# US 11,114,849 B2 · Semiconductor device and semiconductor device system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,114,849 B2 - Document ID: US11114849B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/654,901 - Filed: 2019-10-16 - Published: 2020-06-11 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-11 - Assignees: Renesas Electronics Corporation - Applicants: Renesas Electronics Corporation - Inventors: Koki Narita - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11114849B2 ## CPC - H02H 9/046: {responsive to excess voltage appearing at terminals of integrated circuits} - H10D 89/819: {Bias arrangements for gate electrodes of FETs, e.g. RC networks or voltage partitioning circuits (FETs in a Darlington configuration H10D89/817)} - H02H 1/0007: {concerning the detecting means (in general G01R or other subclasses of G01; reed switches H01H71/2445)} - H02H: EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS (indicating or signalling undesired working conditions G01R, e.g. G01R31/00, G08B; locating faults along lines G01R31/08; emergency protective devices H01H) - H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES ## Abstract The present invention provides both a margin of a discharge start voltage with respect to a power supply voltage and a margin of a clamp voltage with respect to a breakdown withstand voltage of an internal circuit. The semiconductor device according to the embodiment includes a first amplifier circuit for amplifying a detection signal and outputting a drive signa, a second amplifier circuit for feedback-amplifying the detection signal to be input to the first amplifier circuit, and a discharge element whose discharge capability changed according to the magnitude of the drive signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A semiconductor device comprising: a voltage detection circuit configured to output a detection signal when a voltage between a first terminal and a second terminal reaches a predetermined voltage, wherein the first terminal is a high potential side terminal, and wherein the second terminal is a low potential side terminal; a first amplifier circuit configured to amplify the detection signal and output a drive signal; a second amplifier circuit configured to feedback-amplify the detection signal; and a discharge element coupled between the first terminal and the second terminal and having a discharge capability depending on the drive signal, wherein the discharge element is a first PMOS transistor having a source coupled to the first terminal and a drain coupled to the second terminal, wherein the first amplifier circuit includes: a second PMOS transistor having a source coupled to the first terminal and a gate supplied with the detection signal; a first resistor having one end coupled to a drain of the second PMOS transistor and the other end coupled to the second terminal; and a first output circuit coupled to a connection node of the second PMOS transistor and the first resistor and configured to output the drive signal to a gate of the first PMOS transistor, and wherein the second amplifier circuit comprises: a third PMOS transistor having a source coupled to the first terminal and a gate supplied with the detection signal; a second resistor having one end coupled to a drain of the third PMOS transistor and the other end coupled to the second terminal; a second output circuit coupled to a connection node of the third PMOS transistor and the second resistor; and a fourth PMOS transistor having a gate supplied with an output signal of the second output circuit, a source coupled to the gate of the third PMOS transistor directly or through at least one of a plurality of rectifying elements of the voltage detection circuit, and a drain coupled to the second terminal directly or through at least one of the plurality of the rectifying elements. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the second amplifier circuit starts operating later than the first amplifier circuit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the first amplifier circuit includes a transient detection circuit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The semiconductor device according to claim 3, wherein the transient detection circuit comprises a resistor and a capacitor coupled in series between the first terminal and the second terminal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the voltage detection circuit comprises a rectifying element string having a plurality of rectifying elements coupled in series, and a resistor coupled in series with the rectifying element string between the first terminal and the second terminal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The semiconductor device according to claim 5, wherein the rectifying elements are diode elements or diode-connected MOS transistors. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined voltage is higher than a power supply voltage and lower than a breakdown withstand voltage of an internal circuit. ### Claim 8 A semiconductor device system comprising: a semiconductor device including: an internal circuit region in which an internal circuit including a plurality of logic circuits and a plurality of analog circuits is formed; a peripheral I/O region formed around the internal circuit region; at least one of a first power supply cell and a second power supply cell, the first power supply cell formed in the peripheral I/O region and coupled to a first terminal, and the second power supply cell formed in the peripheral I/O region and coupled to a second terminal, wherein the first terminal is a high potential side terminal, and wherein the second terminal is a low potential side terminal; a voltage detection circuit configured to output a detection signal when a voltage between the first terminal and the second terminal reaches a predetermined voltage; a first amplifier circuit configured to amplify the