Configurable voltage regulator

• US 7,343,256 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2006
• Issued: 03/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell International Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Sutardja, Sehat
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsai; Carol S. W.
• Application Number:
  US11/602,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20070067135A1
• Time in Patent Office: 476 Days
• Field of Search: 702/65, 702/105, 702/122, 365/149, 365/201, 365/207, 365/208, 365/211, 365/212, 365/230.08, 330/51, 333/17.3
• US Class Current: 702/65
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/5444 for electrical read out
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/66 High-frequency adaptations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/261 Amplifier which being suitable for instrumentation applications
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/45138 Two or more differential amplifiers in IC-block form are combined, e.g. measuring amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/45475 using IC blocks as the active amplifying circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 11/1291 Current or voltage controlled filters
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 11/30 Automatic matching of source impedance to load impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/0153 Electrical filters; Controlling thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/40 Automatic matching of load impedance to source impedance

Abstract

A configurable semiconductor has a device characteristic that is controllable as a function of at least one external impedance. A measurement circuit measures an electrical characteristic of the at least one external impedance and determines a select value corresponding to the measured electrical characteristic. A first circuit controls the device characteristic as a function of the select value.

Claims

1. A configurable semiconductor having a device characteristic that is controllable as a function of at least one external impedance, comprising:

a measurement circuit to measure an electrical characteristic of the at least one external impedance and to determine a select value corresponding to the measured electrical characteristic; and

a first circuit to control the device characteristic as a function of the select value, wherein the device characteristic is not used to control characteristics of the external impedance.

4. The configurable semiconductor of claim 1 further comprising a generator to supply energy to the external impedance.

5. The configurable semiconductor of claim 1 wherein the measurement circuit is selected from a group consisting of timing circuits, Digital to Analog Converters, and Analog to Digital Converters.

6. The configurable semiconductor of claim 1 further comprising a value determiner to determine a digital value corresponding to the measured electrical characteristic.

7. The configurable semiconductor of claim 1 wherein the at least one external impedance is selected from a group consisting of a resistor, a capacitor, and combinations thereof.

8. The configurable semiconductor of claim 1 wherein the at least one external impedance has a value;

the electrical characteristic is selected from a group consisting of voltage and current; and

the electrical characteristic is a function of the external impedance value.

9. The configurable semiconductor of claim 1 being adapted to connect to at least two external impedances;

a first one of the at least two external impedances to be used to select an electrical characteristic of the configurable semiconductor, and

a second one of the at least two external impedances to be used to select a tolerance associated with the configurable semiconductor electrical characteristic.

10. The configurable semiconductor of claim 9 wherein the configurable semiconductor electrical characteristic is selected from a group consisting of output voltage, reference voltage, output current, reference current, output frequency, reference frequency, and temperature level.

11. The configurable semiconductor of claim 1 further comprising a package having pins, to enclose the configurable semiconductor;

and

the at least one external impedance to interface to the configurable semiconductor through the package pins.

12. The configurable semiconductor of claim 1 included in a functional device selected from a group consisting of a voltage regulator, a current regulator, a clock circuit, and a temperature sensing circuit.

2. A configurable semiconductor having a device characteristic that is controllable as a function of at least one external impedance, comprising:

a measurement circuit to measure an electrical characteristic of the at least one external impedance and to determine a select value corresponding to the measured electrical characteristic; and

a first circuit to control the device characteristic as a function of the select value,

wherein the select value is one of at least three predetermined select values.

3. The configurable semiconductor of claim 2 further comprising an address generator to convert the select value to a first digital address corresponding to a memory location having contents;

and

a controller to control the device characteristic as a function of the contents of the memory location corresponding to the first digital address.

13. A configurable semiconductor having a device characteristic that is controllable as a function of at least one external impedance, comprising:

a measurement circuit to measure an electrical characteristic of the at least one external impedance and to determine a select value corresponding to the measured electrical characteristic; and

a first circuit to control the device characteristic as a function of the select value,

wherein the at least one external impedance value is selected from a predetermined group of values comprising at least three values.

14. The configurable semiconductor of claim 13 wherein the group of values has a spacing characteristic selected from a group consisting of geometric progression, exponential, linear, and logarithmic.

