Power supply tracking regulator for a memory array
First Claim
1. Voltage supply circuitry for a plurality of word line drivers of a memory array, each driver being connected so as to control one of a plurality of word lines in said array, and each of said drivers having a first input and a second input, said voltage supply circuitry including:
- first means for supplying a first voltage to said first inputs of said plurality of word line drivers;
second means for supplying a second voltage to said second inputs of said word line drivers; and
means for regulating said second voltage supplying means such that a voltage difference between said first voltage and said second voltage supplied to said word line drivers is substantially constant when said first voltage changes above a predefined transition point.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A voltage regulator is provided for controlling an on-chip voltage generator which produces a boost voltage across a charge reservoir for supply to one input of a plurality of word line drivers in a memory array. The regulator is configured such that the charge reservoir voltage will track the power supply voltage and the difference between the power supply voltage and the charge reservoir voltage will be maintained substantially constant over a predefined power supply range. The voltage regulator includes a bandgap reference generator, a first differential circuit for producing a transition voltage from the reference voltage and the power supply voltage, a first transistor for comparing the power supply voltage with the boost voltage, a second transistor for comparing the transition voltage with the reference voltage and a latching comparator for equating the signal outputs from the first and second transistors so as to define a control signal for the on-chip voltage generator. Along with further specific details of the voltage regulator, a preferred bandgap reference generator is described.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. Voltage supply circuitry for a plurality of word line drivers of a memory array, each driver being connected so as to control one of a plurality of word lines in said array, and each of said drivers having a first input and a second input, said voltage supply circuitry including:
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first means for supplying a first voltage to said first inputs of said plurality of word line drivers; second means for supplying a second voltage to said second inputs of said word line drivers; and means for regulating said second voltage supplying means such that a voltage difference between said first voltage and said second voltage supplied to said word line drivers is substantially constant when said first voltage changes above a predefined transition point. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. In a memory array having a plurality of word lines, each word line being connected to a driver having a first voltage input and a second voltage input, said word line drivers switching between the first voltage input and the second voltage input to perform one of a select and unselect of the corresponding word line, the first voltage input being coupled to receive a power supply voltage, a circuit for generating and supplying a voltage to said second voltage inputs of said word line drivers, said circuit comprising:
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means for controllably generating a voltage relative to said power supply voltage such that a maximum stress field across the word line drivers due to a difference between said power supply voltage and said generated voltage is substantially constant irrespective of fluctuations in said power supply voltage; and means for supplying said controllably generated voltage to said second inputs of said word line drivers. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification