Protection circuit, chip and electronic equipment

Abstract

The invention discloses a protection circuit, a chip and electronic equipment, and belongs to the technical field of integrated circuits, the protection circuit comprises a power gate control module, the first end of the power gate control module is used for connecting a power supply input end, and the second end of the power gate control module is used for connecting a target device; the first end of the current limiting module is electrically connected with the first end of the power gate control module, and the second end of the current limiting module is electrically connected with the second end of the power gate control module; the comparison module is electrically connected with the second end of the power gating module; the comparison module is used for acquiring the first potential value from the second end of the power gate control module and comparing the first potential value with a preset first latch threshold to obtain a first comparison result; and the control module is used for controlling the power gate control module to be switched off and controlling the current limiting module to reduce the latch current of the target device under the condition that the first comparison result represents that the latch effect of the target device occurs. Device damage can be avoided, and device power-off frequency is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of integrated circuit technology, specifically relating to a protection circuit, chip, and electronic device. Background Technology

[0002] In semiconductor integrated circuits, between the power supply and ground of complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) devices, a low-impedance high-current path is generated due to the interaction of parasitic PNP and NPN transistors, resulting in a latch-up effect. The high current, i.e., the latch-up current, can cause the circuit to malfunction or even burn out the device.

[0003] In existing technology, the power supply and the target device form an electrical circuit. A current acquisition module converts the current signal in the electrical circuit into a voltage signal, and a voltage comparison module detects latch-up based on the converted voltage signal. When latch-up occurs, the control module disconnects the electrical circuit via a switching module, de-energizing the target device and thus releasing the latch-up effect.

[0004] However, existing protection circuits directly cut off power to the target device after detecting latch-up. If latch-up occurs frequently, it will cause the target device to be constantly powered off and restarted, which will greatly affect the device's function and normal operation. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a protection circuit, chip, and electronic device that can solve the problem in the prior art where the protection circuit directly cuts off the power after detecting latch-up effect, affecting the function and normal operation of the device.

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a protection circuit, the protection circuit comprising:

[0007] A power gating module, wherein a first end of the power gating module is used to connect to a power input terminal, and a second end of the power gating module is used to connect to a target device;

[0008] A current limiting module, wherein a first terminal of the current limiting module is electrically connected to a first terminal of the power gating module, and a second terminal of the current limiting module is electrically connected to a second terminal of the power gating module;

[0009] A comparison module is electrically connected to the second terminal of the power gating module; the comparison module is used to obtain a first potential value from the second terminal of the power gating module and compare the first potential value with a preset first latch-up threshold to obtain a first comparison result.

[0010] A control module is electrically connected to the power gating module, the current limiting module, and the comparison module, respectively. The control module is used to control the power gating module to turn off and the current limiting module to reduce the latch-up current of the target device when the first comparison result indicates that the target device has a latch-up effect.

[0011] Optionally, the protection circuit further includes:

[0012] A latch threshold module, wherein the latch threshold module is electrically connected to the comparison module and the control module respectively;

[0013] The latch-up threshold module is used to adjust the first latch-up threshold to a second latch-up threshold in response to a threshold adjustment signal sent by the control module; wherein the second latch-up threshold is the latch-up threshold corresponding to the target device when the power gating module is turned off and the current limiting module reduces the latch-up current.

[0014] Optionally, the latch threshold module includes:

[0015] A voltage divider resistor unit, comprising a plurality of first resistors, is used to divide a reference voltage through the plurality of first resistors;

[0016] A transmission control unit is electrically connected to the comparison module, the control module, and the voltage divider resistor unit, respectively. The transmission control unit is used to respond to the threshold adjustment signal sent by the control module, obtain the second latching threshold based on the voltage division result of the plurality of first resistors, and send the second latching threshold to the comparison module.

[0017] Optionally, the plurality of first resistors are connected in series to form a first resistor string;

[0018] The first end of the first resistor string is grounded, and the second end of the first resistor string is used to receive the reference voltage.

[0019] The transmission control unit is electrically connected to the wires led out from a preset position in the first resistor string.

[0020] Optionally, the transmission control unit includes multiple transmission gates;

[0021] The first end of the transmission gate is electrically connected to the comparison module, and the second end of the transmission gate is electrically connected to the target resistor; wherein, the target resistor is the first resistor in the voltage divider resistor unit corresponding to the transmission gate;

[0022] The control terminal of the transmission gate is electrically connected to the control module.

[0023] Optionally, the comparison module includes: a first input terminal, a second input terminal, and a comparison output terminal;

[0024] The first input terminal is electrically connected to the second terminal of the power gating module and the second terminal of the current limiting module, respectively; the second input terminal is electrically connected to the latch threshold module; and the comparison output terminal is electrically connected to the control module.

[0025] The comparison module is further configured to, when the current limiting module reduces the latching current, obtain a second potential value from the second terminal of the current limiting module, compare the second potential value with the second latching threshold to obtain a second comparison result, and send the second comparison result to the control module.

[0026] Optionally, the current limiting module includes:

[0027] The first resistor component has a resistance value not less than a preset first resistance value threshold.

[0028] A first switching assembly is connected in series with a first resistor assembly, and the control terminal of the first switching assembly is electrically connected to the control module. The first switching assembly is used to disconnect the power supply input terminal from the target device in response to a power-off control signal. The power-off control signal is sent by the control module when the second comparison result of the comparison module indicates that the target device has not released the latch-up effect.

[0029] Optionally, the control module includes:

[0030] A timing unit is electrically connected to the comparison module; the timing unit is used to perform timing when the second comparison result of the comparison module characterizes that the target device has released the latch-up effect.

[0031] A switch control unit is electrically connected to the timing unit, the power gating module, and the current limiting module, respectively. The switch control unit is used to control the power gating module to connect the power input terminal to the target device when the timing time of the timing unit is not less than a preset time threshold.

[0032] Optionally, the power gating module includes multiple gating sub-units; the multiple gating sub-units are connected in parallel with each other;

[0033] The first end of the gate control subunit is used to connect to the power supply input end, the second end of the gate control subunit is used to connect to the target device, and the control end of the gate control subunit is electrically connected to the control module;

[0034] The gate control subunit is used to turn on the power supply input terminal and the target device in response to a voltage adjustment signal; wherein, the voltage adjustment signal is sent by the control module when the difference between the power supply voltage of the target device and the standard input voltage of the target device is greater than a preset difference threshold.

[0035] Optionally, the gating subunit includes:

[0036] The second resistor component has a resistance value that is not greater than a preset second resistance value threshold.

[0037] The second switch assembly is connected in series with the second resistor assembly, and the control terminal of the second switch assembly is electrically connected to the control module.

[0038] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a chip that includes the protection circuit described in the first aspect.

[0039] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide an electronic device, which includes the chip described in the second aspect.

