Semiconductor integrated circuit for generating an internal power source voltage with reduced potential changes

• US 5,592,421 A
• Filed: 02/23/1995
• Issued: 01/07/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohsawa, Takashi, Kaneko, Tetsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms, David C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, VU ANH
• Application Number:
  US08/393,077
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 365/189.09, 365/189.11, 365/226, 365/227, 327/530, 327/538
• US Class Current: 365/189.09
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/4074 Power supply or voltage generation circuits, e.g. bias voltage generators, substrate voltage generators, back-up power, power control 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
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 8/08 Word line control circuits, e.g. drivers, boosters, pull-up circuits, pull-down circuits, precharging circuits, for word lines

Abstract

A semiconductor integrated circuit device is provided that can restrict changes in the internal power source potential when an externally applied power source potential changes. The semiconductor integrated circuit device comprises an integrated circuit section, a voltage regulator for limiting an externally applied potential which causes changes in potential levels to a certain potential level to obtain a regulated potential, and a boost circuit driven by the regulated potential as a power source, for boosting the regulated potential to a boosted potential used as a operating power source for the integrated circuit section. The boost circuit is driven by the regulated potential limited to a certain potential level. Even when the level of the potential VCC changes, operation of the boost circuit does not substantially change. Due to the structure in which the boosted potential is generated from the regulated potential, the constant potential range of the boosted potential is enlarged so that operating margins of the device are enlarged.

Claims

1. A semiconductor integrated circuit device comprising:

an integrated circuit section;

converting means for converting a first potential, which causes changes in potential levels, into a second potential which has a substantially constant potential range in which potential changes are reduced by regulating the first potential to a predetermined potential level; and

generating means driven by the second potential as a power source, for generating a third potential used as an operating power source for at least a part of circuits in the integrated circuit section.

2. A semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 1, wherein the converting means includes a voltage regulator for regulating the first potential to the predetermined potential level, and the generating means is a boost circuit driven by using the second potential as a power source for generating the third potential by boosting the second potential, with the substantially constant potential range of the second potential being reflected.

3. A semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 2, wherein the boost circuit includes a charge pump circuit.

4. A semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 3, wherein the second potential is used as a power source for the boost circuit and as an operating power source for a part of the integrated circuit section.

5. A semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit section is a dynamic type RAM including a peripheral circuit and a word line drive circuit, said peripheral circuit using the second potential as a power source and said word line drive circuit using the third potential as a power source.

6. A semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 5, wherein the converting means includes a starter circuit and a voltage regulator for regulating the first potential to a predetermined potential level, the generating means generating the third potential from the predetermined potential level outputted by the starter circuit, the third potential serving as a drive signal for the voltage regulator, the voltage regulator supplying a potential level equal to the predetermined potential level to the starter circuit, and the starter circuit being rendered non-conductive when the voltage regulator starts operating.

7. A semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 6, further comprising:

a power-on reset circuit for controlling the starter circuit to be turned ON/OFF; and

a reference voltage generating circuit for controlling the predetermined potential level outputted from the starter circuit.

8. A semiconductor integrated circuit device comprising:

an integrated circuit section;

first converting means for converting a first potential which causes changes in potential levels into a second potential which has a substantially constant potential range in which potential changes are reduced by regulating the first potential to a predetermined potential level;

generating means driven by the second potential as a power source, for generating a third potential which is higher than the second potential and is used as an operating power source for at least a part of a first circuit block in the integrated circuit section; and

second converting means using the third potential, for generating a fourth potential which is lower than the third potential and is used as an operating power source for at least a part of a second circuit block in the integrated circuit section.

9. A semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 8, wherein the first converting means includes a starter circuit for driving the generating means, the generating means being driven by the fourth potential as a power source in place of the second potential after the second converting means generates the fourth potential.

10. A semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 8, wherein the generating means includes a boost circuit driven by the second potential as a power source for generating the third potential by boosting the second potential with the substantially constant potential range of the second potential being reflected, and the second converting means is a source follower type voltage regulator including an insulating gate type FET which has a drain applied with the first potential and a source for outputting the fourth potential, said insulating gate type FET having a gate applied with the third potential.

11. A semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 10, wherein the third potential is set to a potential higher than the fourth potential by a difference equivalent to or greater than a threshold value of the insulating gate type FET.

12. A semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 8, wherein the integrated circuit section is a dynamic type RAM including a peripheral circuit and a word line drive circuit, said peripheral circuit using the fourth potential as a power source and said word line drive circuit using the third potential as a power source.

13. A semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 12, wherein the first converting means includes a starter circuit for starting the generating means, and the second converting means is a voltage regulator which includes an insulating gate type FET of a source follower type having a drain applied with the first potential and a source for outputting the fourth potential and which converts the first potential to the fourth potential having a substantially constant potential range in which potential changes are reduced, the generating means generating the third potential from the predetermined potential level outputted by the starter circuit, the third potential serving as a drive signal for the voltage regulator, the voltage regulator supplying a potential level equal to the predetermined potential level to the first converting means, and the starter circuit being rendered non-conductive when the voltage regulator starts operating.

14. A semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 13, further comprising:

a power-on reset circuit for controlling the starter circuit to be turned ON/OFF; and

a reference voltage generating circuit for controlling the predetermined potential level outputted from the starter circuit.

