Stabilization component for a substrate potential regulation circuit

• US 7,719,344 B1
• Filed: 02/21/2006
• Issued: 05/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Funding LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Funding LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Fu, Robert, Chen, Tien-Min
• Primary Examiner(s): TRA, ANH QUAN
• Application Number:
  US11/358,482
• Time in Patent Office: 1,547 Days
• Field of Search: 327535-537
• US Class Current: 327/536
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 3/205 Substrate bias-voltage generators for static stores G11C5/146

Abstract

A stabilization component for substrate potential regulation for an integrated circuit device. A comparator is coupled to a charge pump to control the charge pump to drive a substrate potential. A stabilization component is coupled to the comparator and is operable to correct an over-charge of the substrate by shunting current from the substrate.

Claims

1. A stabilization system for substrate potential regulation for an integrated circuit device, said stabilization system comprising:

a comparator operable to compare a reference voltage to a ground voltage of the integrated circuit device;

a negative charge pump coupled to the comparator, wherein an output of the comparator is coupled to an input of the negative charge pump, wherein the negative charge pump is controlled by the comparator and operable to drive down a potential of a substrate of the integrated circuit device when the reference voltage is greater than the ground voltage; and

a stabilization component coupled to the input of the negative charge pump and the output of the comparator, wherein the stabilization component is operable to shunt current between the substrate and a ground of the integrated circuit device to correct an over-charge of the substrate by the negative charge pump, and wherein the stabilization component is further operable to shunt the current responsive to detecting that a duration of the over-charge exceeds a predetermined number of clock cycles.

2. The stabilization system of claim 1 further comprising:

a current source; and

a resistor coupled to the current source and to an output of the negative charge pump, wherein the current source in combination with the resistor generates the reference voltage.

3. The stabilization system of claim 2, wherein the resistor is a variable resistor.

4. The stabilization system of claim 1, wherein the stabilization component is configured to correct the over-charge by shunting current between a P-type well of the integrated circuit device and the ground of the integrated circuit device.

5. The stabilization system of claim 1, wherein the stabilization component comprises:

a plurality of storage elements having a common clock and operable to detect the negative charge pump active for more than the predetermined number of clock cycles; and

a shunt switch coupled to the plurality of storage elements and operable to shunt a current from the substrate when the negative charge pump is active for more than the predetermined number of clock cycles.

6. The stabilization system of claim 5, wherein the predetermined number of clock cycles is two clock cycles.

7. A stabilization system for substrate potential regulation for an integrated circuit device, said stabilization system comprising:

a comparator operable to compare a reference voltage to a power supply voltage of the integrated circuit device;

a positive charge pump coupled to the comparator, wherein an output of the comparator is coupled to an input of the positive charge pump, wherein the positive charge pump is controlled by the comparator and operable to drive up a potential of a substrate of the integrated circuit device when the reference voltage is less than the power supply voltage; and

a stabilization component coupled to the output of the comparator and operable to shunt current from the substrate to correct an over-charge of the substrate by the positive charge pump, and wherein the stabilization component is further operable to shunt the current responsive to detecting that a duration of the over-charge exceeds a predetermined number of clock cycles.

8. The stabilization system of claim 7 further comprising:

a current source; and

a resistor coupled to the current source and to an output of the positive charge pump, wherein the current source in combination with the resistor generates the reference voltage.

9. The stabilization system of claim 8, wherein the resistor is a variable resistor.

10. The stabilization system of claim 7, wherein the stabilization component is configured to correct the over-charge by shunting current between an N-type well of the integrated circuit device and a component of the integrated circuit device associated with the power supply voltage.

11. The stabilization system of claim 7 wherein the stabilization component comprises:

a plurality of storage elements having a common clock and operable to detect the positive charge pump active for more than the predetermined number of clock cycles; and

a shunt switch coupled to the plurality of storage elements and operable to shunt a current from the substrate when the positive charge pump is active for more than the predetermined number of clock cycles.