[0040] The protection circuit of this application embodiment includes: a power gating module, a current limiting module, a comparison module, and a control module. The first terminal of the power gating module is connected to a power input terminal, and the second terminal is connected to a target device, allowing the power input terminal to supply power to the target device through the power gating module. The first terminal of the current limiting module is electrically connected to the first terminal of the power gating module, and the second terminal of the current limiting module is electrically connected to the second terminal of the power gating module, thus connecting the current limiting module and the power gating module in parallel. The comparison module is electrically connected to the second terminal of the power gating module. The control module is electrically connected to the power gating module, the current limiting module, and the comparison module, respectively. Since the comparison module obtains a first potential value from the second terminal of the power gating module and compares the first potential value with a preset first latch-up threshold to obtain a first comparison result, the control module can determine whether a latch-up effect has occurred in the target device based on the first comparison result obtained from the comparison module. The control module, when the first comparison result indicates that a latch-up effect has occurred in the target device, controls the power gating module to turn off and controls the current limiting module to reduce the latch-up current of the target device. This connects the power supply input, the current limiting module, and the target device in an electrical circuit, allowing the current limiting module to reduce the large current in the circuit, thus reducing the latch-up current of the target device. The protection circuit in this embodiment does not directly cut off power to the target device after detecting a latch-up effect, avoiding problems such as circuit malfunction or even device burnout, and reducing the number of power outages and restarts. Attached Figure Description

[0041] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the latching principle of complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor parasitic structures in the prior art;

[0042] Figure 2 This is the equivalent circuit diagram of the parasitic structure in the prior art;

[0043] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the circuit structure of an anti-latch-up circuit and integrated circuit in the prior art;

[0044] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the circuit structure of a latch-up protection device in the prior art;

[0045] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the circuit structure of a protection circuit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0046] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the circuit structure of another protection circuit provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0047] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the circuit structure of another protection circuit provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0048] Figure 8 This is a circuit diagram of another protection circuit provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0049] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0050] Figure label:

[0051] Latch protection circuit 10; power gating module 101; gating subunit 1011; second resistor assembly 1011a; second switch assembly 1011b; current limiting module 102; first resistor assembly 1021; first switch assembly 1022; comparison module 103; first input terminal 1031; second input terminal 1032; comparison output terminal 1033; control module 104; timing unit 1041; switch control unit 1042; latch threshold module 105; voltage divider resistor unit 1051; first resistor 10511; transmission control unit 1052; transmission gate 10521; power input terminal 201; target device 301; electronic device 40. Detailed Implementation

[0052] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0053] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and not to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such use of data can be interchanged where appropriate so that embodiments of this application can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein, and the objects distinguished by "first," "second," etc., are generally of the same class and the number of objects is not limited; for example, the first object can be one or at least two. Furthermore, in the specification and claims, "and / or" indicates at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0054] First, the background technology involved in the embodiments of this application will be described.

[0055] In the prior art, referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2 In a CMOS device, the p+, n-well, and p-substrate form a PNP transistor, while the n-well, p-substrate, and n+ form an NPN transistor. These two transistors form a positive feedback circuit. If the parasitic resistances Rn-well and Rpsubs are relatively large, both transistors will conduct, forming a positive feedback loop. Figure 2 The direction of the middle arrow indicates the current path from VDD to VSS, which can create a large current in a local area. This may not only prevent the device from working properly, but the latch-up effect over a long period of time may also cause heat to accumulate and burn out the device.

[0056] Next, the circuit principles of some latch-up protection circuits in the existing technology will be explained.

[0057] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the circuit structure of an anti-latch-up circuit and integrated circuit in the prior art, such as... Figure 3 As shown, a control circuit is set at the power input terminal of the monitoring module composed of transistors Q1 and Q2. The control circuit includes a comparator U1 and a switch M1. When the power supply voltage of the monitoring module generates an abnormal voltage drop due to the latch-up effect, the switch M1 is turned on, and the potential V of the n-well in the parasitic structure composed of Q1 and Q2 is reduced. N Less than the reference voltage V RH The comparator U1 output signal controls switch M1 to turn off, thus closing the current path and releasing the latch-up effect. However, theoretically, due to the presence of parasitic resistance, it is necessary to measure the potential deep inside the well, which may require additional customization of the cell layout during implementation, especially for more complex functional modules.

[0058] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the circuit structure of a latch-up protection device in the prior art, such as... Figure 4As shown, the power supply and CMOS devices form an electrical circuit. The current acquisition module converts the current signal in the electrical circuit into a voltage signal. The voltage comparison module compares the converted voltage signal with the reference voltage signal. When the converted voltage signal is less than the reference voltage signal, the switch control module keeps the electrical circuit connected via the switch module; otherwise, the switch control module disconnects the electrical circuit via the switch module. The switch timer module can reconnect the electrical circuit after a certain period of time following its disconnection by controlling the switch control module and the switch module. However, if... Figure 4 The latch-up protection circuit shown directly cuts off power upon detecting a latch-up effect. If latch-up occurs frequently, it will cause the system to continuously shut down and restart, affecting normal system operation. In fact, some devices can maintain normal operation for a certain period of time even at voltages lower than the normal supply voltage, so it is not necessary to immediately cut off power to the devices when a latch-up effect occurs.

[0059] The latch-up protection circuit (hereinafter referred to as latch-up protection circuit) 10 provided in this application embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and through specific embodiments and application scenarios.

[0060] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the circuit structure of a latch protection circuit 10 provided in an embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 5 As shown, the latch protection circuit 10 includes:

[0061] A power gating module 101 is provided, with its first end connected to the power input terminal 201 and its second end connected to the target device 301.

[0062] A current limiting module 102 is provided, with its first terminal electrically connected to the first terminal of the power gating module 101 and its second terminal electrically connected to the second terminal of the power gating module 101.

[0063] Comparison module 103 is electrically connected to the second terminal of power gating module 101; comparison module 103 is used to obtain a first potential value from the second terminal of power gating module 101 and compare the first potential value with a preset first latch-up threshold to obtain a first comparison result.

[0064] The control module 104 is electrically connected to the power gating module 101, the current limiting module 102, and the comparison module 103 respectively. The control module 104 is used to control the power gating module 101 to turn off and control the current limiting module 102 to reduce the latch-up current of the target device 301 when the first comparison result indicates that the target device 301 has a latch-up effect.

[0065] In this embodiment, the power gating module 101 and the current limiting module 102 are connected in parallel. The power input terminal 201 can be connected to the power supply corresponding to the target device 301, and the second terminal of the power gating module 101 can be connected to one or more target devices 301. When the target device 301 does not experience latch-up, the current limiting module 102 is turned off while the power gating module 101 is turned on, causing the branch containing the power gating module 101 to be conductive while the branch containing the current limiting module 102 is disconnected. The power input terminal 201, the power gating module 101, and the target device 301 form an electrical circuit, and the power supply connected to the power input terminal 201 supplies power to the target device 301. The target device 301 can be a module unit prone to latch-up effects, such as an IP unit in an integrated circuit like an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), a power-on-reset (POR) circuit, random access memory (RAM), or flash memory (FLASH). An IP unit refers to a circuit module with independent functions. This is merely an example, and the embodiments in this application do not impose limitations.

[0066] The latch-up protection circuit 10 of this application embodiment can be applied to module units in general semiconductor integrated circuits that are prone to latch-up effects, or it can be applied to module units of application-specific integrated circuits in specific environments. This application embodiment does not limit this application. In certain specific environments, a potential change occurs inside the semiconductor device, causing the transistor amplifier circuit with a parasitic PNPN structure to turn on, forming a large current locally. This may not only prevent the device from working properly, but prolonged latch-up may also cause heat accumulation and burn out the device.

