Abnormal power supply voltage detection device and method for detecting abnormal power supply voltage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11243264-B2
Application number	US-202016855814-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 22, 2020
Priority date	Apr 22, 2020
Publication date	Feb 8, 2022
Grant date	Feb 8, 2022

Abstract

The abnormal power supply voltage detection device has a function of accurately detecting the abnormal voltage in accordance with the characteristics of the semiconductor element for each semiconductor chip. Circuit group for operating the adjustment function has a function of preventing the influence of the power supply voltage of the logic system such as control in the semiconductor product malfunctions becomes abnormal. Furthermore, it has a function of detecting the abnormal voltage of the various power supplies in the semiconductor product. It also has a function to test the abnormal voltage detection function in the normal power supply voltage range during use of semiconductor products.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An abnormal power supply voltage detection device comprising:
a plurality of core power supply areas connected by a first power supply voltage line and a second power supply voltage line,
wherein a first core power supply area of the plurality of core power supply areas includes an abnormal voltage output unit,
wherein at least one core power supply area of the plurality of core power supply areas has an abnormal voltage detection unit, the at least one core power supply area is different from the first core power supply area, and
wherein the abnormal voltage detection unit:
monitors voltages of remaining core power supply areas of the plurality of core power supply areas through the first power supply voltage line; and
when the voltages include at least an abnormal voltage, transmits an abnormal voltage detection signal to the abnormal voltage output unit through the second power supply voltage line.

2. The abnormal power supply voltage detection device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the abnormal voltage detection unit comprises a first logic control unit and a first analog voltage unit,
wherein the first logic control unit receives a temperature dependent shift condition setting signal, an under lower limit voltage condition setting signal, and an over upper limit voltage condition setting signal through a BUS, and
wherein the first logic control unit transmits data of the temperature dependent shift condition setting signal, the under lower limit voltage condition setting signal, and the over upper limit voltage condition setting signal to the first analog voltage unit.

3. The abnormal power supply voltage detection device according to claim 2 , wherein the abnormal voltage detection unit has:
a first Unreliable Voltage Level Stabilization Control circuit (UVLSC) for inputting the temperature dependent shift condition setting signal and outputting a first UVLSC signal obtained by adding a signal transmission delay time to the temperature dependent shift condition setting signal;
a second UVLSC for inputting the under lower limit voltage condition setting signal and outputting a second UVLSC signal obtained by adding the signal transmission delay time to the under lower limit voltage condition setting signal; and
a third UVLSC for inputting the over upper limit voltage setting signal and outputting a third UVLSC signal obtained by adding the signal transmission delay time to the over upper limit voltage setting signal.

4. The abnormal power supply voltage detection device according to claim 3 ,
wherein the first analog voltage unit has:
a first latch for inputting the temperature dependent shift condition setting signal and the first UVLSC signal and outputting a first latch signal;
a second latch for inputting the second UVLSC signal and the under lower limit voltage condition setting signal and outputting a second latch signal;
a third latch for inputting the third UVLSC signal and the over upper limit voltage condition setting signal and outputting a third latch signal;
a first temperature dependent shifting unit for inputting the first latch signal and the second latch signal and outputting a first shift signal;
a second temperature dependent shifting unit for inputting the first latch signal and the third latch signal and outputting a second shift signal;
an under low limit voltage detection unit for inputting the first shift signal and the voltage and outputting a first detection signal; and
an over upper limit voltage detection unit for inputting the second shift signal and the voltage and outputting a second detection signal,

wherein the first analog voltage unit transmits the first detection signal and the second detection signal to the abnormal voltage output unit.

5. The abnormal power supply voltage detection device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the abnormal voltage output unit comprises a second logic control unit and a second analog voltage unit, and
wherein the second logic control unit receives an abnormal voltage detection setting signal through a BUS and transmits data of the abnormal voltage detection setting signal to the second analog voltage unit.

6. The abnormal power supply voltage detection device according to claim 5 , wherein the second analog voltage unit has:
a fourth UVLSC for inputting the abnormal voltage detection setting signal and outputting the fourth UVLSC signal by adding a signal transmission delay time to the abnormal voltage detection setting signal;
a fourth latch for inputting the abnormal setting signal and the fourth UVLSC signal and outputting a fourth latch signal;
a selector for selecting an output signal from a plurality of abnormal voltage detection units; and
an output buffer for outputting the output signal.

7. The abnormal power supply voltage detection device according to claim 5 , wherein the second analog voltage unit is arranged in an analog power supply area included in the first core power supply area.

8. The abnormal power supply voltage detection device according to claim 2 , wherein the first analog voltage unit is arranged in an analog power supply area included in the at least one core power supply area.

9. A abnormal power supply voltage detection device comprising:
a plurality of core power supply areas connected by a first power supply voltage line and a second power supply voltage line,
wherein a first core power supply area of the plurality of core power supply areas includes an abnormal voltage output unit,
wherein at least one core power supply area of the plurality of core power supply areas has an abnormal voltage detection unit, the at least one core power supply area is different from the first core power supply area, and
wherein the abnormal voltage detection unit:
monitors the voltages in i) remaining core power supply areas of the plurality of core power supply areas and ii) the at least one core power supply area through the first power supply voltage line, and
when the voltages include at least an abnormal voltage, transmits an abnormal voltage detection signal to the abnormal voltage output unit through the second power supply voltage line.

10. A method for detecting abnormal power supply voltage in a semiconductor device having a plurality of core power supply areas connected by a first power supply voltage line and a second power supply voltage line,
wherein a first core power supply area of the plurality of core power supply areas has an abnormal voltage output unit,
wherein at least one core power supply area of the plurality of core power supply areas has an abnormal voltage detection unit, and
wherein the abnormal voltage detection unit:
monitors voltages in remaining core power supply areas of the plurality of core power supply areas through the first power supply voltage line; and
when the voltages include at least an abnormal voltage, transmits an abnormal voltage detection signal to the abnormal voltage output unit through the second power supply voltage line.

Assignees

• Renesas Electronics Corp

Inventors

• Kameyama Tadashi
• Ikeda Masanori
• Minami Masataka
• Shimada Kenichi
• Tsuboi Yukitoshi

Classifications

• G01R31/40 Primary

  Testing power supplies (testing photovoltaic devices H02S50/10) · CPC title

• G01R19/00

  Arrangements for measuring currents or voltages or for indicating presence or sign thereof (G01R5/00 takes precedence; for measuring bioelectric currents or voltages A61B5/24) · CPC title

• G01R19/16552 Primary

  in I.C. power supplies · CPC title