Device and method for data-writing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9728231-B1
Application number	US-201615145658-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	May 3, 2016
Priority date	May 3, 2016
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

A device includes a voltage regulator, an auxiliary signal generator, and a circuit cell. The voltage regulator is configured to output a write voltage. The auxiliary signal generator is configured to output an auxiliary signal. The circuit cell is configured to receive both of the write voltage and the auxiliary signal according to a first select signal and a second select signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device, comprising:
a circuit cell;
a voltage regulator configured to output a write voltage; and
an auxiliary signal generator configured to output an auxiliary signal, the auxiliary signal generator comprising a first plurality of switching units configured to transmit the write voltage and the auxiliary signal to the circuit cell on condition that the circuit cell is to be programmed.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary signal generator comprises:
a control signal generator configured to output a control voltage according to a reference voltage and a reference current; and
a current generating circuit, which comprises the first plurality of switching units, configured to generate the auxiliary signal, and transmit the auxiliary signal to the circuit cell according to a first select signal and a second select signal.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the control signal generator comprises:
an amplifier configured to generate the control voltage according to the reference voltage and a sensing voltage at a node;
a current source coupled to the node, and configured to generate the reference current; and
a first switching unit coupled to the current source at the node, and configured to generate the sensing voltage according to the control voltage.

4. The device of claim 2 , wherein the current generating circuit further comprises:
a second switching unit configured to generate the auxiliary signal according to the control voltage,
wherein the first plurality of switching units comprise:
a third switching unit configured to transmit the auxiliary signal to the circuit cell according to the first select signal; and
a fourth switching unit configured to transmit the write voltage to the circuit cell according to the second select signal.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the fourth switching unit is further configured to transmit both of the write voltage and the auxiliary signal to the circuit cell according to the second select signal.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary signal generator comprises:
a control signal generator configured to output a plurality of control signals according to a reference voltage and a reference current; and
a current generating circuit, which comprises the first plurality of switching units, configured to generate the auxiliary signal according to the control signals, and transmit the auxiliary signal to the circuit cell according to a first select signal and a second select signal.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the control signal generator comprises:
a comparator configured to compare the reference voltage with a sensing voltage at a node, to output an adjust signal;
a controller configured to generate the control signals according to the adjust signal;
a plurality of first switching units configured to generate a plurality of testing currents to the node, to generate the sensing voltage; and
a current source coupled to the node, and configured to generate the reference current.

8. The device of claim 6 , wherein the current generating circuit further comprises:
a plurality of second switching units configured to generate the auxiliary signal according to the control signals,
wherein the first plurality of switching units comprise:
a third switching unit configured to transmit the auxiliary signal to the circuit cell according to the first select signal; and
a fourth switching unit configured to transmit the write voltage to the circuit cell according to the second select signal.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the fourth switching unit is further configured to transmit both of the write voltage and the auxiliary signal to the circuit cell according to the second select signal.

10. The device of claim 7 , wherein the current source and the comparator are configured to be turned off when a sum of the testing currents is about the same as the reference current.

11. A method, comprising:
generating, by a voltage regulator, a write voltage;
generating, by an auxiliary signal generator, an auxiliary signal; and
transmitting, by a first plurality of switching units, the write voltage and the auxiliary signal to a first circuit cell of a plurality of circuit cells on condition that the first circuit cell is to be programmed.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein generating the auxiliary signal comprises:
generating, by an amplifier, a control voltage according to a reference voltage and a sensing voltage at a node; and
generating, by a second switching unit of the auxiliary signal generator, the auxiliary signal according to the control voltage,
wherein the sensing voltage is generated by a first switching unit according to the control voltage and a reference current.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein transmitting the write voltage and the auxiliary signal to the first circuit cell comprises:
turning on, by a first select signal, a third switching unit of the first plurality of switching units to transmit the auxiliary signal to the first circuit cell; and
turning on, by a second select signal, a fourth switching unit of the first plurality of switching units to transmit the write voltage to the first circuit cell.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein generating the auxiliary signal comprises:
generating, by a comparator, an adjust signal according to a reference voltage and a sensing voltage at a node;
generating, by a controller, a plurality of control signals according to the adjust signal;
generating, by a plurality of first switching units, a plurality of testing currents to the node, to generate the sensing voltage, wherein a current source is configured to generate a reference current flowing from the node to ground; and
generating, by a plurality of second switching units, the auxiliary signal according to the control signals.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
turning off the comparator and the current source when a sum of the testing currents is about the same as the reference current.

16. A device, comprising:
a voltage regulator configured to output a write voltage;
a plurality of circuit cells; and
a plurality of driving branches configured to generate a plurality of auxiliary signals to the circuit cells, respectively,
wherein each of the driving branches comprises a first plurality of switching units, and each of the circuit cells is configured to be programmed according to both of the write voltage and a corresponding auxiliary signal of the auxiliary signals transmitted from the first plurality of switching units.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein each of the driving branches further comprises:
a first switching unit configured to generate the corresponding auxiliary signal according to a control voltage,
wherein the first plurality of switching units comprises:
a second switching unit configured to transmit the corresponding auxiliary signal to a corresponding one of the circuit cells according to a first select signal; and
a third switching unit configured to transmit the write voltage to the corresponding one of the circuit cells according to a second select signal.

18. The device of claim 17 , further comprising:
an amplifier configured to generate the control voltage according to a reference voltage and a sensing voltage at a node;
a current source configured to generate a reference current flowing from the node to ground; and
a fourth switching unit coupled to the current source at the node, and configured to generate the sensing voltage according to the contr

Assignees

• Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Po-Hao
• Shih Yi-Chun

Classifications

• G11C16/30 Primary

  Power supply circuits · CPC title

• G11C29/56

  External testing equipment for static stores, e.g. automatic test equipment [ATE]; Interfaces therefor · CPC title

• G11C2029/5002

  Characteristic · CPC title

• G11C16/10

  Programming or data input circuits · CPC title

• G11C5/147 Primary

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