Array E-Fuse Power Control Circuit for Boot-Up Voltage Management

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Semiconductor devices with array e-fuses face high current leakage and additional current consumption due to low threshold voltages, especially during normal operations, leading to increased power consumption.

Innovation Solution

A semiconductor device with a power control unit that generates driving voltages during boot-up and stops their generation upon completion of the boot-up operation, using a boot-up end signal to prevent further voltage supply to the array e-fuse, thereby reducing current consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If the array e-fuse operates at low threshold voltage for high speed operation, then operating speed is improved, but current leakage increases leading to higher power consumption

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperating speedVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies periodic action by enabling the array e-fuse operation only during the boot-up period when the power-up signal is active, and disabling it during normal operation. The power-up signal generates driving voltages periodically only when needed for boot-up, thereby achieving high-speed operation during boot-up while preventing continuous power consumption during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

2Ease of operation

If the array e-fuse is continuously operated for data reading, then data accessibility is improved, but current consumption increases due to low threshold voltage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata accessibilityVSAvoidcurrent consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by reading and latching all e-fuse data during the boot-up operation before normal operation begins. This preliminary data retrieval eliminates the need for continuous e-fuse access during normal operation, thereby ensuring data accessibility is established upfront while preventing continuous current consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If driving voltages are continuously supplied to the array e-fuse, then operational readiness is improved, but power consumption increases during normal operation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational readinessVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the driving voltage supply dynamic rather than static. The power-up signal controls the generation of driving voltages, enabling them during boot-up and disabling them during normal operation. This dynamic voltage supply ensures operational readiness when needed while eliminating continuous power consumption during stationary normal operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS9557788B2Semiconductor memory device including array e-fuse

Publication Date: 2017.01.31 SK HYNIX INC

AI summary

A semiconductor device includes a fuse unit comprising an array e-fuse and suitable for generating a boot-up end signal when a boot-up operation ends, a power generation unit suitable for generating a plurality of driving voltages for the fuse unit in response to a power-up signal indicating start of the boot-up operation and a power control unit suitable for controlling the generation of the driving voltages in response to the power-up signal and the boot-up end signal.