[0067] In this embodiment, the preset first latch-up threshold represents the latch-up threshold corresponding to the target device 301 when the current limiting module 102 is off and the power gating module 101 is on. The comparison module 103 obtains a first potential value from the second terminal of the power gating module 101, which represents the current input potential of the target device 301. The comparison module 103 compares the first potential value with the first latch-up threshold to obtain a first comparison result, and sends the first comparison result to the control module 104. Since the loop resistance voltage drop increases when the target device 301 experiences latch-up, causing the current input potential of the target device 301 to drop abnormally, if the first comparison result is that the first potential value is less than the first latch-up threshold, it indicates that the input potential of the target device 301 has dropped abnormally and exceeded the threshold, and it can be determined that the target device 301 has experienced latch-up.

[0068] After the latch-up effect occurs in target device 301, target device 301 can be regarded as Figure 2 In the equivalent circuit, the internal parasitic amplifier circuit of the target device 301 is activated, which is equivalent to a short circuit between the power supply and ground inside the target device 301, forming a large current, i.e., latch-up current. As the current in the electrical circuit between the power supply input terminal 201 and the target device 301 increases, the voltage drop across the circuit resistance also increases. Therefore, the potential at the second terminal of the power supply gate module 101 decreases significantly. If the first potential value is less than the first latch-up threshold, it can be determined that the target device 301 has experienced a latch-up effect.

[0069] In this embodiment, the control module 104 determines whether the target device 301 has experienced latch-up based on the first comparison result sent by the comparison module 103. If the first potential value is less than the first latch-up threshold, the control module 104 can send control signals to the power gating module 101 and the current limiting module 102 respectively, controlling the power gating module 101 to turn off and the current limiting module 102 to turn on, so that the branch where the power gating module 101 is located is disconnected while the branch where the current limiting module 102 is located is connected, thereby reducing the latch-up current of the target device 301 through the current limiting module 102. Here, latch-up current refers to the large current formed when the target device 301 experiences latch-up. The current limiting module 102 can be a circuit element used to reduce the current in the circuit, such as a current-limiting resistor.

[0070] In practical applications, the latch-up protection circuit 10 provided in this embodiment can be integrated near the power supply terminal of the IP unit. It detects the power supply status to determine whether a latch-up effect has occurred. In the event of a latch-up effect in the IP unit, it reduces the latch-up current by shutting down the power gating module 101 and enabling the current limiting module 102, thus preventing damage to the target device 301 from a large current. For example, the latch-up protection circuit 10 in this embodiment can be integrated near the power supply terminal of one or more IP units in a microcontroller unit (MCU) or system-on-chip (SoC). Since the internal circuit structure and layout of the IP unit cannot usually be modified, the protection circuit in this embodiment is only used for the power supply path outside the IP unit. Compared to existing technologies, such as… Figure 3 The latch-up protection circuit shown is modified within the IP unit and has greater versatility.

[0071] In this embodiment, the latch-up protection circuit 10 includes a power gating module 101, a current limiting module 102, a comparison module 103, and a control module 104. The first terminal of the power gating module 101 is connected to the power input terminal 201, and the second terminal of the power gating module 101 is connected to the target device 301, allowing the power input terminal 201 to supply power to the target device 301 via the power gating module 101. The first terminal of the current limiting module 102 is electrically connected to the first terminal of the power gating module 101, and the second terminal of the current limiting module 102 is electrically connected to the second terminal of the power gating module 101, thus connecting the current limiting module 102 and the power gating module 101 in parallel. The comparison module 103 is electrically connected to the second terminal of the power gating module 101. The control module 104 is electrically connected to the power gating module 101, the current limiting module 102, and the comparison module 103, respectively. Since the comparison module 103 obtains a first potential value from the second terminal of the power gating module 101 and compares the first potential value with a preset first latch-up threshold to obtain a first comparison result, the control module 104 can determine whether the target device 301 has experienced a latch-up effect based on the first comparison result obtained from the comparison module 103. When the first comparison result indicates that the target device 301 has experienced a latch-up effect, the control module 104 controls the power gating module 101 to turn off and controls the current limiting module 102 to reduce the latch-up current of the target device 301. Thus, the electrical circuit of the power input terminal 201, the current limiting module 102, and the target device 301 is connected. The current limiting module 102 can reduce the large current in the circuit, i.e., the current limiting module 102 reduces the latch-up current of the target device 301. The latch-up protection circuit 10 of this application does not directly cut off the power to the target device 301 after detecting the latch-up effect, which can avoid the problem of the circuit failing to work or even burning out the device, and can reduce the number of power outages and restarts.

[0072] Optionally, the latch protection circuit 10 further includes:

[0073] Latch threshold module 105 is electrically connected to comparison module 103 and control module 104 respectively;

[0074] The latch-up threshold module 105 is used to adjust the first latch-up threshold to a second latch-up threshold in response to the threshold adjustment signal sent by the control module 104; wherein, the second latch-up threshold is the latch-up threshold corresponding to the target device 301 when the power gating module 101 is turned off and the current limiting module 102 reduces the latch-up current.

[0075] In this embodiment, the first latch-up threshold is the latch-up threshold corresponding to the target device 301 when the power gating module 101 is on and the current limiting module 102 is off. When latch-up occurs in the target device 301, the latch-up current in the electrical circuit decreases due to the power gating module 101 being off and the current limiting module 102 being on, causing a change in the circuit resistance between the power input terminal 201 and the target device 301. Therefore, the latch-up threshold received by the comparison module 103 should also be adjusted to the critical threshold for determining the latch-up effect of the target device 301 under the current circuit resistance value, i.e., adjusting the first latch-up threshold to the second latch-up threshold. This is because the latch-up threshold corresponding to the target device 301 is related to its input potential, referring to... Figure 2 The base potential of the well / substrate is used as the base potential. When disturbed, it needs to form a certain potential difference with the emitter (supply potential) before the transistor can be turned on. However, if the circuit resistance value is different, the input potential of the target device 301 will be different, and the critical threshold for latch-up effect of the target device 301 will also be different.

[0076] In this embodiment, the latch-up threshold module 105 provides a first latch-up threshold or a second latch-up threshold to the comparison module 103. The input terminal of the comparison module 103 is electrically connected to the second terminal of the power gating module 101, and the second terminal of the current limiting module 102 is also electrically connected to the second terminal of the power gating module 101. Therefore, the input terminal of the comparison module 103 is also electrically connected to the second terminal of the current limiting module 102. When no latch-up effect occurs in the target device 301, the latch-up protection circuit 10 is in its initial state. In this initial state, the power gating module 101 is turned on and the current limiting module 102 is turned off, and the latch-up threshold module 105 sends the first latch-up threshold to the comparison module 103. When a latch-up effect occurs in the target device 301, the power gating module 101 is turned off and the current limiting module 102 is turned on. The latch-up current gradually decreases under the influence of the current limiting module 102, and the potential value of the second terminal of the current limiting module 102 also changes accordingly. Then, to further determine whether the target device 301 has released the latch-up effect, the first latch-up threshold needs to be adjusted to the second latch-up threshold. This makes the second latch-up threshold more closely match the circuit resistance value in the electrical circuit after the latch-up effect occurs, allowing the control module 104 to more accurately determine whether the target device 301 has released the latch-up effect based on the comparison result of the comparison module 103. The threshold adjustment signal is sent by the control module 104 to the latch-up threshold module 105 when the power gating module 101 is off and the current limiting module 102 is on.

