# US 10,872,674 B1 · Regulation of voltage generation systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,872,674 B1 - Document ID: US10872674B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/722,054 - Filed: 2019-12-20 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2019-12-20 - Assignees: Micron Technology, Inc. - Applicants: Micron Technology, Inc. - Inventors: Manan Tripathi; Michele Piccardi; Xiaojiang Guo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10872674B1 ## CPC - G11C 16/30: Power supply circuits - G11C 5/145: {Applications of charge pumps; Boosted voltage circuits; Clamp circuits therefor (G11C5/141 takes precedence)} - G11C 5/147: {Voltage reference generators, voltage or current regulators; Internally lowered supply levels; Compensation for voltage drops (G11C5/141 takes precedence)} - G11C 16/0483: {comprising cells having several storage transistors connected in series} - G11C 16/32: Timing circuits - H02M 3/073: {Charge pumps of the Schenkel-type} - H02M 1/0025: {Arrangements for modifying reference values, feedback values or error values in the control loop of a converter} - H02M 3/075: {including a plurality of stages and two sets of clock signals, one set for the odd and one set for the even numbered stages} - G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B) - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) ## Abstract A voltage generation system might include a resistive voltage divider having a first resistance connected between its output and a first feedback node and a second resistance connected between the first feedback node and a first voltage node, a capacitive voltage divider having a first capacitance connected between its output and a second feedback node and a second capacitance connected between the second feedback node and the first voltage node, a comparator having an input connected to the second feedback node, and a voltage generation circuit configured to generate a voltage level at its output responsive to an output of the comparator and to a clock signal, wherein the first feedback node is selectively connected to the second feedback node and selectively connected to a second voltage node, wherein the first resistance is selectively connected to the first feedback node, and wherein the second resistance is selectively connected to the first voltage node. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A voltage generation system for an integrated circuit device, comprising: a resistive voltage divider having a first resistance connected between an output of the voltage generation system and a first feedback node, and having a second resistance connected between the first feedback node and a first voltage node configured to receive a first voltage level; a capacitive voltage divider having a first capacitance connected between the output of the voltage generation system and a second feedback node, and having a second capacitance connected between the second feedback node and the first voltage node; a comparator having a first input connected to the second feedback node, having a second input connected to a control signal node, and having an output; and a voltage generation circuit configured to generate a voltage level at the output of the voltage generation system responsive to a logic level of the output of the comparator and to a clock signal; wherein the first feedback node is selectively connected to the second feedback node; wherein the first resistance is selectively connected to the first feedback node; wherein the second resistance is selectively connected to the first voltage node; and wherein the first feedback node is selectively connected to a second voltage node configured to receive a second voltage level different than the first voltage level. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The voltage generation system of claim 1, wherein the clock signal is a first clock signal, and wherein the voltage generation system further comprises: a control signal generator configured to generate a plurality of control signals responsive to the output of the comparator, to the first clock signal, and to a second clock signal having a larger period than the first clock signal; wherein the control signal generator is configured to generate a first control signal of the plurality of control signals and a second control signal of the plurality of control signals to have a first logic level in response to the second clock signal having a particular logic level; wherein the control signal generator is configured to generate the first control signal and the second control signal to have the first logic level in response to the output of the comparator having a particular logic level for a predetermined number of cycles of the first clock signal; and wherein the control signal generator is configured to generate the first control signal and the second control signal to have a second logic level different than the first logic level in response to the output of the comparator having a logic level different than its particular logic level and the second clock signal having a logic level different than its particular logic level. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The voltage generation system of claim 2, wherein the first logic level is a logic high level, the particular logic level of the second clock signal is the logic high level, and the particular logic level of the output of the comparator is the logic high level. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The voltage generation system of claim 2, wherein the predetermined number of cycles of the first clock signal comprises a first predetermined number of cycles of the first clock signal, wherein the control signal generator is configured to transition the logic level of the second control signal to the first logic level a second predetermined number of cycles of the first clock signal after transitioning the logic level of the first control signal to the first logic level, and wherein the control signal generator is configured to transition the logic level of the second control signal to the second logic level concurrently with transitioning the logic level of the first control signal to the second logic level. