Voltage Trimming Circuit Self-Adjustment Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Integrated circuits face challenges in accurately setting internal voltages due to increased test time and potential inaccuracies in voltage trimming processes, which can lower production yield and affect the precision of internal voltage adjustments.
Innovation Solution
A voltage trimming circuit incorporating a comparator, code generator, nonvolatile storage device, and switch circuit, which compares a reference voltage with a feedback voltage, adjusts trimming codes to set the feedback voltage accurately, and stores these codes in anti-fuses for future use, allowing for internal voltage adjustments without external test device intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a test device is used to read and adjust internal voltages through external pads, then voltage trimming can be performed, but test time increases and production yield decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The voltage trimming circuit enables the integrated circuit to automatically adjust its own internal voltages without external test device intervention. The circuit includes a comparator that compares feedback voltage with a reference voltage, a code generator that produces trimming codes based on comparison results, and a nonvolatile storage device that stores these codes for future use, creating a self-contained voltage adjustment system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary voltage trimming circuit located between the internal voltage sources and the external pads. This circuit acts as a mediator that performs voltage adjustment internally before external reading, eliminating the need for repeated external test device intervention and reducing overall test time while maintaining voltage accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If a test device adjusts internal voltages externally, then voltage trimming is possible, but voltage accuracy fails to reach reference levels due to test device resolution limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated circuit performs self-trimming using an internal comparator with high precision that can accurately compare feedback voltage against a reference voltage. The code generator converts comparison results into precise trimming codes that adjust the internal voltage to match the reference level exactly, eliminating the resolution limitations of external test devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the adjusted internal voltage is fed back to the comparator for continuous comparison with the reference voltage. This closed-loop feedback system ensures that the voltage trimming process converges to the exact reference voltage level, achieving high manufacturing precision that cannot be obtained through open-loop external adjustment.
3Productivity
If internal voltage trimming is implemented without external test device intervention, then test time is reduced and production yield improves, but the circuit complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into a single integrated voltage trimming circuit block that includes the comparator, code generator, and nonvolatile storage device. This merged structure performs voltage comparison, code generation, and storage operations within one compact unit, reducing overall system complexity compared to having separate external test device connections and multiple independent components.
Solution Approach 2:
The voltage trimming circuit is designed with multi-functionality to handle various voltage adjustment requirements. The same circuit structure can trim different internal voltages by switching the feedback path, and the nonvolatile storage device stores trimming codes for multiple voltage levels, making the circuit universally applicable to various voltage trimming scenarios without requiring additional external equipment.
Data Source
AI summary
A voltage trimming circuit includes a comparator, a code generator, nonvolatile storage device, a switch circuit, and a voltage generator. The comparator compares a reference voltage with a feedback voltage. The code generator generates a plurality of trimming codes for trimming the feedback voltage based on the comparison result of the comparator. If the feedback voltage is less than the reference voltage, the code generator adjusts up codes to increase the feedback voltage, from among the plurality of trimming codes and maintains down codes to decrease the feedback voltage, from among the plurality of trimming codes at an initial value. If the feedback voltage is greater than the reference voltage, the code generator adjusts the down codes and maintains the up codes at an initial value.