15. The configurable semiconductor of claim 13 wherein the at least three values are each nominal values;

and

wherein the at least three nominal values are spaced apart based on tolerances associated with at least the measurement circuit.

16. A configurable semiconductor having a device characteristic that is controllable as a function of at least one external impedance, comprising:

a measurement circuit to measure an electrical characteristic of the at least one external impedance and to determine a select value corresponding to the measured electrical characteristic;

a first circuit to control the device characteristic as a function of the select value;

a package having pins, to enclose the configurable semiconductor, the at least one external impedance to interface to the configurable semiconductor through the package pins;

another circuit to provide a circuit function;

each external impedance corresponding to one of the package pins; and

at least one package pin corresponding to one external impedance to connect to the other circuit, the at least one package pin to provide at least a selection function and a circuit function.

17. The configurable semiconductor of claim 16 wherein the circuit function of the other circuit includes an additional operation such that the at least one package pin provides at least a selection function and an additional operation function.

18. A configurable semiconductor having a device characteristic that is controllable as a function of at least one external impedance, comprising:

means for measuring an electrical characteristic of the at least one external impedance and to determine a select value corresponding to the measured electrical characteristic; and

means for controlling the device characteristic as a function of the select value, wherein the device characteristic is not used to control characteristics of the external impedance.

19. The configurable semiconductor of claim 18 further comprising means for generating to supply energy to the external impedance.

20. The configurable semiconductor of claim 18 wherein the means for measuring is selected from a group consisting of timing circuits, Digital to Analog Converters, and Analog to Digital Converters.

21. The configurable semiconductor of claim 18 further comprising means for determining a digital value corresponding to the measured electrical characteristic.

22. The configurable semiconductor of claim 18 wherein the at least one external impedance is selected from a group consisting of a resistor, a capacitor, and combinations thereof.

23. The configurable semiconductor of claim 18 wherein the at least one external impedance has a value;

the electrical characteristic is selected from a group consisting of voltage and current; and

the electrical characteristic is a function of the external impedance value.

24. The configurable semiconductor of claim 18 being adapted to connect to at least two external impedances;

a first one of the at least two external impedances to be used to select an electrical characteristic of the configurable semiconductor; and

a second one of the at least two external impedances to be used to select a tolerance associated with the configurable semiconductor electrical characteristic.

25. The configurable semiconductor of claim 18 further comprising a package having pins, to enclose the configurable semiconductor;

and

the at least one external impedance to interface to the configurable semiconductor through the package pins.

26. The configurable semiconductor of claim 18 included in a functional device selected from a group consisting of a voltage regulator, a current regulator, a clock circuit, and a temperature sensing circuit.

32. The configurable semiconductor of claim 24 wherein the configurable semiconductor electrical characteristic is selected from a group consisting of output voltage, reference voltage, output current, reference current, output frequency, reference frequency, and temperature level.

27. A configurable semiconductor having a device characteristic that is controllable as a function of at least one external impedance, comprising:

means for measuring an electrical characteristic of the at least one external impedance and to determine a select value corresponding to the measured electrical characteristic; and

means for controlling the device characteristic as a function of the select value,

wherein the select value is one of at least three predetermined select values.

28. The configurable semiconductor of claim 27 further comprising means for generating an address to convert the select value to a first digital address corresponding to a memory location having contents.

29. A configurable semiconductor having a device characteristic that is controllable as a function of at least one external impedance, comprising:

means for measuring an electrical characteristic of the at least one external impedance and to determine a select value corresponding to the measured electrical characteristic; and

means for controlling the device characteristic as a function of the select value,

wherein the at least one external impedance value is selected from a predetermined group of values comprising at least three values.

30. The configurable semiconductor of claim 29 wherein the group of values has a spacing characteristic selected from a group consisting of geometric progression, exponential, linear, and logarithmic.

31. The configurable semiconductor of claim 29 wherein the at least three values are each nominal values;

and

wherein the at least three nominal values are spaced apart based on tolerances associated with at least the measurement circuit.