[0077] In one specific implementation, the latch-up threshold of the target device 301 under different loop resistance values ​​can be calculated based on circuit parameters according to the latch-up effect principle. Alternatively, it can be given through simulation based on the actual environmental scenario parameter response of the target device 301. Specifically, for simple module units, when their internal circuit structure and transistor-level electrical parameters are known, their latch-up threshold under different loop resistance values ​​can be estimated using the latch-up effect principle. For IP units (black boxes) whose internal structure or circuit parameters are unknown, the latch-up threshold can be obtained through latch-up simulation or actual environmental scenario parameter testing. This is merely an example, and the embodiments of this application do not impose limitations.

[0078] In this embodiment, the latch-up threshold module 105 is electrically connected to the comparison module 103 and the control module 104 respectively. The latch-up threshold module 105 is used to adjust the first latch-up threshold to the second latch-up threshold in response to the threshold adjustment signal sent by the control module 104. Since the second latch-up threshold is the latch-up threshold corresponding to the target device 301 when the power gating module 101 is turned off and the current limiting module 102 reduces the latch-up current, the second latch-up threshold matches the circuit resistance of the electrical circuit of the power input terminal 201, the current limiting module 102 and the target device 301 when the power gating module 101 is turned off and the current limiting module 102 is turned on. This makes the comparison result obtained by the comparison module 103 based on the second latch-up threshold more accurate.

[0079] Optionally, the latch threshold module 105 includes:

[0080] Voltage divider resistor unit 1051 includes a plurality of first resistors 10511; voltage divider resistor unit 1051 is used to divide a reference voltage through the plurality of first resistors 10511.

[0081] The transmission control unit 1052 is electrically connected to the comparison module 103, the control module 104, and the voltage divider resistor unit 1051, respectively. The transmission control unit 1052 is used to respond to the threshold adjustment signal sent by the control module 104, obtain the second latching threshold according to the voltage division result of the multiple first resistors 10511, and send the second latching threshold to the comparison module 103.

[0082] In this embodiment, the voltage divider resistor unit 1051 can be electrically connected to a reference voltage source and divides the reference voltage transmitted from the reference voltage source through multiple first resistors 10511. When no latch-up occurs in the target device 301, the transmission control unit 1052 can respond to the default enable signal sent by the control module 104, obtain the threshold voltage indicated by the default enable signal based on the voltage division result of the multiple first resistors 10511, and send this threshold voltage as the first latch-up threshold to the comparison module 103. When a latch-up occurs in the target device 301, the transmission control unit 1052 can respond to the threshold adjustment signal sent by the control module 104, obtain the threshold voltage indicated by the threshold adjustment signal based on the voltage division result of the multiple first resistors 10511, and send this threshold voltage as the second latch-up threshold to the comparison module 103.

[0083] Optionally, multiple first resistors 10511 are connected in series to form a first resistor string;

[0084] The first end of the first resistor string is grounded, and the second end of the first resistor string is used to receive the reference voltage.

[0085] The transmission control unit 1052 is electrically connected to the wires led out from the preset position in the first resistor string.

[0086] In this embodiment, the second end of the first resistor string can be electrically connected to a reference voltage source to receive the reference voltage transmitted by the reference voltage source. The first resistor string can include multiple preset positions, and the wires leading out from the preset positions are electrically connected to the transmission control unit 1052. Multiple first resistors 10511 connected in series divide the reference voltage; the resistance values ​​of each first resistor 10511 can be equal or unequal, and this embodiment does not impose any restrictions on this. The transmission control unit 1052 can obtain the threshold voltage corresponding to the first latch-up threshold or the second latch-up threshold based on the voltage value corresponding to the preset position.

[0087] In this embodiment, since multiple first resistors 10511 are connected in series to form a first resistor string, the first end of the first resistor string is grounded, and the second end of the first resistor string is used to receive a reference voltage. In this way, the reference voltage can be divided by the first resistor string, and voltage signals of different magnitudes can be easily obtained at different preset positions of the first resistor string. Since the transmission control unit 1052 is electrically connected to the wires led out from the preset positions in the first resistor string, the transmission control unit 1052 can obtain the first latch-up threshold or the second latch-up threshold from the first resistor string according to the voltage division result of the multiple first resistors 10511, which can improve the practicality of the latch-up protection circuit 10 in this embodiment.

[0088] Optionally, the transmission control unit 1052 includes a plurality of transmission gates 10521, which are connected in parallel with each other;

[0089] The first end of the transmission gate 10521 is electrically connected to the comparison module 103, and the second end of the transmission gate 10521 is electrically connected to the target resistor; wherein, the target resistor is the first resistor 10511 in the voltage divider resistor unit 1051 that corresponds to the transmission gate 10521.

[0090] The control terminal of the transmission gate 10521 is electrically connected to the control module 104.

[0091] In this embodiment, the control terminal of transmission gate 10521 can be turned on or off under the control of an enable (EN) signal sent by control module 104. In practical applications, multiple registers can be configured to generate the EN signal. Transmission gate 10521 can respond to a first enable signal sent by control module 104, turning on the first resistor 10511 (i.e., the target resistor) in the comparison module 103 and the voltage divider resistor unit 1051. The first enable signal can be an EN signal that controls the transmission gate 10521 to turn on. Multiple transmission gates 10521 can adjust the latching threshold value sent to comparison module 103 under the control of the enable (EN) signal sent by control module 104.

[0092] For example, in the initial state, when the target device 301 does not experience latch-up, the control module 104 can send a default enable signal to control multiple transmission gates 10521 to obtain a first latch-up threshold from the first resistor string and send the first latch-up threshold to the comparison module 103. Alternatively, when the target device 301 experiences latch-up, the control module 104 can send a threshold adjustment signal to adjust the position and number of the conducting transmission gates 10521, obtain a second latch-up threshold from the first resistor string, and send the second latch-up threshold to the comparison module 103, thereby adjusting the first latch-up threshold to the second latch-up threshold.

[0093] In the prior art, see Figure 4 The voltage comparison module compares the voltage signal of the electrical circuit with a reference voltage signal to determine whether latch-up has occurred in the CMOS device. The reference voltage signal is obtained by dividing the power supply using voltage divider resistors. However, in existing technologies, different resistance values ​​of the voltage divider resistors are selected before circuit implementation to obtain reference voltage signals of different magnitudes, and the magnitude of the reference voltage signal cannot be adjusted after circuit implementation.

[0094] In this embodiment, multiple first resistors 10511 in the voltage divider resistor unit 1051 are connected in series to form a first resistor string. For any transmission gate 10521 in the transmission control unit 1052, the first end of the transmission gate 10521 is electrically connected to the comparison module 103, and the second end of the transmission gate 10521 is electrically connected to a wire led out from a preset position in the first resistor string. The first resistor 10511 corresponding to the transmission gate 10521 can be an adjacent first resistor 10511 in the first resistor string at the preset position. The first resistor string divides the reference voltage. The control module 104 can control the corresponding transmission gate 10521 to be turned on or off by sending an enable (EN) signal to multiple transmission gates 10521, thereby dynamically adjusting the latch-up threshold value sent by the transmission control unit 1052 to the comparison module 103, enhancing the controllability of the latch-up protection circuit 10, and making the latch-up protection circuit 10 more convenient when reused in different module units.

