Capacitor Charging Circuit With ESD Leakage Cancellation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor devices experience variations in reset release delay times due to temperature fluctuations caused by leakage currents through ESD protectors, affecting the reliability and consistency of reset signals.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a current injector with a current mirror to cancel leakage currents by mirroring them and injecting an equal current into the charging path, thereby stabilizing the reset release delay time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an ESD protector is connected to the capacitor connection terminal, then the device gains electrostatic discharge protection capability, but leakage current flows through the ESD protector causing temperature rise and variations in reset release delay time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful leakage current from the ESD protector into a useful compensating signal. By using a current mirror circuit to detect and replicate the leakage current, the system injects an equal and opposite current to cancel the harmful effect, transforming the ESD protector's side effect into a controllable parameter for delay time stabilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a current mirror circuit as an intermediary between the ESD protector and the capacitor charging path. This intermediary detects the leakage current through the ESD protector and generates a compensating current, acting as a mediator that isolates the harmful effect from the critical timing function while maintaining both functionalities.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a capacitor is externally connected to set delay time, then the device achieves configurable timing characteristics, but temperature variations cause leakage current changes affecting delay time precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the current mirror circuit continuously monitors the leakage current through the ESD protector and dynamically adjusts the compensating current injection. This closed-loop feedback ensures that temperature-induced leakage variations are automatically compensated, maintaining precise delay timing despite environmental changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically changes the current injection parameter to compensate for temperature variations. By adjusting the compensating current magnitude based on the detected leakage current, the system maintains constant net charging current through the capacitor, ensuring consistent delay time across different operating conditions.
3Reliability
If the same component is arranged adjacent to the ESD protector and a current mirror is configured, then leakage current compensation is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the current mirror circuit multi-functional: it serves both as a leakage current detector and as a compensating current generator. The same circuit components perform dual functions, reducing the need for additional dedicated elements and minimizing the overall complexity increase while achieving reliable delay time stabilization.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively suppresses variations in reset release delay times due to temperature, enhancing the reliability and consistency of reset signals by canceling leakage currents through ESD protectors.
Implementation Method 1
a current mirror configured to mirror a leakage current and inject the mirrored leakage current into the charging path
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor device includes: a capacitor connection terminal configured to enable an external connection of a capacitor; a charger configured to charge the capacitor; an ESD protector connected to the capacitor connection terminal; and a current injector including a same component which is the same as the ESD protector and is configured to inject a current based on a leakage current flowing through the same component into a charging path where charging is performed by the charger.