Charge pump apparatus, a memory integrated circuit and methods of power supply
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorDumitru Cioaca
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A power supply, and a method of controlling the power supply, in which more or less power capacity of the power supply is activated depending on the state of a digital data signal on a data bus. The power supply has a control circuit which detects the number of “zero” bits present on the data bus, and responsively activates one or more of a plurality of power supply circuits such as charge pump circuits. The outputs of the charge pump circuits are mutually connected to a driver adapted to program memory cells of a flash memory circuit. A charge pump apparatus and a memory integrated circuit are also described.
Claims22
1-13. (canceled)
A method of supplying current to a device having a plurality of data inputs comprising:
- sensing a number of zero bits on said plurality of data inputs;
- activating a number of charge pump circuits proportional to said number of zero bits;
- supplying a level of current to said device proportional to said number of charge pump circuits, wherein said level of current is adapted to meet a requirement of said device related to said number of zero bits.
15-17. (canceled)
A method of supplying power to a plurality of memory cells of a memory integrated circuit comprising:
- sensing a number of zero bits to be written to a corresponding number of said plurality of memory cells;
- and
- activating one or more power supplies in relation to said sensed number of zero bits.
A method of controlling a charge pump comprising:
- predicting a required level of current;
- activating a portion of a multi-portion charge pump so as to supply said required level of current to an output of the charge pump.
24-26. (canceled)
An open loop charge pump control method comprising:
- sensing a data input, said data input adapted to control an electrical load;
- switchingly connecting one or more of a plurality of charge pumps in response to said data input, as sensed, wherein said plurality of charge pumps are each adapted to be switchingly connected to said electrical load to supply said electrical load with electrical power;
- and
- operating said electrical load so as to draw a level of current within a particular range of currents from said one or more of said switchingly connected plurality of charge pumps.
An open loop charge pump control method comprising:
- sensing a data input, said data input being operatively connected to an electrical load;
- turning on one of a plurality of charge pumps in response to said data input, wherein said plurality of charge pumps are each operatively connected to said electrical load to supply said electrical load with electrical power;
- and
- operating said electrical load so as to draw a level of current affected by said turning on of said one charge pump.
A charge pump apparatus comprising:
- means for sensing a number of bits of a data input having a particular state;
- a plurality of charge pump circuits;
- and
- means for activating one or more of said plurality of charge pumps circuits based on said number of bits of data having said particular state, wherein said charge pump apparatus is adapted to provide a particular amount of power to a load circuit.
36-37. (canceled)
A memory integrated circuit comprising:
- a plurality of memory cells each adapted to be programmed into a respective plurality of logic states;
- a plurality of data lines adapted to convey a plurality of data signals to said plurality of memory cells respectively, said data signals corresponding to said logic states respectively;
- a control system adapted to sense said plurality of data signals;
- a plurality of charge pump circuits operatively connected to said control system and adapted to be controlled by said control system;
- and
- a plurality of conductors adapted to conduct power from said charge pump circuits to said memory cells.
39-43. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.