[0095] In this embodiment, the transmission control unit 1052 includes multiple transmission gates 10521 connected in parallel. The first end of each transmission gate 10521 is electrically connected to the comparison module 103, and the second end is electrically connected to a target resistor, which is the first resistor 10511 in the voltage divider resistor unit 1051 corresponding to the transmission gate 10521. The control terminal of each transmission gate 10521 is electrically connected to the control module 104. Thus, the transmission gates 10521 can control whether the first resistor 10511 in the voltage divider resistor unit 1051 is connected to the comparison module 103. In practical applications, the control module 104 can adjust the position and number of the connected transmission gates 10521 in the transmission control unit 1052, thereby adjusting the latching threshold value sent by the transmission control unit 1052 to the comparison module 103, which improves the practicality of the latching protection circuit 10 in this embodiment.

[0096] In this embodiment, the latch-up threshold module 105 includes a voltage divider resistor unit 1051 and a transmission control unit 1052. The voltage divider resistor unit 1051 can divide a reference voltage using multiple first resistors 10511 to obtain voltage signals of different magnitudes. The transmission control unit 1052 can respond to a threshold adjustment signal sent by the control module 104, and obtain different latch-up thresholds based on the voltage division results of the multiple first resistors 10511 in the voltage divider resistor unit 1051. This allows the first latch-up threshold to be adjusted to a second latch-up threshold, and the second latch-up threshold is then sent to the comparison module 103. Thus, in practical applications, the latch-up threshold sent to the comparison module 103 can be dynamically adjusted by the control module 104, improving the controllability and reusability of the latch-up protection circuit 10 in this embodiment.

[0097] Optionally, the comparison module 103 includes: a first input terminal 1031, a second input terminal 1032, and a comparison output terminal 1033;

[0098] The first input terminal 1031 is electrically connected to the second terminal of the power gating module 101 and the second terminal of the current limiting module 102, respectively; the second input terminal 1032 is electrically connected to the latch threshold module 105; and the comparison output terminal 1033 is electrically connected to the control module 104.

[0099] The comparison module 103 is also used to obtain a second potential value from the second terminal of the current limiting module 102 when the current limiting module 102 reduces the latching current, compare the second potential value with the second latching threshold to obtain a second comparison result, and send the second comparison result to the control module 104.

[0100] In this embodiment of the application, when the target device 301 does not experience latch-up, the power gating module 101 is turned on and the current limiting module 102 is turned off. The first input terminal 1031 of the comparison module 103 can obtain the first potential value from the second terminal of the power gating module 101, and the second input terminal 1032 of the comparison module 103 receives the first latch-up threshold sent by the latch-up threshold module 105.

[0101] In this embodiment, when latch-up occurs in the target device 301, the power gating module 101 is turned off and the current limiting module 102 is turned on. The current limiting module 102 reduces the latch-up current, causing a change in the input potential of the target device 301. Consequently, the latch-up threshold corresponding to the target device 301 also changes due to the change in the input potential. Figure 6 As shown, the first input terminal 1031 of the comparison module 103 can obtain a second potential value from the second terminal of the current limiting module 102, and the second input terminal 1032 of the comparison module 103 receives a second latch-up threshold sent by the latch-up threshold module 105. The comparison module 103 can compare the second potential value with the second latch-up threshold to obtain a second comparison result, which matches the latch-up threshold corresponding to the current target device 301, i.e., the second latch-up threshold. The comparison module 103 can send the second comparison result to the control module 104 through the comparison output terminal 1033, so that the control module 104 can further determine whether the latch-up effect of the target device 301 is released based on the second comparison result.

[0102] In one specific implementation, when latch-up occurs in target device 301, the input potential of target device 301 abnormally drops and exceeds a threshold. When the current limiting module 102 reduces the latch-up current of target device 301, the relationship between the potential value at the second terminal of the current limiting module 102 and the second latch-up threshold can be used to determine whether the latch-up effect of target device 301 has been released. Specifically, if the second potential value is greater than the second latch-up threshold, it indicates that the current in the electrical circuit has returned to normal, meaning the latch-up effect of target device 301 has been released. Conversely, if the second potential value is less than the second latch-up threshold, it indicates that the current in the electrical circuit is still too high, and the latch-up effect of target device 301 has not yet been released.

[0103] In this embodiment, the first input terminal 1031 of the comparison module 103 is electrically connected to the second terminal of the power gating module 101 and the second terminal of the current limiting module 102, respectively. The second input terminal 1032 of the comparison module 103 is electrically connected to the latch-up threshold module 105. The comparison output terminal 1033 of the comparison module 103 is electrically connected to the control module 104. In this way, the comparison module 103 can obtain a first potential value from the second terminal of the power gating module 101 when the target device 301 does not experience a latch-up effect, compare the first potential value with the first latch-up threshold to obtain a first comparison result, and obtain a second potential value from the second terminal of the current limiting module 102 when the target device 301 experiences a latch-up effect and the current limiting module 102 reduces the latch-up current, compare the second potential value with the second latch-up threshold to obtain a second comparison result. The comparison module 103 can send the first comparison result corresponding to the first potential value or the second comparison result corresponding to the second potential value to the control module 104 through the comparison output terminal 1033, which can improve the practicality of the latch-up protection circuit 10 in this embodiment.

[0104] Optionally, the current limiting module 102 includes:

[0105] The first resistor component 1021 has a resistance value that is not less than a preset first resistance threshold.

[0106] The first switch assembly 1022 is connected in series with the first resistor assembly 1021, and the control terminal of the first switch assembly 1022 is electrically connected to the control module 104. The first switch assembly 1022 is used to disconnect the power supply input terminal 201 from the target device 301 in response to a power-off control signal. The power-off control signal is sent by the control module 104 when the second comparison result of the comparison module 103 indicates that the target device 301 has not released the latch-up effect.

[0107] In this embodiment, the first resistance threshold is used to limit the minimum resistance value of the first resistor component 1021. The resistance value of the first resistor component 1021 is not less than the first resistance threshold. Thus, when the first resistor component 1021 is connected to the electrical circuit between the power supply input terminal 201 and the target device 301, the total resistance of the circuit increases, thereby reducing the large current, i.e., reducing the latch-up current of the target device 301 through the first resistor component 1021. The first resistance threshold can be determined based on actual circuit parameters; this embodiment does not impose such a limitation.

[0108] For example, the resistance value of the first resistor component 1021 can be set according to the increase in loop current when the target device 301 experiences latch-up, so that the first resistor component 1021 can reduce the large loop current after being connected to the electrical circuit, preventing excessive current from damaging the device. Theoretically, the increase in loop current is related to... Figure 2 The amplification factor of the parasitic transistor in the circuit shown is related to the circuit current. Severe latch-up can cause the loop current to increase by tens to hundreds of times. When the internal resistance of the device itself is not large, the value of the first resistor component 1021 is usually 500 ohms to 1,000 ohms. In practical applications, the value of the first resistor component 1021 can be determined by simulation based on the target device 301 used. This application embodiment does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0109] In this embodiment, when the first comparison result of the comparison module 103 indicates that the target device 301 has a latch-up effect, the control module 104 can send a current-limiting control signal to the first switching component 1022. In response to the current-limiting control signal, the first switching component 1022 can connect the power supply input terminal 201, the first resistor component 1021, and the target device 301, thereby connecting the first resistor component 1021 to the electrical circuit between the power supply input terminal 201 and the target device 301, reducing the latch-up current of the target device 301. When the control module 104 controls the power gating module 101 to turn off, the power supply current input to the power supply input terminal 201 can only pass through the first resistor component 1021.

