Integrated circuit power supply regulator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9891639-B2
Application number	US-201414147814-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 6, 2014
Priority date	Jan 7, 2013
Publication date	Feb 13, 2018
Grant date	Feb 13, 2018

Abstract

The current signature of an electronic function is masked by controlling a current source that supplies power for the electronic function is controlled in a dynamically-varying manner. Excess current is detected and compared to a threshold. If the detected excess current meets the threshold, the operation of the electronic function is modified, for example by controlling a clock.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
regulating a supply voltage applied to an electronic function at a supply terminal of said electronic function using feedback from said supply terminal; and
controlling a first transistor current source coupled between a power supply voltage and said supply terminal of the electronic function to provide a dynamically-varying current to said supply terminal;
wherein regulating the supply voltage comprises controlling a second transistor current source to sink current from the supply terminal in response to said feedback from said supply terminal.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling said first transistor current source comprises varying a frequency of the dynamically-varying current to have a same order of magnitude as an operating frequency of said electronic function.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first transistor current source includes a transistor that is sized to provide a constant average current, further comprising consuming by said second transistor current source of a possible current excess from the first transistor current source with respect to needs of said electronic function.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said electronic function operates to manipulate data in response to an operating clock, further comprising interrupting said operating clock of said electronic function in response to a comparison of the current consumed by electronic function to a threshold.

5. An electronic circuit, comprising:
two terminals for application of a power supply voltage;
a first transistor current source;
an electronic function coupled in series at a supply terminal with the first transistor current source, the electronic function and first transistor current source series coupled between the two terminals;
a regulator circuit including a second transistor current source coupled in parallel with the electronic function and configured to control operation of the second transistor current source to regulate a voltage at the supply terminal of said electronic function using feedback from said supply terminal; and
a circuit configured to control said first transistor current source to provide a dynamically-varying current to the supply terminal of said electronic function.

6. The circuit of claim 5 , wherein the first transistor current source includes a transistor that is sized to provide a constant average current, and said second transistor current source is configured to consume a possible current excess with respect to needs of said electronic function.

7. The circuit of claim 6 , wherein said electronic function operates to manipulate data in response to an operating clock, further comprising a comparison circuit configured to compare current consumed by the second source with a threshold and, in the case where this threshold is reached, generate a signal for interrupting the operating clock of the electric function.

8. A method, comprising:
sourcing a first current from a power supply to a supply terminal of an electronic function using a first transistor current source, wherein said electronic function operates to manipulate data at a clock frequency and exhibits a corresponding current signature at said supply terminal;
sinking a second current to ground from the supply terminal of the electronic function using a second transistor current source;
sensing a voltage at the supply terminal of the electronic function;
controlling operation of the second transistor current source in response to the sensed voltage to control a magnitude of the second current to regulate said voltage at the supply terminal of the electronic function; and
controlling operation of the first transistor current source to dynamically vary the first current with a frequency having a same order of magnitude as said clock frequency.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein sourcing said first current comprises controlling operation of the first transistor current source to generate said first current to include a current having a constant average value and a current having variable value.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
sensing the magnitude of the second current;
comparing the sensed magnitude to a threshold; and
varying the clock frequency in response to said comparing.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein varying comprises slowing down operation of said electronic function if the sensed magnitude falls below the threshold.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein varying comprises interrupting a clock of the electronic function.

13. A circuit, comprising:
an electronic circuit having a first supply terminal and a second supply terminal, said second supply terminal coupled to ground, wherein said electronic circuit operates to manipulate data at a clock frequency and exhibits a corresponding current signature at said first supply terminal;
a first transistor current source coupled between a voltage supply and the first supply terminal, said first transistor current source operating to source a first current to said first supply terminal;
a second transistor current source coupled between the first supply terminal and ground, said second transistor current source operating to sink a second current from said first supply terminal;
a first circuit configured to control operation of the first transistor current source so as to dynamically vary the first current with a frequency having a same order of magnitude as said clock frequency; and
a second circuit configured to control operation of the second transistor current source so as to control a magnitude of the second current to regulate a voltage at the first supply terminal of the electronic function.

14. The circuit of claim 13 , further comprising:
a circuit operating to sense the magnitude of the second current;
a comparator circuit operating to compare the sensed magnitude to a threshold; and
a logic circuit operating to interrupt a clock of the electronic function in response to an output from said comparator circuit.

Assignees

• St Microelectronics Rousset

Inventors

• Fort Jimmy
• Marinet Fabrice

Classifications

• G06F1/26

  Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof (for memories G11C) · CPC title

• G05F1/462 Primary

  as a function of the requirements of the load, e.g. delay, temperature, specific voltage/current characteristic · CPC title

• G06F21/755

  with measures against power attack · CPC title

• G06F1/3237

  by disabling clock generation or distribution · CPC title

• Y02B60/1221

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic