# US 11,444,026 B2 · Accidental fuse programming protection circuit

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- Number: US 11,444,026 B2
- Document ID: US11444026B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/861,028
- Filed: 2020-04-28
- Published: 2020-11-05
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2019-05-01
- Assignees: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
- Applicants: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
- Inventors: Bo Zhou; Guillaume Alexandre Blin
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11444026B2

## CPC

- H10W 20/493: {Fuses, i.e. interconnections changeable from conductive to non-conductive}
- G11C 17/16: using electrically-fusible links
- G11C 17/18: Auxiliary circuits, e.g. for writing into memory
- H04B 1/40: Circuits
- H10W 44/248: {for antennas}
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B)
- H04B: TRANSMISSION

## Abstract

Circuits, methods, and devices for protecting against accidental fuse programming are discussed herein. For example, a fuse circuit may include a first switch electrically connected to a first point, a fuse electrically connected in series with the first switch, a first biasing circuit to control the first switch to enable programming of the fuse in response to a fuse programming event, a second switch electrically connected in series with the fuse between the fuse and a second point, and a second biasing circuit to control the second switch to enable programming of the fuse in response to the fuse programming event.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A fuse circuit comprising:
a first switch electrically connected to a first point;
a fuse electrically connected in series with the first switch;
a fuse protection diode electrically connected in series with the first switch between the first point and the fuse;
a first biasing circuit to control the first switch to enable programming of the fuse in response to a fuse programming event;
a second switch electrically connected in series with the fuse between the fuse and a second point; and
a second biasing circuit to control the second switch to enable programming of the fuse in response to the fuse programming event.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The fuse circuit of claim 1 wherein the first switch and the second switch each include a field-effect transistor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The fuse circuit of claim 2 further comprising a conductive path coupled to a gate of the second switch and the second point, the conductive path including a resistor, the conductive path creating a path to bleed current when the second biasing circuit controls the second switch to operate in a non-programming or non-sensing state.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The fuse circuit of claim 2 further comprising a third switch electrically connected in series with the first switch between the first switch and the fuse, the third switch including a cascode field-effect transistor, the first biasing circuit to control the third switch to enable programming of the fuse in response to the fuse programming event.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The fuse circuit of claim 4 further comprising a fuse protection capacitor coupled to a gate of the third switch and the first point to adjust a bias voltage of the third switch in response to a change in a voltage of the first point relative to a voltage of the second point.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The fuse circuit of claim 1 wherein the first point includes a shared power supply and fuse programming pad and the second point includes a ground pad.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The fuse circuit of claim 1 further comprising a fuse sensing circuit electrically connected to the fuse, the fuse sensing circuit to detect a state of the fuse in response to a fuse sensing event.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The fuse circuit of claim 7 wherein the fuse sensing circuit includes the second biasing circuit, the second biasing circuit to enable a current to flow through the second switch in response to the fuse sensing event.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The fuse circuit of claim 1 wherein the fuse includes a first fuse and the fuse circuit further includes a third switch and a second fuse, the third switch electrically connected in series with the second fuse, the first biasing to control the third switch to enable programming of the second fuse in response to an additional fuse programming event.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The fuse circuit of claim 9 further comprising a fourth switch electrically connected in series with the second fuse between the second fuse and the second point, the second biasing circuit to control the fourth switch to enable programming of the second fuse in response to the additional fuse programming event.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The fuse circuit of claim 9 wherein the first and second fuses are electrically connected to a node and the second switch is electrically connected between the node and the second pad.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The fuse circuit of claim 1 wherein the first switch includes a P- type field-effect transistor and the second switch includes an N-type field-effect transistor.

### Claim 13

A packaged module comprising:
a packaging substrate; and
a fuse circuit implemented on the packaging substrate, the fuse circuit including a first switch, a fuse, a fuse protection diode, a first biasing circuit, a second switch, and a second biasing circuit, the first switch electrically connected to a first point, the fuse electrically connected in series with the first switch, the fuse protection diode electrically connected in series with the first switch between the first point and the fuse, the first biasing circuit configured to control the first switch to enable programming of the fuse based at least in part on a fuse programming event, the second switch electrically connected in series with the fuse between the fuse and a second point, the second biasing circuit configured to control the second switch to enable programming of the fuse based at least in part on the fuse programming event.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The packaged module of claim 13 wherein the first switch and the second switch each include a field-effect transistor.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The packaged module of claim 13 wherein the fuse circuit further includes a conductive path coupled to a gate of the second switch and the second point, the conductive path including a resistor.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The packaged module of claim 13 wherein the first point includes a shared power supply and fuse programming pad and the second point includes a ground pad.

### Claim 17

A radio-frequency device comprising:
memory;
a transceiver in communication with the memory, the transceiver to generate a radio-frequency signal;
a front end system in communication with the transceiver, the front end system to amplify the radio-frequency signal;
a power management system in communication with the transceiver, the power management system to provide power for operation of the radio-frequency device;
a fuse circuit implemented on a least one of the memory, the transceiver, the front end system, or the power management system, the fuse circuit including a first switch, a fuse, a fuse protection diode, a first biasing circuit, a second switch, and a second biasing circuit, the first switch electrically connected to a first point, the fuse electrically connected in series with the first switch, the fuse protection diode electrically connected in series with the first switch between the first point and the fuse, the first biasing circuit to control the first switch to enable programming of the fuse based at least in part on a fuse programming event, the second switch electrically connected in series with the fuse between the fuse and a second point, the second biasing circuit to control the second switch to enable programming of the fuse based at least in part on the fuse programming event; and
an antenna in communication with the front end system, the antenna to transmit the amplified radio-frequency signal.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The radio-frequency device of claim 17 wherein the fuse circuit further includes a conductive path coupled to a gate of the second switch and the second point.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The radio-frequency device of claim 17 wherein the first point includes a shared power supply and fuse programming pad and the second point includes a ground pad.