Semiconductor device and selector circuit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9831878-B2
Application number	US-201615291677-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 12, 2016
Priority date	Oct 13, 2015
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

A semiconductor device includes a setting circuit and a reset circuit. The setting circuit includes a latch circuit having first and second inverters driven by a first power voltage whose level is fixed and a first transistor which is switched between an ON state and an OFF state on the basis of a level of a second power voltage whose level varies depending on a surrounding environment, and sets data corresponding to a reference voltage to the latch circuit in response to the first transistor being switched to the ON state. The reset circuit includes an N-type second transistor connected to an output of the first inverter and an input of the second inverter. The second transistor sets data corresponding to the reference voltage to the latch circuit in response to the second voltage being equal to or lower than a predetermined voltage value.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A semiconductor device for switching from a second power voltage to a first power voltage that are used in an other circuit outside of the semiconductor device, comprising:
a setting circuit including
a latch circuit having first and second inverters driven by the first power voltage outputted from a first power source, a level of the first power voltage being fixed, the first and second inverters being configured to store data, and
a first transistor configured
to be switched between an ON state and an OFF state on the basis of a level of the second power voltage outputted from a second power source that a source of solar power, a level of the second power voltage varying depending on an environment surrounding thereof, and
to set data corresponding to a reference voltage to the latch circuit in response to the first transistor being switched to the ON state; and

a reset circuit including an N-type second transistor that is connected to an output of the first inverter and an input of the second inverter, the second transistor being configured to set data corresponding to the reference voltage to the latch circuit in response to the second power voltage being equal to or lower than a predetermined voltage value, for the switching from the second power voltage to the first power voltage in the other circuit, the second transistor being at least double the size of the first transistor.

2. A semiconductor device for switching from a second power voltage to a first power voltage that are used in an other circuit outside of the semiconductor device, comprising
a setting circuit including
a latch circuit having first and second inverters driven by the first power voltage outputted from a first power source, a level of the first power voltage being fixed, the first and second inverters being configured to store data, the first invertor including a P-type transistor, and
a first transistor configured
to be switched between an ON state and an OFF state on the basis of a level of the second power voltage outputted from a second power source that is a source of solar power, a level of the second power voltage varying depending on an environment surrounding thereof, and
to set data corresponding to a reference voltage to the latch circuit in response to the first transistor being switched to the ON state, the first transistor being at least double the size of the P-type transistor included in the first inverter; and

a reset circuit including an N-type second transistor that is connected to an output of the first inverter and an input of the second inverter, the second transistor being configured to set data corresponding to the reference voltage to the latch circuit in response to the second power voltage being equal to or lower than a predetermined voltage value, for the switching from the second power voltage to the first power voltage in the other circuit.

3. A selector circuit, comprising:
a semiconductor device, including
a setting circuit including
a latch circuit having first and second inverters driven by a first power voltage outputted from a first power source, a level of the first power voltage being fixed, the first and second inverters being configured to store data, and
a first transistor configured
to be switched between an ON state and an OFF state on the basis of a level of a second power voltage, a level of the second power voltage varying depending on an environment surrounding thereof, and
to set data corresponding to a reference voltage to the latch circuit in response to the first transistor being switched to the ON state; and

a reset circuit including an N-type second transistor that is connected to an output of the first inverter and an input of the second inverter, the second transistor being configured to set data corresponding to the reference voltage to the latch circuit in response to the second power voltage being equal to or lower than a predetermined voltage value;

a selector circuit connected to the first power source and the second power source, and to an output terminal of the semiconductor device that is configured to output a signal corresponding to the data set to the latch circuit, the selector circuit being configured to select the first power source or the second power source on the basis of the signal outputted from the output terminal; and
an output terminal configured to output one of the first and second power voltages selected by the selector circuit.

4. The selector circuit according to claim 3 , wherein
the first invertor includes a P-type transistor, and
a size of the first transistor is greater than that of the P-type transistor included in the first inverter.

5. The selector circuit according to claim 3 , wherein the second transistor is greater in size-than the first transistor.

6. The selector circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising a first connection line connected between the setting circuit and the other circuit, the other circuit monitoring the level of the second power voltage, wherein
the first transistor receives a setting signal through the first connection line, the setting signal being generated based on the level of the second power voltage.

7. The selector circuit according to claim 6 , wherein
the second transistor sets the data corresponding to the reference voltage to the latch circuit, and
in response to the data set from the latch circuit, the latch circuit outputs a switching signal configured to switch from the second power voltage to the first power voltage in the other circuit.

8. The selector circuit according to claim 6 , further comprising a second connection line connected between the setting circuit and the other circuit, wherein
the reset circuit receives the reset signal indicating whether the second power voltage is equal to or lower than the predetermined voltage value.

9. The selector circuit according to claim 3 , further comprising a first connection line connected between the setting circuit and the other circuit, the other circuit monitoring the level of the second power voltage, wherein
the first transistor receives a setting signal through the first connection line, the setting signal being generated based on the level of the second power voltage.

10. The selector circuit according to claim 9 , wherein
the second transistor sets the data corresponding to the reference voltage to the latch circuit, and
in response to the data set from the latch circuit, the latch circuit outputs a switching signal configured to switch from the second power voltage to the first power voltage in the other circuit.

11. The selector circuit according to claim 9 , further comprising a second connection line connected between the setting circuit and the other circuit, wherein
the reset circuit receives the reset signal indicating whether the second power voltage is equal to or lower than the predetermined voltage value.

Assignees

• Lapis Semiconductor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Nagatomo Shigeru

Classifications

• H03K17/223

  in field-effect transistor switches · CPC title

• H03K3/356113

  using additional transistors in the input circuit · CPC title

• H03K19/018507 Primary

  Interface arrangements · CPC title

• H03K3/36

  by the use, as active elements, of semiconductors, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• H03K3/356165 Primary

  using additional transistors in the feedback circuit · CPC title