Voltage Division Circuit for Low Voltage Operation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional voltage division circuits, particularly transistor-type circuits, face challenges in miniaturization due to large chip area requirements and fail to operate properly when the input voltage is lower than the sum of threshold values of transistors, limiting their effectiveness in semiconductor storage devices.
Innovation Solution
A voltage division circuit employing a series connection of transistors with additional type-one and type-two switches, allowing for controlled voltage division and boost processes, ensuring proper operation even at low input voltages by dynamically adjusting voltage division coefficients through a control circuit and comparator.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If transistor-type voltage division circuit is used, then chip area is reduced compared to resistor-type circuit, but the circuit cannot operate when input voltage is lower than sum of transistor threshold values
Solution Approach 1:
The voltage division circuit is segmented into multiple independent stages, each capable of operating with lower voltage. By dividing the voltage division process into segments, the threshold voltage requirement for each stage is reduced, allowing the overall circuit to function at lower input voltages while maintaining compact transistor-based structure
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediate voltage boosting stage is introduced between the input and the voltage division stages. This intermediary circuit boosts the low input voltage to a level sufficient for the transistor-based voltage division circuit to operate, enabling the circuit to handle low voltage inputs without requiring large chip area
2Reliability
If resistor-type voltage division circuit is used, then operation at low voltage is possible, but large resistors are required which increase chip area
Solution Approach 1:
The resistor-based voltage division mechanism is replaced with a transistor-based mechanism. Transistors provide voltage division through their channel resistance characteristics, which are controlled by gate voltages rather than relying on large physical resistor values, thereby reducing chip area while maintaining voltage division functionality
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple voltage division coefficients are obtained by disposing output terminals at different positions in series resistors, then multiple divided voltages can be obtained, but the resistors occupy large chip area
Solution Approach 1:
The voltage division circuit employs dynamic switching mechanisms using transistors to select different division ratios. Instead of having fixed output terminals on long resistor chains, the circuit dynamically configures the voltage division path through transistor switching, providing multiple division coefficients with compact transistor structures rather than extended resistor layouts
Data Source
AI summary
A voltage division circuit, a circuit for controlling operation voltage and a storage device are provided. The voltage division circuit includes: a receiving transistor; a transistor group including m transistors connected in series; n type-one switches, each of which includes three terminals, the first is connected with a drain of a former one and a source of a latter one of two adjacent transistors in the transistor group, the second is connected with ground, the third is adapted for receiving a timing control signal; and n+1 type-two switches, each of which includes three terminals, the first is connected with a source of a transistor in the transistor group, the second is adapted for outputting a divided voltage, and the third is adapted for receiving the timing control signal. The voltage division circuit can save chip area, and work properly under a condition that the voltage to be divided is low.