[0110] In this embodiment, when the current limiting module 102 reduces the latch-up current, if the second comparison result indicates that the target device 301 has not released the latch-up effect, the control module 104 can send a power-off control signal to the first switching component 1022. The first switching component 1022 can respond to the power-off control signal by disconnecting the power supply input terminal 201 from the target device 301, thus completely de-energizing the target device 301. In this way, the latch-up current of the target device 301 disappears, thereby releasing the latch-up effect of the target device 301.

[0111] The latch-up protection circuit 10 of this application embodiment provides two paths between the power supply input terminal 201 and the target device 301: a power gating module 101 and a current limiting module 102. When the target device 302 does not experience latch-up, the power supply current flows to the target device 301 through the power gating module 101, at which time the current limiting module 101 is turned off. When the target device 301 experiences latch-up, the power gating module 101 is turned off while the current limiting module 102 is turned on. The current limiting module 102 reduces the latch-up current of the target device 301, thereby releasing the latch-up effect. This avoids the problem of frequent power outages and restarts caused by directly cutting off power to the target device 301 in the prior art.

[0112] In this embodiment, the current limiting module 102 includes a first resistor component 1021 and a first switch component 1022. The first switch component 1022 is connected in series with the first resistor component 1021. The control terminal of the first switch component 1022 is electrically connected to the control module 104. Since the resistance value of the first resistor component 1021 is not less than a preset first resistance threshold, the loop resistance value of the electrical circuit between the power supply input terminal 201 and the target device 301 can be adjusted based on the first resistor component 1021. Since the power-off control signal is sent by the control module 104 when the second comparison result of the comparison module 103 indicates that the target device 301 has not released the latch-up effect, the first switch component 1022 responds to the power-off control signal by disconnecting the power supply input terminal 201 from the target device 301, which can completely de-energize the target device 301, eliminate the latch-up current of the target device 301, thereby releasing the latch-up effect of the target device 301, avoiding damage to the target device 301 by the latch-up current, and improving the safety of the target device 301.

[0113] Optionally, the control module 104 includes:

[0114] Timing unit 1041 is electrically connected to comparison module 103; timing unit 1041 is used to perform timing when the second comparison result of comparison module 103 characterizes the target device 301 as having released the latch-up effect.

[0115] The switch control unit 1042 is electrically connected to the timing unit 1041, the power gating module 101, and the current limiting module 102 respectively. The switch control unit 1042 is used to control the power gating module 101 to conduct the power input terminal 201 and the target device 301 when the timing time of the timing unit 1041 is not less than a preset time threshold.

[0116] In this embodiment of the application, after the latch-up effect of the target device 301 is released, the target device 301 can be timed to restore power, such as... Figure 7As shown, timing can be performed through the timing unit 1041 of the control module 104. If the timing time is not less than a preset time threshold, the power gating module 101 is turned on by the switch control unit 1042 of the control module 104. The power gating module 101 then connects the power input terminal 201 to the target device 301, ensuring that the power supply connected to the power input terminal 201 powers the target device 301. In practical applications, the control module 104 can use a watchdog circuit to implement the timing-restored power-on control logic.

[0117] In this embodiment, the preset time threshold can be determined according to actual application requirements. For example, for dedicated integrated circuits in certain specific environments, the timing time can be given according to the actual environmental response test of the target device 301 to ensure that the target device 301 completely avoids the disturbances caused by the specific environment.

[0118] In one specific implementation, after the control module 104 controls the current limiting module 102 to reduce the latch-up current of the target device 301, if the second potential value obtained from the second terminal of the current limiting module 102 is greater than the second latch-up threshold, it indicates that the target device 301 has released the latch-up effect. The switch control unit 1042 can send control signals to the power gating module 101 and the current limiting module 102 respectively, first controlling the power gating module 101 to turn on and then controlling the current limiting module 102 to turn off, thereby connecting the electrical circuit between the power input terminal 201, the power gating module 101 and the target device 301, so that the power supply current supplies power to the target device 301 through the power gating module 101.

[0119] In another specific implementation, when the second comparison result of the comparison module 103 indicates that the target device 301 has released the latch-up effect, the current limiting module 102 can be controlled to turn off, so that the target device 301 is completely de-energized and thus the latch-up effect is released. Since the first switch component 1022 in the current limiting module 102 has been disconnected, when the timing is restored to power-on, the switch control unit 1042 only needs to control the power gating module 101 to turn on, conduct the power supply input terminal 201 and the target device 301, so that the target device 301 continues to work.

[0120] In this embodiment, the control module 104 includes a timing unit 1041 and a switch control unit 1042. The timing unit 1041 is electrically connected to the comparison module 103, and the switch control unit 1042 is electrically connected to the timing unit 1041, the power gating module 101, and the current limiting module 102, respectively. Since the timing unit 1041 is used to time the event when the second comparison result of the comparison module 103 indicates that the target device 301 has released the latch-up effect, the switch control unit 1042 is used to control the power gating module 101 to connect the power input terminal 201 to the target device 301 when the timing time of the timing unit 1041 is not less than a preset time threshold. Thus, in practical applications, by setting a preset time threshold, the timing recovery power-on action of the target device 301 after the latch-up effect is released can be conveniently controlled, making the power-on action of the target device 301 controllable and improving the practicality of the latch-up protection circuit 10 in this embodiment.

[0121] Optionally, the power gating module 101 includes multiple gating sub-units 1011; the multiple gating sub-units 1011 are connected in parallel with each other;

[0122] The first end of the gate control subunit 1011 is used to connect to the power supply input terminal 201, the second end of the gate control subunit 1011 is used to connect to the target device 301, and the control terminal of the gate control subunit 1011 is electrically connected to the control module 104.

[0123] The gate control subunit 1011 is used to turn on the power supply input terminal 201 and the target device 301 in response to the voltage adjustment signal; wherein, the voltage adjustment signal is sent by the control module 104 when the difference between the power supply voltage of the target device 301 and the standard input voltage of the target device 301 is greater than a preset difference threshold.

[0124] In this embodiment, the comparison module 103 obtains a first potential value from the second terminal of the power gating module 101. The comparison module 103 compares the first potential value with a first latch-up threshold. The first potential value represents the current input potential of the target device 301. When the input potential of the target device 301 abnormally drops and exceeds the threshold, that is, when the first potential value is less than the first latch-up threshold, it is determined that the target device 301 has experienced a latch-up effect. Therefore, the input potential of the target device 301 needs to remain as stable as possible under the influence of other factors, including process, temperature, and other external interferences that cause voltage transmission fluctuations in power supply, wiring, etc.

