Automatic power supply sensing with on-chip regulation

Details Automatic power supply sensing with on-chip regulation Automatic power supply sensing with on-chip regulation

1997-08-01

2001-07-17

Riley, Shawn (Department: 2838)

Electricity: power supply or regulation systems

Input level responsive

Using a linearly acting final control device

C323S266000, C323S283000, C323S288000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06262567

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to integrated circuits and more particularly to an automatic power supply sensing device that provides a constant power output.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Current electronic systems (e.g., computers) often have different power supply voltages available on a single printed circuit board. Present power supply voltages are typically 3.3 V, 5 V, 6 V, 9.6 V and 12 V. In other cases, a particular integrated circuit (IC) may be designed for use in different applications having different power supply voltages. In either case, the IC must be able to operate at the different power supply voltages. Either special power supply conditioning must be provided for that particular IC or the IC by itself must operate at multiple power supply voltages with no degradation in performance. This can at least add time to the design cycle or cost to the system.
Accordingly, a need exists for a device that can provide a constant power output regardless of the system power supply provided to the device, while minimizing additional cost or design cycle time. The present invention meets this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention includes a power supply sensor and constant power supply output device coupled to receive a power supply to provide an output voltage that is different from the power supply voltage. A circuit can be coupled to receive the output voltage. The power sensor and constant power output device preferably includes a sense and management block and an integrated circuit power supply.
The sense and management block preferably includes a power supply voltage sensor, a control block and a feedback device. The power supply voltage sensor can be an analog-to-digital converter. The control block stores a predetermined value that corresponds to an output voltage for comparison to an output of the power supply voltage sensor. The control block provides an enable signal in response to the comparison. The control block also provides an output to the feedback device in response to the power supply voltage and the stored output voltage. The feedback device is preferably a digital-to-analog converter.
The integrated circuit power supply includes a device, or devices, that provides an output voltage that is either less or greater than the power supply voltage. To this end, the integrated circuit power supply preferably includes at least one regulator. The integrated circuit power supply can also include a charge pump.
The present invention also includes a method of providing a desired output voltage. This method includes the steps of sensing a final voltage value once a system power supply has settled and determining a voltage provided by the system power supply. The method provides an enable signal responsive to the determined voltage and also provides feedback responsive to the desired output voltage, the output voltage and the system power supply voltage. Further provided is a voltage reference and the desired output voltage responsive to the system power supply voltage, the enable signal, the feedback and the voltage reference. The method further includes forcing an integrated circuit power to ground as the system power supply is ramped to a final voltage value. The step of providing the desired output votlage includes either increasing or decreasing the system power supply votlage.
Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims and from the accompanying drawings in which details of the invention are fully and completely disclosed as a part of this specification.


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