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The voltage generation system of claim 4, wherein the control signal generator is further configured to generate a third control signal of the plurality of control signals as a complement of the first control signal, wherein the first feedback node is connected to the second feedback node responsive to the second control signal having the first logic level, wherein the first resistance is connected to the first feedback node responsive to the first control signal having the first logic level, wherein the second resistance is connected to the first voltage node responsive to the first control signal having the first logic level, and wherein the first feedback node is connected to the second voltage node responsive to the third control signal having the first logic level. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The voltage generation system of claim 5, wherein the control signal generator is further configured to generate a fourth control signal of the plurality of control signals as a complement of the second control signal, and wherein the first feedback node is further connected to the second feedback node responsive to the fourth control signal having the second logic level. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The voltage generation system of claim 2, further comprising: a plurality of serially-connected flip-flops, wherein each flip-flop of the plurality of serially-connected flip-flops has an input, an output, and a clock input, and wherein the clock input of each flip-flop of the plurality of serially-connected flip-flops is connected to a first clock signal node configured to receive the first clock signal; an AND gate having a plurality of inputs and an output, wherein the input of each flip-flop of the plurality of serially-connected flip-flops is connected to a respective input of the plurality of inputs, and wherein the output of each flip-flop of the plurality of serially-connected flip-flops is connected to a respective input of the plurality of inputs; and an OR gate having a first input, a second input, and an output, wherein the first input is connected to the output of the AND gate, and the second input is connected to a second clock signal node configured to receive the second clock signal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The voltage generation system of claim 7, wherein the first feedback node is selectively connected to the second feedback node responsive to a logic level of the output of the OR gate, wherein the first resistance is selectively connected to the first feedback node responsive to the logic level of the output of the OR gate, wherein the second resistance is selectively connected to the first voltage node responsive to the logic level of the output of the OR gate, and wherein the first feedback node is selectively connected to the second voltage node responsive to the logic level of the output of the OR gate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The voltage generation system of claim 7, wherein the AND gate is a first AND gate and wherein the plurality of serially-connected flip-flops is a plurality of serially-connected first flip-flops, the voltage generation system further comprising: a second flip-flop having an input connected to the output of the OR gate, an output, and a clock input connected to the first clock signal node; a third flip-flop having an input connected to the output of the second flip-flop, an output, and a clock input connected to the first clock signal node; and a second AND gate having a first input connected to the output of the second flip-flop, a second input connected to the output of the third flip-flop, and an output. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The voltage generation system of claim 9, wherein the first feedback node is selectively connected to the second feedback node responsive to a logic level of the output of the second AND gate, wherein the first resistance is selectively connected to the first feedback node responsive to a logic level of the output of the second flip-flop, wherein the second resistance is selectively connected to the first voltage node responsive to the logic level of the output of the second flip-flop, and wherein the first feedback node is selectively connected to the second voltage node responsive to the logic level of the output of the second flip-flop. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The voltage generation system of claim 1, wherein the first resistance is a variable resistance and the second resistance is a variable resistance. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The voltage generation system of claim 1, wherein a ratio of the first resistance to the second resistance is larger than a ratio of the first capacitance to the second capacitance. ### Claim 13 An integrated circuit device, comprising: a voltage generation system having a feedback loop comprising a comparator, a capacitive feedback and a selectively enabled resistive feedback; a load selectively connected to an output of the voltage generation system; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to cause the integrated circuit device to: enable the resistive feedback; determine whether an output voltage of the voltage generation system has reached a target voltage level; determine whether a clock signal has a particular logic level; disable the resistive feedback in response to the output voltage reaching the target voltage level and the clock signal having a logic level different than the particular logic level; determine whether the output voltage remains below the target voltage level for a particular period of time; and enable the resistive feedback in response to the output voltage remaining below the target voltage level for the particular period of time. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The integrated circuit device of claim 13, wherein the controller being configured to cause the integrated circuit device to enable the resistive feedback in response to the output voltage remaining below the target voltage level for the particular period of time comprises the controller being configured to cause the integrated circuit device to enable the resistive feedback in response to the output voltage remaining below the target voltage level for the particular period of time or the clock signal having the particular logic level. