detect a voltage deviation in an internal supply voltage. A current limiter arrangement is adapted to limit a current through the supply generation circuit to a predefined value.

Claims

1. A supply circuit, comprising:

a supply terminal configured to receive a first supply voltage,

at least one supply generation circuit configured to generate at least one second supply voltage based on the external supply voltage a voltage deviation detection circuit configured to detect a deviation of the at least one second supply voltage from a predefined voltage range and

a current limiter arrangement configured to limit a current through the at least one supply generation circuit to a predefined value.

2. The supply circuit of claim 1, further comprising a current interface circuit coupled to the supply terminal to provide an adjustable current through the supply terminal.

3. The supply circuit of claim 2, wherein the voltage deviation detection circuit is configured to disable the interface circuit upon detection of a voltage deviation.

4. The supply circuit of claim 1, wherein the voltage deviation detection circuit comprises an undervoltage detection circuit configured to detect when a voltage falls below a predetermined voltage threshold.

5. The supply circuit of claim 1, wherein the voltage deviation detection circuit comprises a comparator.

6. The supply circuit of claim 1, wherein the predefined current value corresponds to an error current value and/or a reset current value.

7. The supply circuit of claim 1, wherein the current limiter arrangement is provided between the supply terminal and the at least one supply generation circuit.

8. The supply circuit of claim 1, wherein the current limiter arrangement is provided on a low voltage side of the at least one supply generation circuit.

9. The supply circuit of claim 1, wherein the at least one supply generation circuit comprises a plurality of supply generation circuits to provide a respective plurality of internal supply voltages.

10. The supply circuit of claim 9, wherein the at least one supply generation circuit comprises a supply generation circuit configured to provide a supply voltage for a digital domain.

11. The supply circuit of claim 9, wherein the current limiter arrangement comprises a single current limiter circuit for the plurality of supply generation circuits.

12. The supply circuit of claim 9, wherein the current limiter arrangement comprises a plurality of current limiter circuits, each of the plurality of current limiter circuits being associated with at least one of the plurality of supply generation circuits.

13. A device, comprising:

a supply circuit of claim 1, and

a further circuit coupled to the at least one supply generation circuit to be supplied by the at least one second supply voltage.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the further circuit comprises a sensor circuit.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the supply circuit comprises a current interface circuit coupled to the supply terminal of the supply circuit,

wherein the further circuit is configured to communicate with an external entity via the supply terminal by drawing predefined current levels via the current interface circuit.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein the predefined current value of the current limiter arrangement corresponds to a stand-by current consumption of the further circuit.

17. A circuit, comprising:

a supply terminal configured to receive an first supply voltage,

a safety mechanism circuit configured to detect an error, and

a current limiter arrangement configured to limit a total current drawn through the supply terminal to a predefined current value in case the safety mechanism detects an error.

18. The circuit of claim 17, further comprising:

a first circuit portion coupled to the supply terminal,

a second circuit portion coupled to the supply terminal,

wherein the safety mechanism circuit is configured to disable the first circuit portion in case the safety mechanism detects an error, and

wherein the current limiter arrangement is configured to limit a current drawn through the supply terminal by the second circuit portion.

19. The circuit of claim 18,

wherein the first circuit portion comprises a current interface.

20. The circuit of claim 17, wherein the safety mechanism circuit is configured to detect an error in a second supply voltage, the second supply voltage being based on the first supply voltage.

21. A method, comprising:

detecting an error in an internal supply voltage,

responding to the error, and

limiting a current drawn through a supply terminal for receiving an external supply voltage to a predefined error current level.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the predefined error current level is 3.5 mA.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein detecting the error comprises detecting an undervoltage if the internal supply voltage.

24. The method of claim 21,

wherein the responding comprises disabling a part of a circuit coupled to the supply terminal, and

wherein the limiting a current comprises limiting a current drawn by another, non-disabled part of the circuit.

25. The method of claim 24,

wherein the disabled part of the circuit comprises a current interface.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

detecting, by an external entity, at least one of the error, a fault or a failure based on the current drawn through the supply terminal essentially corresponding to the predefined error current level.