Voltage regulation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025224750-A1
Application number	US-202418980712-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 13, 2024
Priority date	Jan 4, 2024
Publication date	Jul 10, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

Control circuitry is coupled to a first voltage regulation circuit and a second voltage regulation circuit. The control circuitry determines whether a signal criterion is met or not. In response to the determination that the signal criterion has been met, the control circuitry controls application of a current generated by first voltage regulation circuit and the second voltage regulation circuit to adjust a ratio between current levels corresponding to the signals generated by the first and second voltage regulation circuits.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method, comprising:
applying a first power supply signal by a first voltage regulation circuit to a first power line; applying a second power supply signal by a second voltage regulation circuit to the first power line; determining that a first signal criterion associated with a current flowing on the first power line relative to a first threshold level has been met; and adjusting, responsive to determining that the first signal criterion has been met, current levels respectively corresponding to the first and second power supply signals to cause the first and second voltage regulation circuits to contribute to a change in the current relative to the first threshold level according to a first ratio.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the first signal criterion has been met further comprises determining that the current flowing on the first power line has reached or exceeded the first threshold level.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining that a second signal criterion associated with the current flowing on the first power line relative to a second threshold level has been met; and adjusting, responsive to the determination that the second signal criterion has been met, current levels respectively corresponding to the first and second power supply signals to cause the first and second power supply signals to contribute to a change in the current relative to the second threshold level according to a second ratio.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein:
the second threshold level corresponds to a higher current level than that of the first threshold level; and the method further comprises increasing a ratio from the first ratio to the second ratio responsive to determining that the second signal criterion has been met, wherein the first ratio and the second ratio respectively correspond to a current level corresponding to the second power supply signal to a current level corresponding to the first power supply signal.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein determining that the second signal criterion has been met further comprises determining that the current flowing on the first power line has reached or exceeded the second threshold level.

6 . An apparatus, comprising:
a first voltage regulation circuit configured to apply a first power supply signal to a first power line and to contribute to a current flowing on the first power line; a second voltage regulation circuit configured to apply a second power supply signal to the first power line and to contribute to the current flowing on the first power line; and control circuitry coupled to the first voltage regulation circuit and the second voltage regulation circuit, wherein the control circuitry is configured to, while the first and second power supply signals are being applied to the first power line:
determine that the current flowing on the first power line has reached or exceeded a first threshold level; and
adjust current levels respectively corresponding to the first and second power supply signals to cause the first and second voltage regulation circuits to contribute to an amount of current exceeding the first threshold level according to a first ratio.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to prevent the second voltage regulation circuit from contributing to the current flowing on the first power line unless the current flowing on the first power line is determined to have reached or exceeded a second threshold level, wherein the second threshold level corresponds to a lower current level than that of the first threshold level.

8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to allow the second voltage regulation circuit to apply the second power supply signal to the first power line to contribute to the current flowing on the first power line in response to the current flowing on the first power line is determined to have reached or exceeded the second threshold level.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
determine that the current flowing on the first power line has reached or exceeded a third threshold level corresponding to a higher current level than that of the first threshold level; and adjust current levels respectively corresponding to the first and second power supply signals to cause the first and second voltage regulation circuits to contribute to an amount of current exceeding the second threshold level according to a second ratio.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the second ratio corresponds to a higher ratio of a current level corresponding to the second power supply signal to a current level corresponding to the first power supply signal than the first ratio.

11 . The apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising:
sensing circuitry coupled to the first power line; and the sensing circuitry is configured to compare the current flowing on the first power line to a plurality of threshold levels.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising a memory configured to store information associated with a process variation associated with at least a part of the apparatus and coupled to the control circuitry, wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
access the memory to retrieve the information; and adjust the plurality of threshold levels based on the information.

13 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the second voltage regulation circuit is configured to regulate a voltage of an input power supply signal received via a second power line, wherein the voltage of the input power supply signal corresponds to a first voltage level.

14 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first voltage regulation circuit is configured to regulate a voltage of an input power supply signal received via a third power line, wherein the voltage of the input power supply signal corresponds to a second voltage level different than the first voltage level.

15 . A system, comprising:
a first voltage regulation circuit configured to apply a first power supply signal to a first power line; a second voltage regulation circuit configured to apply a second power supply signal to the first power line; a sensor configured to monitor a current flowing on the first power line based on a plurality of programmable threshold levels; and control circuitry coupled to the sensor, the first voltage regulation circuit, and the second voltage regulation circuit, the control circuitry configured to:
cause, in response to an indication from the sensor that a current flowing on the first power line has reached or exceeded a first threshold level, the second voltage regulation circuit to initiate the application of the second power supply signal to the first power line to cause the first and second voltage regulation circuits to contribute to an amount of current exceeding the first threshold level according to a first ratio; and
adjust, in response to an indication from the sensor that the current flowing on the first power line has reached or exceeded a second threshold level corresponding to a higher current level than that of the first threshold level, respective current levels corresponding to the first and second power supply signals to cause the first and second voltage regulation circuits to contribute to an amount of current exceeding the second threshold level according to a second ratio.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to, in response to an indication provided by

Assignees

• Micron Technology Inc

Inventors

• Zlotnik Leon
• Bhuiyan Ekram H

Classifications

• G11C5/147 Primary

  Voltage reference generators, voltage or current regulators; Internally lowered supply levels; Compensation for voltage drops (G11C5/141 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G05F1/575 Primary

  characterised by the feedback circuit · CPC title

• G05F1/573

  with overcurrent detector · CPC title

• G05F1/567 Primary

  for temperature compensation · CPC title