Charge Pump Output Floating Scheme for Flash Memory
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current high voltage charge pump designs in FLASH memory devices have low efficiency, leading to excessive power consumption due to high current demand, even when the output voltage is already achieved, resulting in wasteful and costly energy usage.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that manage power by turning off the charge pump and regulator when the desired output voltage is reached, using a slow clock rate for the charge pump and compensating for charge sharing and junction leakage to prevent overshooting, thereby reducing overall current usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the charge pump and regulator remain in constant regulation to maintain output voltage, then the output voltage stability is improved, but the power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The charge pump operates in periodic pulses rather than continuous operation. The pump is activated only when voltage droop is detected and turned off when the desired voltage is reached, creating a periodic on-off action that reduces average power consumption while maintaining voltage stability through timed interventions
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the inherent capacitance of the output node to maintain voltage between pump activations. The stored charge in the output capacitance serves the load during intervals when the pump is off, allowing the system to sustain itself without continuous external energy input
2Speed
If the charge pump operates at high current to quickly achieve desired voltage, then the voltage rise speed is improved, but the overall current demand and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The charge pump uses brief high-current pulses separated by longer off-periods. During each pulse, the pump delivers high current to quickly recharge the output capacitance and restore voltage, then turns off to allow the stored energy to serve the load, achieving fast voltage recovery without sustained high current demand
Solution Approach 2:
The output node capacitance is pre-charged to the desired voltage level during normal operation. When voltage droop occurs, the pre-stored energy in the capacitance immediately maintains voltage while the pump activates, providing a buffer that allows rapid response without requiring continuously high current
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
This approach significantly reduces power consumption by minimizing current usage during voltage regulation, achieving efficient and cost-effective power management in non-volatile memory devices.
Implementation Method 1
pumping up a charge pump output voltage to a desired output voltage
Implementation Method 2
a voltage regulator circuit coupled to the charge pump provides a constant DC current
Implementation Method 3
Fowler-Nordheim (FN) tunneling
Data Source
AI summary
According to different embodiments of the present invention, various methods, devices and systems are described for managing power in charge pumps in a non-volatile memory system having a high voltage charge pump and associated regulator. A method includes the following operations, receiving an operation command corresponding to an operation, pumping up a charge pump output voltage to a desired output voltage, turning off the regulator and the charge pump when the output voltage is approximately the desired output voltage compensating for charge sharing by turning on the charge pump and setting a pump clock rate to a slow clock rate in order to avoid overshooting the desired output voltage by the charge pump while the operation is being carried out, and compensating for junction leakage by turning on the regulator and the charge pump until the charge pump output voltage is the desired output voltage.