Voltage isolation system for a microchip
AssigneeInfineon Technologies AG
InventorsPeter Bogner, Robert Priewasser
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mechanism for controlling power flow from a voltage line to an electronic circuit of a microchip. A reset control system initially controls a voltage isolation circuit to prevent this power flow upon startup of the microchip and allows it only when one or more predetermined criteria are met. The voltage monitoring system generates a digital representation of the voltage at a supply line, which the reset control system monitors. The reset control system monitors the digital representation of this voltage to determine when the one or more predetermined criteria are met.
Claims20
A voltage isolation system for controlling, in a microchip, a power flow from a voltage line to an electronic circuit, the voltage isolation system comprising:
- a voltage isolation circuit configured to control a power flow between the voltage line and the electronic circuit responsive to a control signal;
- a voltage monitoring system configured to generate a digital representation of a voltage at a supply line for the electronic circuit;
- and
- a reset control system configured to:
- provide the control signal to the voltage isolation circuit and:
- receive and monitor the digital representation of the voltage at the supply line from the voltage monitoring system,
- wherein the reset control system is further configured to, responsive to a startup of the microchip:
- initially control, using the control signal, the voltage isolation circuit to prevent power flow from the voltage line to the electronic circuit;
- and
- responsive to each of one or more first predetermined criteria being met after the startup of the microchip, permit the voltage isolation circuit to allow power flow from the voltage line to the electronic circuit,
- wherein the one or more first predetermined criteria includes a criterion that the digital representation of the voltage at the supply line meets each of one or more second predetermined criteria after the startup of the microchip.
A microchip comprising:
- one or more voltage isolation systems, each voltage isolation system comprising
- a voltage isolation circuit configured to control a power flow between a voltage line and an electronic circuit responsive to a control signal;
- a voltage monitoring system configured to generate a digital representation of a voltage at a supply line for the electronic circuit, comprising a digital output line configured to provide a digital signal derived from the digital representation of the voltage;
- and
- a reset control system configured to:
- provide the control signal to the voltage isolation circuit and:
- receive and monitor the digital representation of the voltage at the supply line from the voltage monitoring system,
- wherein the reset control system is further configured to, responsive to a startup of the microchip:
- initially control, using the control signal, the voltage isolation circuit to prevent power flow from the voltage line to the electronic circuit;
- and
- responsive to each of one or more first predetermined criteria being met after the startup of the microchip, permit the voltage isolation circuit to allow power flow from the voltage line to the electronic circuit,
- wherein the one or more first predetermined criteria includes a criterion that the digital representation of the voltage at the supply line meets each of one or more second predetermined criteria after the startup of the microchip;
- for each voltage isolation system, a respective electronic circuit and a respective supply line;
- and
- a power management system connected to the digital output line of each voltage isolation system and configured to, for each voltage isolation system, control the voltage on the respective supply line of said voltage isolation system responsive to the digital signal provided by the voltage isolation system.
A voltage isolation system, comprising:
- a voltage isolation circuit configured to control flow of power on a supply line to an electronic circuit responsive to a control signal;
- and
- a reset control system configured to
- receive, from a voltage monitoring system, a digital representation of voltage on the supply line;
- and
- generate the control signal based on the digital representation of the voltage on the supply line.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.