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The integrated circuit device of claim 13, wherein the resistive feedback comprises: a first resistance connected between the output of the voltage generation system and a first feedback node; and a second resistance connected between the first feedback node and a first voltage node configured to receive a first voltage level; wherein the first resistance is selectively connected to the first feedback node; wherein the second resistance is selectively connected to the first voltage node; and wherein the first feedback node is selectively connected to a second voltage node configured to receive a second voltage level different than the first voltage level. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The integrated circuit device of claim 15, wherein the first voltage level is lower than a target voltage level of the output of the voltage generation system, and wherein the second voltage level is between the first voltage level and the target voltage level. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The integrated circuit device of claim 15, wherein the capacitive feedback comprises: a first capacitance connected between the output of the voltage generation system and a second feedback node; and a second capacitance connected between the second feedback node and the first voltage node; wherein the second feedback node is selectively connected to the first feedback node. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The integrated circuit device of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the integrated circuit device to: connect the first feedback node to the first resistance, connect the second resistance to the first voltage node, and isolate the first feedback node from the second voltage node prior to connecting the second feedback node to the first feedback node; and isolate the first feedback node from the first resistance, isolate the second resistance from the first voltage node, and connect the first feedback node to the second voltage node concurrently with connecting the second feedback node to the first feedback node. ### Claim 19 A memory, comprising: an array of memory cells; a voltage generation system having a feedback loop comprising a comparator, a capacitive feedback, and a selectively enabled resistive feedback; and a controller for access of the array of memory cells, wherein the controller, during an access operation of the array of memory cells, is configured to cause the memory to: enable the resistive feedback in response to an output voltage level of the voltage generation system being lower than a target voltage level for the access operation for a particular period of time, or a clock signal having a particular logic level; and disable the resistive feedback in response to the output voltage level being higher than the target voltage level and the clock signal having a logic level different than the particular logic level. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The memory of claim 19, wherein the resistive feedback comprises: a first resistance having a first end connected to the output of the voltage generation system and having a second end; a first transistor having a first source/drain connected to the second end of the first resistance and having a second source/drain connected to a first feedback node; a second resistance having a first end connected to the first feedback node and having a second end; a second transistor having a first source/drain connected to the second end of the second resistance and having a second source/drain connected to a first voltage node configured to receive a first voltage level; and a third transistor having a first source/drain connected to the first feedback node and having a second source/drain connected to a second voltage node configured to receive a second voltage level different than the first voltage level. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The memory of claim 20, wherein the first transistor, the second transistor and the third transistor are configured to be activated in response to a same logic level, wherein the first transistor and the second transistor have control gates connected to a first control signal node configured to receive a first control signal, and wherein the third transistor has a control gate connected to a second control signal node configured to receive a second control signal as a complement of the first control signal. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The memory of claim 20, wherein the capacitive feedback comprises: a first capacitance having a first electrode connected to the output of the voltage generation system and having a second electrode connected to a second feedback node; and a second capacitance having a first electrode connected to the second feedback node and having a second electrode connected to the first voltage node. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The memory of claim 22, further comprising: a fourth transistor having a first source/drain connected to the first feedback node and having a second source/drain connected to the second feedback node. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The memory of claim 23, further comprising: a fifth transistor having a first source/drain connected to the first feedback node and having a second source/drain connected to the second feedback node; wherein the fourth transistor and the fifth transistor are configured to be activated in response to different logic levels, wherein the fourth transistor has a control gate connected to a third control signal node configured to receive a third control signal, and wherein the fifth transistor has a control gate connected to a fourth control signal node configured to receive a fourth control signal as a complement of the third control signal. ### Claim 25 (depends on 20) The memory of claim 20, wherein the second voltage level is within a voltage domain of the comparator, and wherein the first voltage level is lower than the second voltage level. ### Claim 26 (depends on 19) The memory of claim 19, wherein the clock signal is a first clock signal, and wherein the controller being configured to cause the memory to enable the resistive feedback in response to the output voltage level of the voltage generation system being lower than the target voltage level for the access operation for the particular period of time comprises the controller being configured to cause the memory to enable the resistive feedback in response to the output voltage level of the voltage generation system being lower than the target voltage level for the access operation for the particular number of clock cycles of a second clock signal having a smaller period than the first clock signal.