Memory Chip Drive Circuit With Cross-Domain Feedback Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drive circuits for dynamic random access memory (DRAM) analog circuits face challenges in achieving both pull-up and pull-down capabilities while minimizing power consumption and ensuring accurate output voltage, as they often operate in either high-voltage domains with inefficient power generation or low-voltage domains that lack pull-up capability.
Innovation Solution
A drive circuit design that separates amplification modules in a low-voltage domain from output modules in a high-voltage domain, with a feedback mechanism connecting the two domains to control output voltage accuracy, allowing for reduced power consumption while maintaining pull-up and pull-down capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the drive circuit is provided to work in the high-voltage domain, then the pull-up capability and pull-down capability are met, but the power consumption is higher due to lower than 50% efficiency of the charge pump
Solution Approach 1:
The drive circuit is segmented into two separate modules operating in different voltage domains: a first module in the low-voltage domain and a second module in the high-voltage domain. This segmentation allows each module to operate optimally in its respective voltage domain, reducing overall power consumption while maintaining the required drive capability.
Solution Approach 2:
A voltage conversion module is introduced as an intermediary between the low-voltage domain and the high-voltage domain. This voltage conversion module efficiently converts voltage levels, enabling the drive circuit to maintain pull-up and pull-down capabilities in the high-voltage domain while the majority of the circuit operates in the more power-efficient low-voltage domain.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the drive circuit is provided to work in a low-voltage domain, then the power consumption is reduced, but the pull-up capability is lost and the accuracy of output voltage cannot be met
Solution Approach 1:
The drive circuit is divided into functional segments operating in different voltage domains. The first module operates in the low-voltage domain for power efficiency, while the second module operates in the high-voltage domain to provide the necessary pull-up capability and ensure output voltage accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The voltage conversion module serves as an intermediary that enables the low-voltage module to control the high-voltage module, allowing the low-voltage domain to maintain power efficiency while the high-voltage domain provides the required pull-up capability.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the drive circuit is provided to work in a low-voltage domain, then the power consumption is reduced, but the accuracy of output voltage is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The circuit is segmented into voltage domain-specific modules that can be optimized for their respective operating conditions. The low-voltage module handles power-efficient operations while the high-voltage module ensures accurate output voltage through its higher voltage domain operation.
Solution Approach 2:
A feedback module is introduced to sample the output voltage from the high-voltage domain and feed it back to the low-voltage domain. This feedback mechanism ensures that the output voltage accuracy is maintained by allowing the low-voltage module to adjust its control based on the actual high-voltage output, thereby achieving both power efficiency and voltage accuracy.
Data Source
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AI summary
A drive circuit and a memory chip are provided. The drive circuit includes: an amplification module, working under a first voltage domain; an output module, working under a second voltage domain, a power supply voltage of the second voltage domain being greater than a power supply voltage of the first voltage domain, and an output terminal of the output module being an output terminal of the drive circuit; a connection module, connected to an output terminal of the amplification module and an input terminal of the output module; and a feedback module, an input terminal of the feedback module being connected to the output terminal of the output module, and an output terminal of the feedback module being connected to an input terminal of the amplification module. The embodiments of the present disclosure can improve the accuracy of the output voltage of the drive circuit by employing the output terminal and inputout terminal of the drive circuit that are working at two voltage domains respectively and the feedback module, so that the power consumption of the drive circuit is reduced.