Granted Patent B2

US 7,221,212 · App. 11/113,818 · Granted May 22, 2007

Abstract

Claims (44)

1. A trimming structure for trimming functional parameters of an Integrated Circuit (IC) comprising a first and at least one second functional blocks with which a first and at least one second IC functional parameters are respectively associated, the trimming structure comprising:

respective trimmable circuit structures included in the first and at least one second functional blocks, and

trimming configuration storage means for storing trimming configurations for the trimmable circuit structures, and

wherein that

the trimming configuration storage means is such that a change in the trimming configuration for the trimmable circuit structure of the first functional block causes a corresponding change in the trimming configuration for the trimmable circuit structure of the at least one second functional block; and

the trimmable circuit structures are such that a change in the at least one second IC functional parameter in response to the corresponding change in the trimming configuration for the trimmable structure of the at least one second functional block is function of, particularly is proportional to the change in the first IC functional parameter consequent to the change in the trimming configuration for the trimmable circuit structure of the first functional block.

2. The IC trimming structure according to claim 1 , wherein the trimming configuration for the trimmable circuit structure of the first functional block stored in the trimming configuration storage means also constitutes the trimming configuration of the trimmable circuit structure of the at least one second functional block.

3. The IC trimming structure according to claim 1 , wherein an access path to the first IC functional parameter from outside the IC is provided, selectively activatable at least in an IC testing phase for allowing measuring the first functional parameter.

4. The IC trimming structure according to claim 1 , wherein the functional blocks are generators/regulators of electrical quantities, particularly voltage/current generators/regulators.

5. The IC trimming structure according to claim 4 , wherein the trimmable circuit structures include voltage/current partitioners with adjustable partition ratios.

6. The IC trimming structure according to claim 1 , wherein the first and the at least one second functional parameters are sensitive to a reference functional parameter, particularly a reference electrical quantity generated by a reference functional parameter generator in the IC and fed to the first and the at least one second functional blocks.

7. The IC trimming structure according to claim 6 , comprising means for interrupting an access path to the reference functional parameter from outside the IC.

8. The IC trimming structure according to claim 7 , wherein the means for interrupting the access path includes a physical interruption in the access path to the reference functional parameter from outside the IC.

9. The IC trimming structure according to claim 6 , wherein the reference functional parameter generator includes a respective trimmable structure for trimming the reference functional parameter based on a trimming configuration stored in the trimming configuration storage means.

10. A method of trimming functional parameters of an Integrated Circuit—(IC) under trimming, the IC comprising:

a first and at least one second functional blocks, respectively associated with a first and at least one second functional parameters, depending on the first functional parameter,

trimmable circuit structures provided in the first and in the at least one second functional blocks, for adjusting the first and at least one second functional parameters, and

trimming configuration storage means for storing trimming configurations for the trimmable circuit structures in the first and in the at least one second functional blocks, and

the method comprising:

determining a trimming configuration for the trimmable circuit structure in the first functional block, the trimming configuration being adapted to causing a change in the first functional parameter, and storing the determined trimming configuration in the trimming configuration storage means; and

having the stored trimming configuration cause a corresponding change in a trimming configuration for the trimmable circuit structure in the at least one second functional block, the corresponding change causing a change in the second functional parameter function of, particularly proportional to the change in the first functional parameter.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the determining a trimming configuration for the trimmable circuit structure in the first functional block comprises accessing and measuring the first functional parameter.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the IC further comprises a trimmable reference functional block, associated with a reference functional parameter to which the first and the at least one second functional parameters are sensitive, the method further comprising:

having a pre-determined trimming configuration for the reference functional block stored in the storage means.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the storing a pre-determined trimming configuration for the trimmable reference functional block comprises:

in an IC other than the IC under trimming, providing an access path to the reference functional block from outside the IC, so as to measure the reference functional parameter, and providing the access path with an interruption in the IC under trimming.

14. An integrated circuit (IC), comprising:

a circuit supporting substrate;

circuitry disposed on the circuit supporting substrate; and

a trimming structure, disposed on the circuit supporting substrate, for trimming functional parameters of the integrated circuit comprising a first and at least one second functional blocks with which a first and at least one second IC functional parameters are respectively associated, the trimming structure comprising:

respective trimmable circuit structures included in the first and at least one second functional blocks, and

trimming configuration storage means for storing trimming configurations for the trimmable circuit structures, and

wherein that the trimming configuration storage means is such that a change in the trimming configuration for the trimmable circuit structure of the first functional block causes a corresponding change in the trimming configuration for the trimmable circuit structure of the at least one second functional block; and

the trimmable circuit structures are such that a change in the at least one second IC functional parameter in response to the corresponding change in the trimming configuration for the trimmable structure of the at least one second functional block is function of, particularly is proportional to the change in the first IC functional parameter consequent to the change in the trimming configuration for the trimmable circuit structure of the first functional block.

15. The integrated circuit of claim 14 , wherein the trimming configuration for the trimmable circuit structure of the first functional block stored in the trimming configuration storage means also constitutes the trimming configuration of the trimmable circuit structure of the at least one second functional block.

16. The integrated circuit of claim 14 , wherein an access path to the first IC functional parameter from outside the IC is provided, selectively activatable at least in an IC testing phase for allowing measuring the first functional parameter.

17. The integrated circuit of claim 14 , wherein the functional blocks comprise generators/regulators of electrical quantities, particularly voltage/current generators/regulators.

18. The integrated circuit of claim 14 , wherein the trimmable circuit structures include voltage/current partitioners with adjustable partition ratios.

19. The integrated circuit of claim 14 , wherein the first and the at least one second functional parameters are sensitive to a reference functional parameter, particularly a reference electrical quantity generated by a reference functional parameter generator in the integrated circuit and fed to the first and the at least one second functional blocks.

20. The integrated circuit of claim 19 , comprising means for interrupting an access path to the reference functional parameter from outside the IC.

21. The integrated circuit of claim 20 , wherein the means for interrupting the access path includes a physical interruption in the access path to the reference functional parameter from outside the integrated circuit.

22. The integrated circuit of claim 19 , wherein the reference functional parameter generator includes a respective trimmable structure for trimming the reference functional parameter based on a trimming configuration stored in the trimming configuration storage means.

23. The integrated circuit of claim 14 , wherein the integrated circuit comprises at least one semiconductor memory device.

24. The integrated circuit of claim 23 , wherein the at least one semiconductor memory device comprises Flash memory.

Assignments (11)