[0125] In this embodiment, the power gating module 101 includes multiple gating sub-units 1011 connected in parallel. The control module 104 can send control signals to the control terminals of each gating sub-unit 1011 to control the gating sub-units 1011 to turn them on or off, thereby changing the number of gating sub-units 1011 connected to the electrical circuit in the power gating module 101. This adjusts the circuit resistance value of the electrical circuit, thereby adjusting the input potential of the target device 301, keeping the input potential of the target device 301 stable, reducing the fluctuation of the power supply voltage of the target device 301 relative to the standard input voltage of the target device 301, avoiding misjudgment due to voltage fluctuations when the target device 301 has not experienced latch-up, or the problem of failure to identify the target device 301 when latch-up has occurred, thus improving the accuracy of the latch-up protection circuit 10.

[0126] In this embodiment, for any gate control subunit 1011, the first end of the gate control subunit 1011 is used to connect to the power supply input terminal 201, the second end of the gate control subunit 1011 is used to connect to the target device 301, and the control terminal of the gate control subunit 1011 is electrically connected to the control module 104, and can be turned on or off in response to the control signal sent by the control module 104. Specifically, when the difference between the power supply voltage of the target device 301 and the standard input voltage of the target device 301 is greater than a preset difference threshold, the control module 104 can send a voltage adjustment signal to one or more gate control subunits 1011 in the power supply gate control module 101 to control the gate control subunit 1011 to be turned on, so that the gate control subunit 1011 is connected to the electrical circuit between the power supply input terminal 201 and the target device 301, and can change the resistance value of the circuit to adjust the input potential of the target device 301, so that the input potential tends to be stable and the difference between the power supply voltage of the target device 301 and the standard input voltage of the target device 301 is reduced. The preset difference threshold can be determined according to actual needs, and this application embodiment does not impose any restrictions on it.

[0127] Optionally, the gating subunit 1011 includes:

[0128] The resistance value of the second resistor component 1011a is not greater than a preset second resistance threshold.

[0129] The second switch assembly 1011b is connected in series with the second resistor assembly 1011a, and the control terminal of the second switch assembly 1011b is electrically connected to the control module 104.

[0130] In this embodiment, the gate control subunit 1011 can be composed of a series switch and a small resistor. Specifically, the gate control subunit 1011 includes a second resistor component 1011a and a second switch component 1011b. The resistance value of the second resistor component 1011a is not greater than a preset second resistance threshold. The second resistance threshold is used to limit the maximum resistance value of the second resistor component 1011a. Thus, when the second resistor component 1011a is connected to the electrical circuit between the power supply input terminal 201 and the target device 301, the circuit resistance value can be adjusted in a fine-grained manner. In practical applications, the control module 104 can send control signals to the control terminals of each second switch component 1011b to adjust the number of second switch components 1011b that are turned on in the power gate module 101, thereby fine-grained adjustment of the input potential of the target device 301.

[0131] In this embodiment, the gate control subunit 1011 includes a second resistor component 1011a and a second switch component 1011b. The second switch component 1011b is connected in series with the second resistor component 1011a. The control terminal of the second switch component 1011b is electrically connected to the control module 104. Since the resistance value of the second resistor component 1011a is not greater than a preset second resistance threshold, when the gate control subunit 1011 conducts the power supply input terminal 201 and the target device 301, the second switch component 1011b and the second resistor component 1011a are connected to the electrical circuit of the power supply input terminal 201 and the target device 301, and the circuit resistance value can be changed through the second resistor component 1011a. In practical applications, the number of second resistor components 1011a connected to the electrical circuit can be adjusted by the control module 104 to change the circuit resistance value, thereby finely adjusting the input potential of the target device 301, improving the stability of the input potential of the target device 301, and making the judgment result of the protection circuit 10 of this application embodiment on the latch-up effect of the target device 301 more accurate.

[0132] In this embodiment, the power gating module 101 includes multiple gating sub-units 1011. These sub-units 1011 are connected in parallel. A first end of each sub-unit 1011 is connected to the power input terminal 201, and a second end is connected to the target device 301. The control terminal of each sub-unit 1011 is electrically connected to the control module 104. Since each sub-unit 1011 can respond to a voltage adjustment signal, it can connect the power input terminal 201 and the target device 301. The voltage adjustment signal is sent by the control module 104 when the difference between the power supply voltage of the target device 301 and its standard input voltage exceeds a preset difference threshold. Thus, by adjusting the number of gating sub-units 1011 connected to the electrical circuit in the power gating module 101, the circuit resistance value can be changed, thereby adjusting the input potential of the target device 301. This prevents voltage transmission fluctuations from affecting the latch-up threshold of the target device 301, improving the accuracy of the latch-up protection circuit 10.

[0133] Figure 8 This is a circuit diagram of another latching protection circuit 10 provided in the embodiments of this application, as follows: Figure 8 As shown, the power input terminal 201 and the target device 301, which is prone to latch-up, form a complete electrical circuit. The power input terminal 201 can be connected to the power supply VCC1. In the power gating module 101, the second resistor component 1011a can be a small resistor r1, r2...rx, and the second switch component 1011b can be a switch S1, S2...Sx, forming a power switch array. One gating subunit 1011 includes a switch and a small resistor, and multiple gating subunits 1011 are connected in parallel. The current limiting module 102 includes a first resistor component 1021 (large resistor R0) and a first switch component 1022 (switch S0). The switch S0 and the large resistor R0 are connected in series to serve as a current limiting path, which can reduce latch-up current. The comparison module 103 can be a comparator, which includes a non-inverting input terminal (first input terminal 1031), an inverting input terminal (second input terminal 1032), and an output terminal (comparison output terminal 1033). When no latch-up occurs in the target device 301, the non-inverting input of the comparator can receive the first potential value of the second terminal of the power gating module 101, and the inverting input of the comparator can receive the first latch-up threshold sent by the transmission control unit 1052 of the latch-up threshold module 105. When a latch-up occurs in the target device 301, the non-inverting input of the comparator can receive the second potential value of the second terminal of the current limiting module 102, and the inverting input of the comparator can receive the second latch-up threshold sent by the transmission control unit 1052. The input of the control module 104 is electrically connected to the output of the comparator, and the output of the control module 104 is electrically connected to the control terminals of the switching components in the power gating module 101 and the current limiting module 102, respectively.

[0134] See Figure 8 The voltage divider resistor unit 1051 of the latch-up threshold module 105 is a first resistor string composed of resistors R1, R2...Rx. The first end of the first resistor string is grounded, and the second end of the first resistor string can be connected to the reference voltage source VCC2. A transmission gate TG is connected in series between the wire led out from a preset position in the first resistor string and the inverting input terminal of the comparator. The transmission control unit 1052 includes multiple transmission gates 10521, which are connected in parallel. The control terminals of the transmission gates 10521 can be electrically connected to the control module 104. The control module 104 can control the transmission gates 10521 to be turned on or off via an enable (EN) signal, for example... Figure 8 enable signal in EN_A、 EN_B. In practical applications, multiple registers can be configured to generate enable signals, adjusting the position and number of the activated transmission gates 10521 in the transmission control unit 1052. A capacitor (C) can be connected to the input terminal of the target device 301; the capacitor can compensate for the voltage drop across the circuit resistance and protect the dynamic characteristics of the target device 301. For example... Figure 8 The latch protection circuit 10 shown has functions such as adjustable loop resistance, latch threshold switching, and timed power-on recovery. The circuit design is simple, easy to reuse, more controllable, and has a wider range of applications. It can be used in dedicated integrated circuits in specific environments.

