Fuse Circuit With Shared Current Blocking Module
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional fuse circuits experience high power consumption due to unnecessary current flow during initial setting and leakage currents when the fuse is not completely blown off, leading to increased manufacturing costs and operational failures.
Innovation Solution
A fuse circuit design incorporating a current blocking module, specifically an NMOS transistor, that blocks current during the initial setting interval and shares this module across multiple fuse circuit units to reduce power consumption and eliminate leakage currents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If both the fuse and transistor are conductive during initial setting, then the fuse circuit can be configured, but considerably large dc current flows through the voltage establishing module increasing power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
A control transistor is introduced as an intermediary component between the fuse and the voltage establishing module. This transistor acts as a switch that prevents direct current flow through the fuse during normal operation, allowing the fuse to serve its configuration purpose without causing continuous power consumption. The control transistor mediates between the need for fuse configurability and the need to minimize power consumption.
2Reliability
If the fuse is not completely blown off during initial setting, then the fuse circuit can tolerate partial failures, but leakage current flows through the fuse and transistor during normal operation increasing power consumption and causing initial setting failure
Solution Approach 1:
The control transistor serves as an intermediary that blocks leakage current paths. Even when a fuse is partially blown and creates a high-resistance path, the control transistor remains non-conductive during normal operation, preventing leakage current from flowing through the partially blown fuse and the feedback transistor, thereby eliminating the associated power consumption and setting failure issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the current blocking function from the fuse itself and places it in a separate control transistor. This separation allows the fuse to fulfill its primary function of establishing voltage levels while the control transistor handles the secondary function of preventing leakage current, even when the fuse is not perfectly blown.
3Use of energy by moving object
If one additional transistor is added for each fuse circuit to block current, then current flow during initial setting is prevented, but manufacturing cost increases due to large quantities of transistors required in integrated circuits
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple fuse circuit units share a common current blocking module instead of each having its own separate blocking transistor. This merging approach reduces the total number of transistors required in the integrated circuit, thereby lowering manufacturing costs while still achieving the goal of preventing current flow during initial setting and normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared current blocking module serves multiple fuse circuit units simultaneously, making it a universal component that performs the same current blocking function for different parts of the circuit. This multi-functionality reduces component redundancy and lowers the overall transistor count in the integrated circuit.
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 reduces power consumption by preventing dc current flow during initial setting and normal operation, while minimizing manufacturing costs by using a single current blocking module for multiple fuse circuits.
Implementation Method 1
the resistance of a fuse is generally smaller than the equivalent impedance of the transistor P3
Implementation Method 2
an NMOS transistor that blocks current during the initial setting interval
Data Source
AI summary
A fuse circuit comprises at least one fuse circuit unit and a current blocking module. The fuse circuit unit comprises a voltage establishing module and a latch. The voltage establishing module is coupled to a first reference voltage source and includes a fuse that is capable of being selectively blown according to an initial setting signal. The fuse has a first terminal coupled to a node and a second terminal. The voltage establishing module establishes a voltage level on the node according to the blown-off status of the fuse. The latch is coupled to the voltage establishing module through the node for latching the voltage level of the node and generating the output signal. The current blocking module is coupled between a second reference voltage source and the second terminal of the fuse for blocking the current flowing through the fuse while initial setting.