Internal voltage generator

• US 8,922,273 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2009
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: H & S Incorporated, SK Hynix Inc.
• Original Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
• Inventors: Na, Hyoung-Jun, Kim, Kyung-Whan
• Primary Examiner(s): O NEILL, PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US12/494,681
• Publication Number:
  US 20100315157A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,009 Days
• Field of Search: 327538-546, 323/313, 323/314
• US Class Current: 327/543
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/465 Internal voltage generators for integrated circuits, e.g. step down generators
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/56 using semiconductor devices in series with the load as final control devices G05F1/461 takes precedence

Abstract

A semiconductor device is capable of generating an internal voltage having a voltage level that is dependent on an external power supply voltage. The semiconductor device includes an internal voltage generation unit configured to generate a plurality of internal voltages having different voltage levels by using an external power supply voltage, a voltage level detection unit configured to detect a voltage level of the external power supply voltage, and a selection unit configured to selectively output one of the internal voltages in response to a detection result of the voltage level detection unit.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device, comprising:

a level shifting unit configured to use an external power supply voltage as a driving voltage and output a plurality of second reference voltages having different voltage levels based on a first reference voltage;

a voltage level detection unit configured to detect a voltage level of the external power supply voltage;

a selection unit configured to selectively output one of the second reference voltages according to a detection result of the voltage level detection unit; and

a voltage driving unit configured to drive an internal voltage terminal with an internal voltage having a voltage level corresponding to one of the second reference voltages outputted from the selection unit.

2. The semiconductor device of claim 1, further comprising a reference voltage generation unit configured to generate the first reference voltage.

3. The semiconductor device of claim 2, wherein the reference voltage generation unit includes a bandgap reference circuit.

4. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of second reference voltages each rises in proportion to a voltage rise of the external power supply voltage and maintains a constant voltage level after the external power supply voltage reaches a target voltage level.

5. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the level shifting unit includes:

a comparison unit configured to compare the first reference voltage with a feedback voltage;

a voltage output unit configured to output the plurality of second reference voltages by dividing the external power supply voltage in response to an output signal of the comparison unit; and

a feedback unit configured to output the feedback voltage having a voltage level corresponding to an output voltage of the voltage output unit.

6. The semiconductor device of claim 5, wherein the voltage output unit includes:

a transistor connected between a power supply voltage terminal and a first node and controlled by the output signal of the comparison unit; and

a plurality of voltage drop elements connected between the first node and a ground voltage terminal.

7. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the voltage level detection unit includes:

a comparison unit configured to compare a reference voltage with the voltage level of the external power supply voltage to output a voltage detection signal; and

a latch unit configured to latch the voltage detection signal in response to a voltage detection mode signal.

8. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the selection unit includes a switching unit configured to output the second reference voltage selected by the detection result of the voltage level detection unit.

9. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the voltage driving unit includes a unit gain buffer configured to receive the second reference voltage outputted from the selection unit.

10. The semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the voltage driving unit includes:

a comparison unit configured to compare a voltage of the internal voltage terminal with one of the second reference voltages outputted from the selection unit; and

a driving unit configured to drive the internal voltage terminal in response to an output signal of the comparison unit.