33. A configurable semiconductor having a device characteristic that is controllable as a function of at least one external impedance, comprising:

means for measuring an electrical characteristic of the at least one external impedance and to determine a select value corresponding to the measured electrical characteristic;

means for controlling the device characteristic as a function of the select value;

a package having pins, to enclose the configurable semiconductor, the at least one external impedance to interface to the configurable semiconductor through the package pins;

another circuit to provide a circuit function;

each external impedance corresponding to one of the package pins; and

at least one package pin corresponding to one external impedance to connect to the other circuit, the at least one package pin to provide at least a selection function and a circuit function.

34. The configurable semiconductor of claim 33 wherein the circuit function of the other circuit includes an additional operation such that the at least one package pin provides at least a selection function and an additional operation function.

35. A method of configuring a configurable semiconductor having a device characteristic that is controllable as a function of at least one external impedance, comprising:

measuring an electrical characteristic of the at least one external impedance;

determining a select value corresponding to the measured electrical characteristic; and

controlling the device characteristic as a function of the select value, wherein the device characteristic is not used to control characteristics of the external impedance.

36. The method of claim 35 further comprising supplying energy to the external impedance.

37. The method of claim 35 wherein measuring includes providing a measuring circuit selected from a group consisting of timing circuits, Digital to Analog Converters, and Analog to Digital Converters.

38. The method of claim 35 further comprising determining a digital value corresponding to the measured electrical characteristic.

39. The method of claim 35 wherein the at least one external impedance is selected from a group consisting of a resistor, a capacitor, and combinations thereof.

40. The method of claim 35 wherein the at least one external impedance has a value;

the electrical characteristic is selected from a group consisting of voltage and current; and

the electrical characteristic is a function of the external impedance value.

41. The method of claim 35 being adapted to connect to at least two external impedances;

using a first one of the at least two external impedances to select an electrical characteristic of the configurable semiconductor; and

using a second one of the at least two external impedances to select a tolerance associated with the configurable semiconductor electrical characteristic.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the configurable semiconductor electrical characteristic is selected from a group consisting of output voltage, reference voltage, output current, reference current, output frequency, reference frequency, and temperature level.

43. The method of claim 35 further comprising providing a package having pins, to enclose the configurable semiconductor;

and

interfacing the at least one external impedance to the configurable semiconductor through the package pins.

44. The method of claim 35 included in a functional device selected from a group consisting of a voltage regulator, a current regulator, a clock circuit, and a temperature sensing circuit.

45. A method of configuring a configurable semiconductor having a device characteristic that is controllable as a function of at least one external impedance, comprising:

measuring an electrical characteristic of the at least one external impedance;

determining a select value corresponding to the measured electrical characteristic; and

controlling the device characteristic as a function of the select value,

wherein the select value is one of at least three predetermined select values.

46. The method of claim 45 further comprising generating an address to convert the select value to a first digital address corresponding to a memory location having contents.

47. A method of configuring a configurable semiconductor having a device characteristic that is controllable as a function of at least one external impedance, comprising:

measuring an electrical characteristic of the at least one external impedance;

determining a select value corresponding to the measured electrical characteristic; and

controlling the device characteristic as a function of the select value; and

selecting the at least one external impedance value from a predetermined group of values comprising at least three values.

48. The method of claim 47 wherein the group of values has a spacing characteristic selected from a group consisting of geometric progression, exponential, linear, and logarithmic.

49. The method of claim 47 wherein the at least three values are each nominal values;

and

spacing apart the at least three nominal values based on tolerances associated with at least the measurement circuit.

50. A method of configuring a configurable semiconductor having a device characteristic that is controllable as a function of at least one external impedance, comprising:

measuring an electrical characteristic of the at least one external impedance;

determining a select value corresponding to the measured electrical characteristic;

controlling the device characteristic as a function of the select value;

providing a package having pins, to enclose the configurable semiconductor;

interfacing the at least one external impedance to the configurable semiconductor through the package pins;

including another circuit to provide a circuit function,

each external impedance corresponding to one of the package pins; and

providing at least one package pin corresponding to one external impedance to connect to the other circuit, the at least one package pin to provide at least a selection function and a circuit function.

51. The method of claim 50 wherein the circuit function of the other circuit includes an additional operation such that the at least one package pin provides at least a selection function and an additional operation function.