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US 9,318,161 B2Granted
Non-volatile memory robust start-up using analog-to-digital converter
AssigneeFreescale Semiconductor, Inc.
InventorsRichard K. Eguchi, Jon S. Choy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In accordance with at least one embodiment, an onboard analog-to-digital converter (ADC) on a system-on-a-chip (SOC) is utilized to determine whether a charge pump output for a non-volatile memory (NVM) is correct or not. The SOC is directed to wait until the output is within an expected range before moving to the next step in a start-up procedure. If the maximum allowed start-up time is exceeded, an error signal is sent to the SOC such that the application can react to it.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- starting a charge pump for a non-volatile memory (NVM);
- monitoring a voltage at an output of the charge pump with an analog-to-digital converter;
- reading configuration information from the NVM in response to detecting with the analog-to-digital converter the voltage at the output to be within a predefined range;
- configuring the NVM for operation based on the configuration information read from the NVM;
- and
- enabling the NVM to be accessed in response to the configuring the NVM for operation.
3 more elements
A method comprising:
- starting a non-volatile memory (NVM) clock, wherein the NVM clock affects operation of an NVM charge pump;
- starting the NVM charge pump;
- verifying proper charge pump output voltage at an output of the NVM charge pump using an analog-to-digital converter (ADC);
- reading configuration information from the NVM in response to the verifying the proper charge pump output voltage:
- and
- proceeding with configuration of the NVM using configuration information read from the NVM after the proper charge pump output voltage has been verified.
3 more elements
Apparatus comprising:
- a non-volatile memory (NVM) bit cell array;
- a charge pump, the charge pump coupled to the NVM bit cell array to provide, at an output, an output voltage to the array;
- an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) module, the ADC module coupled to the output;
- and
- a controller, the controller coupled to the ADC module, the controller comprising logic configured to cause the controller to initiate operation of the charge pump, to obtain a measurement of the output of the charge pump from the ADC module, to compare the measurement to an acceptable range, and, in response to the measurement being within the acceptable range, to read configuration information from the NVM bit cell array, to configure the apparatus for operation based on the configuration information read from the NVM bit cell array, and to allow access to the NVM bit cell array to proceed in response to configuration of the apparatus for operation.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.