Systems and methods for voltage sensing and reporting

• US 8,958,260 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Issued: 02/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Resnick, David R.
• Primary Examiner(s): DINH, SON T
• Application Number:
  US13/796,708
• Publication Number:
  US 20130188430A1
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 365/226, 365/189.07, 365/227
• US Class Current: 365/226
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/16552 in I.C. power supplies
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/14 Power supply arrangements , e.g. power down, chip selection or deselection, layout of wirings or power grids, or multiple supply levels
• 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

Abstract

Semiconductor devices comprising at least one voltage sensor for sensing an operating voltage associated with an operational circuit of the semiconductor device. The at least one voltage sensor is configured to generate a signal indicative of a state of the operating voltage. Methods of monitoring a voltage in a semiconductor device include determining a magnitude of an operating voltage for an operational circuit in a semiconductor device. A signal may be generated indicating a state of the operating voltage.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a component; and

a semiconductor device operably coupled with the component, the semiconductor device comprising;

an operational circuit;

a voltage sensor configured to sense an operating voltage associated with the operational circuit, and to generate an output signal indicative of a state of the sensed operating voltage; and

an output pin configured to transmit the output signal to the component, wherein the component is configured to modify an operating parameter of the system responsive to receiving the output signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the voltage sensor comprises a plurality of voltage sensors.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the output pin comprises a plurality of output pins.

4. The system of claim 1, the component being configured to modify an operating parameter of the system comprises the component being configured to modify a plurality of operating parameters of the system.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the component being configured to modify an operating parameter of the system comprises the component being configured to modify an operating parameter of the operational circuit.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the voltage sensor is configured to generate the output signal when the sensed voltage is beyond a predetermined threshold level relative an expected operating voltage.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the voltage sensor is configured to generate the output signal when the sensed voltage is beyond a predetermined threshold level relative a normal operating voltage.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the output signal comprises at least one of a flag signal and an alarm signal generated responsive to a determination that the operating voltage is outside a predetermined range of operation.

9. A system, comprising:

a component; and

a semiconductor device operably coupled with the component, the semiconductor device comprising;

an operational circuit having an operating voltage associated therewith;

an output pin; and

a voltage sensor configured to generate an output signal that is transmitted to the component through the output pin responsive to a determination that the operating voltage is outside a predetermined range of operation, wherein the component is configured to modify an operating parameter of the system responsive to the output signal.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the voltage sensor comprises a voltage comparator configured to compare the operating voltage and a reference voltage for determining a voltage difference used in the determination that the operating voltage is outside a predetermined range of operation.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the semiconductor device further comprises an input pin configured to receive at least one of the reference voltage and the operating voltage.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the reference voltage comprises a ground voltage.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the semiconductor device further comprises:

an analog-to-digital converter configured to convert the voltage difference between the reference voltage and the operating voltage to a numeric value; and

an output register operably coupled to the analog-to-digital converter, the output register configured to receive and store the numeric value, and to transmit the numeric value to the component with the output signal.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the output register is configured to transmit the numeric value to the component serially with the output signal.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the component includes at least one of an external component and an external module.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the component includes at least one of a memory controller and a maintenance system.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the semiconductor device is selected from the group consisting of a memory device, a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a system-on-a-chip, and an image sensor.

18. The system of claim 9, further comprising an electronic system that includes the component and the semiconductor device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the electronic system is a computer system selected from the group consisting of a personal computer, a server, a wireless communication device, a camera, a chip set, a set top box, a controller, a vehicle engine control system, and a sensor system.

20. A method of voltage reporting of a system, the method comprising:

determining whether an operating voltage is outside a predetermined range of operation for the operating voltage of an operating circuit;

transmitting an output signal to a component through an output pin responsive to a determination that the operating voltage is outside the predetermined range; and

modifying an operating parameter of the system responsive to the output signal.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein determining comprises comparing the operating voltage with a reference voltage.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein comparing the operating voltage with the reference voltage comprises comparing the operating voltage from among a plurality of operating voltages with the reference voltage selected from among a plurality of reference voltages.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising using a mode controller to control one or more of the following:

enabling/disabling a voltage sensor used to sense the operating voltage;

defining at least one of an upper threshold value and a lower threshold value as the predetermined range of operation of the operating circuit;

selecting which voltage sensor from among a plurality of voltage sensors generate the output signal if the voltage sensor includes more than one voltage sensor;

controlling the output pin to selectively change between carrying the output signal and at least one other output signal;

selecting which reference voltage is used for comparison if there is more than one reference voltage available;

selecting which operating voltage is used for comparison if there is more than one operating voltage available;

selecting which voltage sensor from among the plurality of voltage sensors communicates through the output pin at a given time; and

controlling an output of an output controller coupled with the plurality of voltage sensors.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein modifying an operating parameter of the system includes modifying an operating parameter of the operating circuit.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising generating at least one of the operating voltage and the reference voltage internally on the semiconductor device.