Other

Stmicroelectronics S.r.l.

Micron Technology Incorporated

Hynix Semiconductor Inc.

Giancarlo Ragone

Luca Crippa

Rino Micheloni

Miriam Sangalli

Giovanni Campardo

Vanni Poletto

Osama Khouri

Miram Sangalli

A drive circuit for airbag systems, for instance includes a differential transconductance amplifier having a first input node, a second input node, an output node coupled to the second input node via a feedback line; a transistor coupled between a drive node and a supply node configured to be coupled to a power supply source; a control node coupled to the control electrode of the transistor and the output node; a Zener diode arrangement having cathode and anode terminals coupled to the supply node and the first input node, respectively; a pull-up component arranged in parallel with the Zener diode arrangement; and an enable switch coupled to the first input node and referred to ground and switchable between a conductive state and a non-conductive state with the differential transconductance amplifier providing controlled current discharging/charging of the control node to make the transistor conductive/non-conductive, respectively.

Driver circuit, corresponding device and system

A circuit comprises at least one memory cell adapted to store data in terms of values of an electrical characteristic thereof, which exhibits a variability with temperature according to a first variation law; a voltage generator is provided for generating a voltage to be supplied to the at least one memory cell for retrieving the data stored therein, the voltage generator including first means adapted to cause the generated voltage take a value in a set of target values including at least one target value, corresponding to an operation to be performed on the memory cell. The voltage generator comprises second means for causing the value taken by the generated voltage vary with temperature according to a prescribed second variation law exploiting a compensation circuit element having said electrical characteristic.

Circuit and method for retrieving data stored in semiconductor memory cells

A multistage circuit for regulating the charge voltage or the discharge current of a capacitance of an integrated device at a certain charge-pump generated boosted voltage is implemented without integrating high voltage transistor structures having a type of conductivity corresponding to the same sign of the boosted voltage (high-side transistors). The multistage circuit current includes at least a first stage, and an output stage in cascade to the first stage and coupled to the capacitance. The first stage is supplied at an unboosted power supply voltage of the integrated device, and the output stage is supplied at an unregulated charge-pump generated boosted voltage. The first stage includes a transistor having a type of conductivity corresponding to an opposite sign of the boosted voltage and of the power supply voltage. The drain of the output stage transistor is coupled to the boosted voltage either through a resistive pull-up or a voltage limiter.

Multistage regulator for charge-pump boosted voltage applications

A voltage regulator integrated in a chip of semiconductor material is provided. The regulator has a first input terminal for receiving a first voltage and an output terminal for providing a regulated voltage being obtained from the first voltage, the regulator including: a differential amplifier for receiving a comparison voltage and a feedback signal being a function of the regulated voltage, and for proving a regulation signal according to a comparison between the comparison voltage and the feedback signal, the differential amplifier having a first supply terminal being coupled with a reference terminal for receiving a reference voltage and a second supply terminal, a regulation transistor having a control terminal for receiving the regulation signal, and a conduction first terminal and a conduction second terminal being coupled through loading means between the reference terminal and the first input terminal of the regulator, the second terminal of the regulation transistor being coupled with the output terminal of the regulator, wherein the second supply terminal of the differential amplifier is coupled with a second input terminal of the regulator for receiving a second voltage being lower than the first voltage in absolute value, and wherein the regulator further includes a set of auxiliary transistors being connected in series between the second terminal of the regulation transistor and the output terminal of the regulator, and control means for controlling the auxiliary transistors according to the regulated voltage.

Voltage regulator or non-volatile memories implemented with low-voltage transistors

Voltage-boosting device having a supply input receiving a supply voltage, and a high-voltage output. The device is formed by a plurality of charge-pump stages series-connected between the supply input and the high-voltage output. Each charge-pump stage has a respective enabling input receiving an enabling signal. A control circuit formed by a plurality of comparators is connected to the high-voltage output and generates the enabling signals on the basis of the comparison between the voltage on the high-voltage output and a plurality of reference voltages, one for each comparator. The charge-pump stages are grouped into sets of stages, and the stages belonging to a same set receive a same enabling signal; thus, as many comparators as there are sets of stages are present.

Charge-pump type, voltage-boosting device with reduced ripple, in particular for non-volatile flash memories

A high-voltage switch has a high-voltage input terminal, receiving a high voltage, and an output terminal. A pass transistor, having a control terminal, is connected between the high-voltage input terminal and the output terminal. The output of a voltage-multiplying circuit of the charge-pump type is connected to the control terminal. The voltage-multiplying circuit is of a symmetrical type, has first and second charge-storage means, receiving a clock signal of a periodic type, and has a first circuit branch and a second circuit branch, which are symmetrical to one another and operate in phase opposition with respect to the clock signal.

High-voltage switch with low output ripple for non-volatile floating-gate memories

An embodiment of an electronic apparatus is provided. The electronic apparatus includes a supplying block for supplying a plurality of operative voltages, one or more operative circuits and a distribution bus for distributing at least part of the operative voltages to each operative circuit. Each operative circuit includes a set of devices for generating a set of output voltages from a set of input ones of the distributed operative voltages. The input and output voltages span an effective range. Each device is capable of sustaining at most a safe voltage between each pair of terminals thereof not higher than the effective range. The devices are controlled by a set of auxiliary ones of the distributed operative voltages spanning an auxiliary range within the effective range, so that a difference between the voltage applied to each pair of terminals thereof is not higher than the safe voltage.

Non-volatile memory implemented with low-voltages transistors and related system and method

A circuit for converting a direct current input voltage into an output voltage greater than the input voltage. The circuit includes a charge pump and a block for generating pulse signals of a predetermined frequency to be applied to a control input of the charge pump. The settling time, i.e. the time necessary for the output voltage to attain its operating value and to maintain it with a given precision, is reduced by providing the circuit with charge injection control via modulation of the duty cycle of the pulse signals as a function of the difference between the output voltage, or a predetermined fraction thereof, and a predetermined reference voltage and in such a manner as to reduce the settling time as the difference diminishes. The circuit includes a regulator that controls the charge pump based upon the predetermined reference voltage.

Charge pump circuit with a brief settling time and high output voltage regulation precision

A method and an electronic device for stabilizing the voltage on the drain terminals of multi-level non-volatile memory cells during programming thereof. The voltage is provided by a drain voltage regulator having an output connected to the drain terminals at a common circuit node by a metal line conduction path having a parasitic intrinsic resistance. A feedback path is advantageously provided between the common circuit node and an input of the regulator.

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Roccella Jonica, Italy

Giancarlo Ragone