# US 2021/0173418 A1 · Leakage compensation circuit for a capacitive or resistive measurement device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0173418 A1 - Document ID: US20210173418A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/089,871 - Filed: 2020-11-05 - Published: 2021-06-10 - Earliest claimed: 2019-12-04 - Assignees: NXP B.V. - Applicants: NXP B.V. - Inventors: Rainer Stadlmair; Slawomir Rafal Malinowski - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210173418A1 ## CPC - G01R 27/025: {Measuring very high resistances, e.g. isolation resistances, i.e. megohm-meters} - G05F 1/44: semiconductor devices only - G01R 27/14: Measuring resistance by measuring current or voltage obtained from a reference source (G01R27/16, G01R27/20, G01R27/22 take precedence) - G01R 27/2605: {Measuring capacitance (capacitive sensors G01D5/24)} - G01R 31/001: {Measuring interference from external sources to, or emission from, the device under test, e.g. EMC, EMI, EMP or ESD testing (measuring electromagnetic fields G01R29/08; circuits for generating HV pulses in dielectric strength testing G01R31/14)} - G01R 31/3004: {Current or voltage test} - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - G05F: SYSTEMS FOR REGULATING ELECTRIC OR MAGNETIC VARIABLES ## Abstract It is described a leakage compensation circuit for a measurement device which comprises a measurement circuit with a leaking device that is connected to a measurement path and causes a leakage current. The leakage compensation circuit comprises: i) a replica device of the leaking device, wherein the replica device is connected to a replica path, and wherein the replica device is configured to cause a replica leakage current that is essentially equal to the leakage current of the leaking device, ii) a voltage regulator which is connected to the measurement path and to the replica path, wherein the voltage regulator is configured to regulate the voltage in the replica path based on the voltage of the measurement path, and iii) a current mirror which is connected to the measurement path and to the replica path, wherein the current mirror is configured to mirror the replica leakage current of the replica device into the measurement path. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-14. (canceled) ### Claim 15 A leakage compensation circuit for a measurement device which comprises a measurement circuit with a leaking device that is connected to a measurement path and causes a leakage current, the leakage compensation circuit comprising: a replica device of the leaking device, wherein the replica device is connected to a replica path, and wherein the replica device is configured to cause a replica leakage current that is essentially equal to the leakage current of the leaking device; a voltage regulator which is connected to the measurement path and to the replica path, wherein the voltage regulator is configured to regulate the voltage in the replica path based on the voltage of the measurement path; and a current mirror which is connected to the measurement path and to the replica path, wherein the current mirror is configured to mirror the replica leakage current of the replica device into the measurement path. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The leakage compensation circuit according to claim 15, wherein the leakage compensation circuit is configured so that the leakage current mirrored into the measurement path compensates for the loss caused by the leakage current. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The leakage compensation circuit according to claim 15, wherein the voltage regulator comprises an amplifier. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The leakage compensation circuit according to claim 17, wherein the amplifier is an error-amplifier. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The leakage compensation circuit according to claim 17, wherein the amplifier comprises: a first input connected to the measurement path; a second input connected to the replica path as a feedback path; and an output connected to the replica path via a regulator component. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The leakage compensation circuit according to claim 19, wherein the regulator component is connected in the replica path between the current mirror and the replica device. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The leakage compensation circuit according to claim 15, wherein the current mirror comprises two field-effect transistors. ### Claim 22 (depends on 15) The leakage compensation circuit according to claim 15, wherein the current mirror is configured to be operational beyond the measurement range of the measurement circuit. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The leakage compensation circuit according to claim 22, wherein the current mirror comprises a charge pump. ### Claim 24 A measurement device, comprising: a measurement circuit that comprises: a measurement path, and a leaking device that is connected to the measurement path and causes a leakage current; and a leakage compensation circuit that is connected to the measurement path, the leakage compensation circuit comprising: a replica device of the leaking device, wherein the replica device is connected to a replica path, and wherein the replica device is configured to cause a replica leakage current that is essentially equal to the leakage current of the leaking device; a voltage regulator which is connected to the measurement path and to the replica path, wherein the voltage regulator is configured to regulate the voltage in the replica path based on the voltage of the measurement path; and a current mirror which is connected to the measurement path and to the replica path, wherein the current mirror is configured to mirror the replica leakage current of the replica device into the measurement path. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The measurement device according to claim 24, wherein the measurement circuit further comprises: a measurement component; and a current source that is connected to the measurement path and is configured to supply electric energy via the measurement path to the measurement component. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The measurement device according to claim 25, wherein the measurement component is a measurement capacitor or a measurement resistor that is connected in the measurement path. ### Claim 27 (depends on 24) The measurement device according to claim 24, wherein the measurement circuit further comprises: a connection element that is configured to be connected to a device to be measured, wherein the connection element is connected in the measurement path between the current source and the measurement component. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The measurement device according to claim 27, wherein the connection element is further electrically connected via the measurement path to the leaking device. ### Claim 29 (depends on 24) The measurement device according to claim 24, wherein the leaking device is an electronic component. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The measurement device according to claim 29, wherein the electronic component is an electrostatic discharge device (ESD) device. ### Claim 31 A method for compensating a leakage in a measurement device which comprises a measurement circuit with a leaking device that is connected to a measurement path and causes a leakage current, the method comprising: providing a replica device of the leaking device, wherein the replica device is connected to a replica path; causing, by the replica device, a replica leakage current that is essentially equal to the leakage current of the leaking device; regulating, by a voltage regulator which is connected to the measurement path and to the replica path, the voltage in the replica path based on the voltage of the measurement path; and mirroring, by a current mirror which is connected to the measurement path and to the replica path, the leakage current of the replica device into the measurement path.