Memory Voltage Regulator Leakage Current Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Memories experience unneeded power consumption due to leakage current, especially during inactive states or low power modes, caused by manufacturing variances and operating conditions, which existing voltage regulators fail to effectively manage.
Innovation Solution
A voltage regulator system that measures leakage current across memory cells and adjusts the voltage across other cells by using a programmable resistor and operational amplifier to reduce power consumption, with optional features like dummy cells, switches, and voltage clamps to optimize voltage control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If voltage is reduced to lower leakage current, then power consumption decreases, but memory operation reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing different voltage levels to different memory cells based on their individual leakage characteristics. The voltage regulator circuit measures leakage current for each cell and adjusts the voltage locally, ensuring that cells with high leakage receive lower voltage while maintaining adequate voltage for cells with low leakage, thus preserving operational reliability while reducing overall power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the voltage parameter dynamically based on measured leakage current. The voltage regulator modifies the voltage level supplied to each memory cell according to its specific leakage characteristics, transitioning from a fixed voltage approach to a variable voltage approach that adapts to each cell's properties, thereby optimizing the balance between power consumption and reliability.
2Loss of energy
If voltage is reduced to reduce leakage current, then power consumption decreases, but manufacturing variance compensation capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by measuring the leakage current of each memory cell and using this measurement to control the voltage regulator. The leakage current measurement serves as feedback that informs the voltage adjustment decision, creating a closed-loop system that automatically compensates for manufacturing variances while reducing power consumption through optimized voltage levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables memory cells to self-regulate their voltage based on their own leakage characteristics. Each cell's leakage current measurement directly controls its own voltage level through the regulator circuit, allowing the system to automatically adapt to manufacturing variations without requiring external intervention or complex control mechanisms.
3Measurement precision
If dummy cells are added to measure leakage current, then leakage measurement accuracy improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the leakage measurement function with the actual memory cell array by using the memory cells themselves for leakage measurement rather than requiring separate dummy cells. The voltage regulator measures leakage current directly from the operational memory cells, combining the storage function and measurement function into a single integrated system, thereby improving measurement accuracy while avoiding additional hardware complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the memory cells serve multiple functions: they simultaneously perform data storage and leakage current measurement. The same cells that store information are also used to generate the leakage current measurements that control their own voltage levels, eliminating the need for dedicated dummy cells and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
Data Source
AI summary
A voltage regulator for a memory that regulates a voltage provided to the memory cells based on a measured leakage current from a second set of memory cells. In one embodiment, based on the measured leakage current, the voltage to the cells is raised or lowered to control the amount of leakage current from the cells.