Sense Amplifier Voltage Regulator with Current Injection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Memory circuits face voltage drops during read operations due to high transient current drawn by sense amplifiers, which existing regulators struggle to manage effectively.
Innovation Solution
A voltage regulator with current injectors and a control circuit that monitors a reference sense amplifier to adjust the current provided to sense amplifiers, ensuring a stable voltage by simulating transient current conditions and providing additional current as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If current injectors are added to provide additional current during read operations, then voltage stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the control circuit monitors the voltage at the regulator output and adjusts the current injector operation accordingly. The control circuit responds to voltage droop by increasing current injection, creating a closed-loop system that maintains voltage stability during read operations without requiring manual intervention or complex external control.
2Measurement precision
If a control circuit is implemented to monitor and adjust current, then voltage regulation precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control circuit is designed to autonomously monitor the regulator output voltage and self-adjust the current injector operation without external intervention. The system serves itself by detecting voltage conditions and automatically correcting them through controlled current injection, eliminating the need for complex external control mechanisms while maintaining high regulation precision.
3Power
If additional current sources are provided from supply rail, then transient current capability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The current injector operation is dynamically controlled based on real-time voltage conditions rather than operating at fixed high power levels. The control circuit adjusts the current injection amount and timing to match actual transient current demands, enabling the system to provide high transient current capability when needed while minimizing power consumption during normal operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A memory is disclosed that includes a plurality of memory cells, a plurality of sense amplifiers for reading data of the memory cells, and a voltage regulator coupled to the plurality of sense amplifiers. The voltage regulator includes a reference sense amplifier, a current injector, and a current injector control circuit. The current injector control circuit controls an amount of current provided by the current injector to an output node of the voltage regulator based on a voltage of the reference sense amplifier.