15. A semiconductor integrated circuit device comprising:

an integrated circuit section;

first converting means for converting a first potential which causes changes in potential levels into a second potential which has a substantially constant potential range in which potential changes are reduced by regulating the first potential to a predetermined potential level;

first generating means driven by the second potential as a power source, for generating a third potential which is higher than the second potential;

second converting means for regulating the first potential by using the third potential as a control signal, and for generating a fourth potential which is used as an operating power source for at least a part of a first circuit block in the integrated circuit section; and

second generating means using the second potential for generating a fifth potential used as an operating power source for at least a second circuit block in the integrated circuit section.

16. A semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 15, wherein the integrated circuit section is a dynamic type RAM including a peripheral circuit and a word line drive circuit, said peripheral circuit using the fourth potential as a power source and said word line drive circuit using the fifth potential as a power source.

17. A semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 16, wherein the first converting means includes a starter circuit for starting the first generating means, the second converting means including an insulating gate type FET of a source follower type having a drain applied with the first potential and a source for outputting the fourth potential and the second converting means being a voltage regulator which regulates the first potential while maintaining a substantially constant potential range in which potential changes are reduced, the first generating means generating the third potential from the predetermined potential level outputted by the starter circuit, the third potential serving as a control signal for the voltage regulator, the voltage regulator supplying a potential level equal to the predetermined potential level to the first converting means and the second generating means, and the starter circuit being rendered non-conductive when the voltage regulator starts operating.

18. A semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 17, wherein the third potential is set to a potential higher than the fourth potential by a difference equivalent to or greater than a threshold value of the insulating gate type FET.

19. A semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 17, wherein the first generating means is a boost circuit which is driven by the second potential as a power source and obtains the third potential by boosting the second potential with the substantially constant potential range of the second potential being reflected.

20. A semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 17, further comprising:

a power-on reset circuit for controlling the starter circuit to be turned ON/OFF; and

a reference voltage generating circuit for controlling the predetermined potential level outputted from the starter circuit.

21. A semiconductor integrated circuit device comprising:

an integrated circuit section;

first generating means, having a constant potential range in which a potential variation is smaller than a potential variation of a first potential, for generating a second potential which is higher than the first potential;

a first circuit block in which the second potential is used as an operating power source;

second generating means, having a constant potential range in which a potential variation is smaller than the first potential, for generating a third potential which is higher than the first potential;

third generating means for generating a fourth potential, lower than the first potential, by using the third potential; and

a second circuit block in which the fourth potential is used as an operating power source,

wherein the third generating means is a source follower type voltage regulator circuit including an insulated gate FET, the insulated gate FET having a drain to which the first potential is applied, a source from which the fourth potential is output, and a gate to which the third potential is applied.

22. A semiconductor device according to claim 21, wherein the integrated circuit section is a dynamic RAM, the first circuit block being a word line-driving system circuit having a circuit in which the second potential is used as a power source and the second circuit block being a dynamic RAM peripheral circuit having a circuit in which the fourth potential is used as a power source.

23. A semiconductor integrated circuit device comprising:

an integrated circuit section;

first converting means for converting a first potential which causes changes in potential levels into a second potential which has a substantially constant potential range in which potential changes are reduced by regulating the first potential to a predetermined potential level;

generating means driven by the second potential as a power source, for generating third and fourth potentials which are higher than the second potential, the third potential being used as an operating power source for at least a part of a first circuit block in the integrated circuit section; and

second converting means using the fourth potential, for generating a fifth potential which is lower than the fourth potential, the fifth potential being used as an operating power source for at least a part of a second circuit block in the integrated circuit section.

24. A semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 23, wherein the first converting means includes a starter circuit for driving the generating means, the generating means being driven by the fifth potential as a power source in place of the second potential after the second converting means generates the fifth potential.

25. A semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 23, wherein the generating means includes a boost circuit driven by the second potential as a power source for generating the fourth potential by boosting the second potential with the substantially constant potential range of the .second potential being reflected, and the second converting means is a source follower type voltage regulator including an insulating gate type FET which has a drain applied with the first potential and a source for outputting the fifth potential, said insulating gate type FET having a gate applied with the fourth potential.

26. A semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 25, wherein the fourth potential is set to a potential higher than the fifth potential by a difference equivalent to or greater than a threshold value of the insulating gate type FET.

27. A semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 23, wherein the integrated circuit section is a dynamic type RAM including a peripheral circuit and a word line drive circuit, said peripheral circuit using the fifth potential as a power source and said word line drive circuit using the third potential as a power source.

28. A semiconductor integrated circuit device according to claim 27, wherein the first converting means includes a starter circuit for starting the generating means, and the second converting means is a voltage regulator which includes an insulating gate type FET of a source follower type having a drain applied with the first potential and a source for outputting the fifth potential and which converts the first potential to the fifth potential having a substantially constant potential range in which potential changes are reduced, the generating means generating the fourth potential from the predetermined potential level outputted by the starter circuit, the fourth potential serving as a drive signal for the voltage regulator, the voltage regulator supplying a potential level equal to the predetermined potential level to the first converting means, and the starter circuit being rendered non-conductive when the voltage regulator starts operating.