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US 2014/0191578 A1Published application
Integrated circuit power supply regulator
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
InventorsJimmy Fort, Fabrice Marinet
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims16
A method for masking the current signature of an electronic function, comprising:
- regulating a supply voltage applied to said electronic function at a supply node;
- controlling a first current source coupled between a power supply voltage and said supply node of the electronic function to provide a dynamically-varying current to said supply node.
An electronic circuit, comprising:
- two terminals configured for application of a power supply voltage;
- a first current source;
- an electronic function coupled in series at a supply node with the first current source;
- the series coupled electronic function and first current source coupled between the two terminals;
- a regulator circuit configured to regulate a voltage at the supply node;
- and
- a circuit configured to control said first current source to provide a dynamically-varying current to said electronic function.
4 more elements
A method, comprising:
- regulating a voltage applied to an electronic circuit;
- supplying a current to the electronic circuit;
- and
- dynamically-varying the supplied current in order to mask a current signature of the electronic circuit.
1 more element
A circuit, comprising;
- a first current source coupled between a first supply node and an intermediate node;
- a second current source coupled between the intermediate node and a second supply node;
- an electronic circuit coupled between the intermediate node and a second supply node, said electronic circuit having current signature during circuit operation;
- a first circuit configured to control said first current source to provide a dynamically-varying current to said electronic circuit in order to mask said current signature;
- and
- a second circuit configured to control said second current source to regulate a voltage at the intermediate node.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.