detection signal and output a drive signal; a second amplifier circuit configured to feedback-amplify the detection signal; and a discharge element coupled between the first terminal and the second terminal and having a discharge capability depending on the drive signal, wherein the discharge element is a first PMOS transistor having a source coupled to the first terminal and a drain coupled to the second terminal, wherein the first amplifier circuit includes: a second PMOS transistor having a source coupled to the first terminal and a gate supplied with the detection signal; a first resistor having one end coupled to a drain of the second PMOS transistor and the other end coupled to the second terminal; and a first output circuit coupled to a connection node of the second PMOS transistor and the first resistor and configured to output the drive signal to a gate of the first PMOS transistor, and wherein the second amplifier circuit comprises: a third PMOS transistor having a source coupled to the first terminal and a gate supplied with the detection signal; a second resistor having one end coupled to a drain of the third PMOS transistor and the other end coupled to the second terminal; a second output circuit coupled to a connection node of the third PMOS transistor and the second resistor; and a fourth PMOS transistor having a gate supplied with an output signal of the second output circuit, a source coupled to the gate of the third PMOS transistor directly or through at least one of a plurality of rectifying elements of the voltage detection circuit, and a drain coupled to the second terminal directly or through at least one of the plurality of the rectifying elements. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The semiconductor device system according to claim 8, wherein the second amplifier circuit starts operating later than the first amplifier circuit. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The semiconductor device system according to claim 8, wherein the first amplifier circuit includes a transient detection circuit. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The semiconductor device system according to claim 8, wherein the semiconductor device system is formed on one semiconductor chip. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The semiconductor device system according to claim 8, wherein he predetermined voltage is higher than a power supply voltage and lower than a breakdown withstand voltage of the internal circuit. ### Claim 13 A semiconductor device comprising: a voltage detection circuit configured to output a detection signal when a voltage between a first terminal and a second terminal reaches a predetermined voltage, wherein the first terminal is a high potential side terminal, and wherein the second terminal is a low potential side terminal; a first amplifier circuit having a first input node and a first output node, the first input node coupled to the voltage detection circuit and supplied with the detection signal, the first amplifier circuit amplifying a signal supplied to the first input node and output a drive signal from the first output node; a second amplifier circuit supplied with the detection signal, amplifying the detection signal, and outputting an amplified signal to the first input node; and a discharge element coupled between the first terminal and the second terminal and controlling a discharge current flowing between the first terminal and the second terminal based on the drive signal, wherein the discharge element comprises a first NMOS transistor having a source coupled to the second terminal and a drain coupled to the first terminal, wherein the first amplifier circuit comprises: a second NMOS transistor having a source coupled to the second terminal and a gate supplied with the detection signal; a first resistor having one end coupled to a drain of the second NMOS transistor and the other end coupled to the first terminal; and a first output circuit coupled to a connection node of the second NMOS transistor and the first resistor and configured to output the drive signal to a gate of the first NMOS transistor, wherein the second amplifier circuit comprises: a third NMOS transistor having a source coupled to the second terminal and a gate supplied with the detection signal; a second resistor having one end coupled to a drain of the third NMOS transistor and the other end coupled to the first terminal; a second output circuit coupled to a connection of the third NMOS transistor and the second resistor; and a fourth NMOS transistor having a gate supplied with an output signal of the second output circuit, a source coupled to the gate of the third NMOS transistor directly or through at least one of a plurality of rectifying elements of the voltage detection circuit, and a drain coupled to the first terminal directly or through at least one of the plurality of the rectifying elements, wherein the first amplifier circuit configured to output a first drive signal when the first input node is supplied with the detection signal, and to output a second drive signal when the first input node is supplied with the amplified signal of the second amplifier circuit, and wherein the discharge current based on the second drive signal is larger than the discharge current based on the first drive signal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The semiconductor device according to claim 13, wherein the first amplifier circuit and the second amplifier circuit are coupled between the first terminal and the second terminal, respectively, wherein the first amplifier circuit outputs the first drive signal when a voltage between the first terminal and the second terminal reaches the predetermined voltage, and wherein the second amplifier circuit outputs the amplified signal when the voltage between the first terminal and the second terminal reaches a voltage different from the predetermined voltage.