12. The stabilization system of claim 11, wherein the predetermined number of clock cycles is two clock cycles.

13. A method for integrated circuit device substrate potential regulation, said method comprising:

comparing, using a comparator, a reference voltage to a first voltage of the integrated circuit device;

driving a potential of a substrate of the integrated circuit device based upon a result of said comparing the reference voltage to the first voltage;

measuring a duration of an over-charging of the substrate, wherein said measuring further comprises determining the duration from the output of the comparator; and

upon detecting that the duration exceeds a predetermined number of clock cycles, shunting current between the substrate and a component of the integrated circuit device to correct the over-charging of the substrate.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the driving a potential comprises:

driving the potential of the substrate down when the reference voltage is greater than a ground voltage.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said shunting current further comprises:

shunting current between a P-type well and a ground of the integrated circuit device.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said driving a potential further comprises:

driving the potential of the substrate up when the reference voltage is less than a power supply voltage.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said shunting current further comprises:

shunting current between an N-type well and a component of the integrated circuit device associated with the power supply voltage.

18. A stabilization system for substrate potential regulation for an integrated circuit device, said stabilization system comprising:

a comparator operable to compare a reference voltage to a voltage of the integrated circuit device;

a charge pump coupled to the comparator, wherein an output of the comparator is coupled to an input of the charge pump, wherein the charge pump is controlled by the comparator and operable to adjust a potential of a substrate of the integrated circuit device; and

a stabilization component coupled to the input of the charge pump and the output of the comparator, wherein the stabilization component is operable to shunt current from the substrate to correct an over-charge of the substrate by the charge pump, wherein the stabilization component is further operable to shunt the current from the substrate in response to a duration of the over-charge exceeding a predetermined number of clock cycles, wherein the stabilization component is further operable to shunt the current based on the output of the comparator, and wherein the stabilization component comprises;

a plurality of storage elements having a common clock and operable to detect the charge pump active for more than a predetermined number of clock cycles; and

a shunt switch coupled to the plurality of storage elements and operable to shunt a current from the substrate when the charge pump is active for more than the predetermined number of clock cycles.

19. The stabilization system of claim 18, wherein the charge pump comprises a negative charge pump, and wherein the charge pump is controlled by the comparator and operable to drive down a potential of a substrate of the integrated circuit device when the reference voltage is greater than the ground voltage.

20. The stabilization system of claim 19, wherein the voltage of the integrated circuit device is a ground voltage of the integrated circuit device.

21. The stabilization system of claim 20, wherein the stabilization component is configured to correct the over-charge by shunting current between a P-type well of the integrated circuit device and a ground of the integrated circuit device.

22. The stabilization system of claim 18, wherein the charge pump comprises a positive charge pump, and wherein the positive charge pump is controlled by the comparator and operable to drive up a potential of a substrate of the integrated circuit device when the reference voltage is less than the power supply voltage.

23. The stabilization system of claim 22, wherein the voltage of the integrated circuit device is a power supply voltage of the integrated circuit device.

24. The stabilization system of claim 23, wherein the stabilization component is configured to correct the over-charge by shunting current between an N-type well of the integrated circuit device and a component of the integrated circuit device associated with the power supply voltage.

25. The stabilization system of claim 18 further comprising:

a current source; and

a resistor coupled to the current source and to an output of the charge pump, wherein the current source in combination with the resistor generates the reference voltage.

26. A stabilization system for substrate potential regulation for an integrated circuit device, said stabilization system comprising:

means for comparing, using a comparator, a reference voltage to a first voltage of the integrated circuit device;

means for driving a potential of a substrate of the integrated circuit device based upon a result of said comparing the reference voltage to the first voltage;

means for measuring a duration of an over-charging of the substrate, wherein said measuring further comprises determining the duration from the output of the comparator; and

means for shunting current, upon detecting that the duration exceeds a predetermined number of clock cycles, between the substrate and a component of the integrated circuit device to correct the over-charging of the substrate.

27. The stabilization system of claim 26, wherein the means for driving a potential includes means for driving the potential of the substrate down when the reference voltage is greater than a ground voltage.

28. The stabilization system of claim 27, wherein the means for shunting current includes means for shunting current between a P-type well and a ground of the integrated circuit device.

29. The stabilization system of claim 26, wherein the means for driving a potential further includes means for driving the potential of the substrate up when the reference voltage is less than a power supply voltage.

30. The stabilization system of claim 29, wherein the means for shunting current further includes means for shunting current between an N-type well and a component of the integrated circuit device associated with the power supply voltage.