Digital ramp rate control for charge pumps
First Claim
1. A method for controlling a ramp rate of an output voltage from one or more charge pumps, comprising:
- determining a memory operation to be performed on a memory array;
determining a final regulation voltage based on the memory operation;
determining a ramp rate schedule associated with controlling the ramp rate of the output voltage from the one or more charge pumps based on the memory operation, the ramp rate schedule specifies a first voltage level associated with a first time, the first voltage level is less than the final regulation voltage;
detecting that the output voltage from the one or more charge pumps is greater than the first voltage level prior to the first time; and
disabling the one or more charge pumps in response to detecting that the output voltage is greater than the first voltage level prior to the first time, wherein disabling the one or more charge pumps includes preventing the one or more charge pumps from increasing the output voltage above the first voltage level less than the final regulation voltage.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods for controlling a ramp rate of an output voltage derived from one or more charge pumps and reducing variation in the ramp rate due to process, voltage, and temperature (PVT) variations are described. In some embodiments, the ramp rate of the output voltage from one or more charge pumps may be controlled using a ramp rate control circuit that uses a digital counter to adjust (or step up) the output voltage from the one or more charge pumps based on a ramp rate schedule. The ramp rate schedule may specify varying output voltage levels for the one or more charge pumps during a time period in which the output voltage charges up from a first voltage to a second voltage greater than the first voltage.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for controlling a ramp rate of an output voltage from one or more charge pumps, comprising:
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determining a memory operation to be performed on a memory array; determining a final regulation voltage based on the memory operation; determining a ramp rate schedule associated with controlling the ramp rate of the output voltage from the one or more charge pumps based on the memory operation, the ramp rate schedule specifies a first voltage level associated with a first time, the first voltage level is less than the final regulation voltage; detecting that the output voltage from the one or more charge pumps is greater than the first voltage level prior to the first time; and disabling the one or more charge pumps in response to detecting that the output voltage is greater than the first voltage level prior to the first time, wherein disabling the one or more charge pumps includes preventing the one or more charge pumps from increasing the output voltage above the first voltage level less than the final regulation voltage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system, comprising:
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one or more charge pumps; and a ramp rate control circuit configured to determine a final regulation voltage for the one or more charge pumps, the ramp rate control circuit configured to determine a ramp rate schedule associated with controlling a ramp rate of an output voltage from the one or more charge pumps, the ramp rate schedule specifies a first voltage level associated with a first time, the first voltage level is less than the final regulation voltage, the ramp rate control circuit configured to detect that the output voltage from the one or more charge pumps is greater than the first voltage level prior to the first time, the ramp rate control circuit configured to prevent the one or more charge pumps from increasing the output voltage above the first voltage level less than the final regulation voltage in response to detection that the output voltage is greater than the first voltage level prior to the first time. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus, comprising:
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one or more charge pumps; a memory configured to store a ramp rate schedule associated with controlling a ramp rate of an output voltage from the one or more charge pumps, the ramp rate schedule specifies a first voltage level associated with a first time, the first voltage level is less than a final regulation voltage for the one or more charge pumps; and a ramp rate controller configured to determine the final regulation voltage for the one or more charge pumps and detect that the output voltage from the one or more charge pumps is greater than the first voltage level prior to the first time, the ramp rate controller configured to prevent the one or more charge pumps from increasing the output voltage above the first voltage level which is less than the final regulation voltage in response to detection that the output voltage is greater than the first voltage level prior to the first time. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification