Infineon Technologies Ag

Infineon Technologies Austria Ag

Marco Faricelli

Robert Illing

Alexander Mayer

Peter Bogner

Stefano Aresu

Michael Röhner

An electronic fuse circuit includes an electronic switch with a load current path coupled between an output node and a supply node and that connects or disconnects the output node and the supply node in accordance with a drive signal. The circuit includes a control circuit to generate the drive signal based on an input signal. A monitoring circuit is included in the control circuit to receive a current sense signal representing the load current passing through the load current path and to determine a first protection signal based on the current sense signal and a wire parameter. The first protection signal is indicative of whether to disconnect the output node from supply node. The control circuit changes from normal mode to idle mode when the load current is below a given current threshold and another criterion is fulfilled.

Smart electronic switch

An integrated circuit may include a power transistor coupled between a supply pin and an output pin; a current sensing circuit configured to sense a load current passing through the power transistor and to provide a respective current sense signal; a first configuration pin; a current output circuit configured to provide a diagnosis current at a current output pin; a diagnosis pin for receiving a diagnosis request signal; and a control circuit configured to: select a characteristic curve representing a current versus time characteristic dependent on a external circuit connected to the first configuration pin; generate a drive signal for the power transistor dependent on the selected characteristic curve and the current sense signal; and control&#x2014;dependent on a pulse pattern of the diagnosis request signal&#x2014;the current output circuit to set the value of the diagnosis current such that it represents the load current or the selected characteristic curve.

An integrated circuit is described herein. In accordance with one embodiment the circuit includes a transistor coupled between a supply pin and an output pin, a current output circuit configured to provide a diagnosis current at an current output pin, a current sensing circuit coupled to the transistor and configured to generate a first current sense signal indicative of a load current passing through the transistor and a second current sense signal indicative of the load current. The current output circuit is configured to select, dependent on a control signal, one of the following as diagnosis current: the first current sense signal and the second current sense signal.

A circuit may include an electronic switch that has a load current path coupled between an output node and a supply node and that is configured to connect or disconnect the output node and the supply node in accordance with a drive signal. Further, the circuit includes a monitoring circuit that is configured to receive a current sense signal, which represents the load current passing through the load current path, and that is further configured to determine a protection signal based on the current sense signal, a state of the monitoring circuit, and at least one wire parameter. The wire parameter characterizes a wire that is&#x2014;during operation&#x2014;connected to the output node, and the protection signal is indicative of whether to disconnect the output node from supply node. Further, the circuit includes a protection circuit connected to the monitoring circuit.

A semiconductor wafer includes dielectric regions of different thicknesses, some of the dielectric regions being thinner and other ones of the dielectric regions being thicker. The semiconductor wafer further includes a stress circuit operable to stress at least one of the dielectric regions internally within the semiconductor wafer for assessing dielectric reliability. A corresponding method of internally assessing dielectric reliability of a semiconductor technology is also provided.

Circuit and method for internally assessing dielectric reliability of a semiconductor technology

In accordance with various embodiments, a method for sampling an input signal may be provided, wherein the method may include providing a single frequency clock signal; selecting clock pulses from the single frequency clock signal in a random manner to generate a spread spectrum clock signal; and sampling the input signal using the spread spectrum clock signal. A corresponding device for sampling an input signal may be provided.

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Villach, Austria

Marco Faricelli