[0135] This application provides a chip that includes a latch-up protection circuit 10 as described in the foregoing embodiments.

[0136] In this embodiment, the latch-up protection circuit 10 can be integrated into the chip. It determines whether a latch-up effect has occurred in a module unit by detecting an abnormal voltage drop at the power supply input resistor of the module unit that is prone to latch-up. The latch-up current is limited by the current limiting module 102 in the latch-up protection circuit 10, or the latch-up effect is released by directly cutting off the power to the module unit, i.e., the target device 301, so that the module unit can continue to work and avoid damage to the module unit caused by large current.

[0137] The chip in this application embodiment has the same advantages as the prior art and circuit embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0138] This application provides an electronic device that includes the chip described in the foregoing embodiments.

[0139] This application provides another electronic device 40, such as... Figure 9 As shown, the electronic device 40 includes a latch protection circuit 10 as described in the foregoing embodiments.

[0140] The electronic devices of the present application have the same advantages as those of the prior art and circuit embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0141] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element. Furthermore, it should be noted that the scope of the methods and apparatuses in the embodiments of this application is not limited to performing functions in the order shown or discussed, but may also include performing functions substantially simultaneously or in the reverse order, depending on the functions involved. For example, the described methods may be performed in a different order than described, and various steps may be added, omitted, or combined. Additionally, features described with reference to certain examples may be combined in other examples.

[0142] The embodiments of this application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and all of these forms are within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A protection circuit (10), characterized in that, The protection circuit (10) includes: A power gating module (101) is provided, wherein the first end of the power gating module (101) is used to connect to the power input terminal (201), and the second end of the power gating module (101) is used to connect to the target device (301). A current limiting module (102) is provided, wherein the first end of the current limiting module (102) is electrically connected to the first end of the power gating module (101), and the second end of the current limiting module (102) is electrically connected to the second end of the power gating module (101). A comparison module (103) is electrically connected to the second terminal of the power gating module (101); the comparison module (103) is used to obtain a first potential value from the second terminal of the power gating module (101) and compare the first potential value with a preset first latch-up threshold to obtain a first comparison result; A control module (104) is electrically connected to the power gating module (101), the current limiting module (102), and the comparison module (103), respectively. The control module (104) is used to control the power gating module (101) to turn off and control the current limiting module (102) to reduce the latch-up current of the target device (301) when the first comparison result indicates that the target device (301) has a latch-up effect.

2. The protection circuit (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The protection circuit (10) also includes: A latch threshold module (105) is electrically connected to the comparison module (103) and the control module (104), respectively. The latch threshold module (105) is used to adjust the first latch threshold to a second latch threshold in response to a threshold adjustment signal sent by the control module (104); wherein the second latch threshold is the latch threshold corresponding to the target device (301) when the power gating module (101) is turned off and the current limiting module (102) reduces the latch current.

3. The protection circuit (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that, The latch threshold module (105) includes: A voltage divider resistor unit (1051) includes a plurality of first resistors (10511); the voltage divider resistor unit (1051) is used to divide a reference voltage through the plurality of first resistors (10511); A transmission control unit (1052) is electrically connected to the comparison module (103), the control module (104), and the voltage divider resistor unit (1051), respectively. The transmission control unit (1052) is used to respond to the threshold adjustment signal sent by the control module (104), obtain the second latching threshold according to the voltage division result of the plurality of first resistors (10511), and send the second latching threshold to the comparison module (103).

4. The protection circuit (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The plurality of first resistors (10511) are connected in series to form a first resistor string; The first end of the first resistor string is grounded, and the second end of the first resistor string is used to receive the reference voltage. The transmission control unit (1052) is electrically connected to the wires led out from the preset position in the first resistor string.

5. The protection circuit (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The transmission control unit (1052) includes multiple transmission gates (10521); The first end of the transmission gate (10521) is electrically connected to the comparison module (103), and the second end of the transmission gate (10521) is electrically connected to the target resistor; wherein, the target resistor is the first resistor (10511) in the voltage divider resistor unit (1051) corresponding to the transmission gate (10521). The control terminal of the transmission gate (10521) is electrically connected to the control module (104).

6. The protection circuit (10) according to any one of claims 2-5, characterized in that, The comparison module (103) includes: a first input terminal (1031), a second input terminal (1032), and a comparison output terminal (1033); The first input terminal (1031) is electrically connected to the second terminal of the power gating module (101) and the second terminal of the current limiting module (102), respectively; the second input terminal (1032) is electrically connected to the latch threshold module (105); and the comparison output terminal (1033) is electrically connected to the control module (104). The comparison module (103) is further configured to, when the current limiting module (102) reduces the latching current, obtain a second potential value from the second terminal of the current limiting module (102), compare the second potential value with the second latching threshold to obtain a second comparison result, and send the second comparison result to the control module (104).

7. The protection circuit (10) according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The current limiting module (102) includes: The first resistor component (1021) has a resistance value not less than a preset first resistance threshold. A first switching component (1022) is connected in series with a first resistor component (1021), and the control terminal of the first switching component (1022) is electrically connected to the control module (104). The first switching component (1022) is used to disconnect the power supply input terminal (201) from the target device (301) in response to a power-off control signal. The power-off control signal is sent by the control module (104) when the second comparison result of the comparison module (103) indicates that the target device (301) has not released the latch-up effect.

8. The protection circuit (10) according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The control module (104) includes: A timing unit (1041) is electrically connected to the comparison module (103); the timing unit (1041) is used to perform timing when the second comparison result of the comparison module (103) indicates that the target device (301) has released the latch-up effect; A switch control unit (1042) is electrically connected to the timing unit (1041), the power gating module (101), and the current limiting module (102), respectively. The switch control unit (1042) is used to control the power gating module (101) to connect the power input terminal (201) to the target device (301) when the timing time of the timing unit (1041) is not less than a preset time threshold.

9. The protection circuit (10) according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The power gating module (101) includes multiple gating sub-units (1011); the multiple gating sub-units (1011) are connected in parallel with each other; The first end of the gate control subunit (1011) is used to connect to the power supply input terminal (201), the second end of the gate control subunit (1011) is used to connect to the target device (301), and the control terminal of the gate control subunit (1011) is electrically connected to the control module (104). The gate control subunit (1011) is used to turn on the power supply input terminal (201) and the target device (301) in response to a voltage adjustment signal; wherein the voltage adjustment signal is sent by the control module (104) when the difference between the power supply voltage of the target device (301) and the standard input voltage of the target device (301) is greater than a preset difference threshold.

10. The protection circuit (10) according to claim 9, characterized in that, The gate control subunit (1011) includes: The second resistor component (1011a) has a resistance value that is not greater than a preset second resistance threshold. The second switch assembly (1011b) is connected in series with the second resistor assembly (1011a), and the control terminal of the second switch assembly (1011b) is electrically connected to the control module (104).

11. A chip, characterized in that, The chip includes a protection circuit (10) as described in any one of claims 1-10.

12. An electronic device, characterized in that, The electronic device includes the chip as described in claim 11.

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