IP Library Granted Patent US 7,956,678
Granted Patent B2
US 7,956,678 · App. 12/365,404 · Granted Jun 7, 2011

Power off controlling circuit and power-off controlling method

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,956,678
App. No.
12/365,404
Granted
Jun 7, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A power-off controlling circuit and a power-off controlling method that control power-off of an integrated circuit based on the size of leakage currents. The power-off controlling circuit includes a model circuit section that includes a model circuit made by modeling a basic circuit of an integrated circuit, a voltage comparing circuit section that compares an output voltage charged by a leakage current occurred at the model circuit and a preset reference voltage, a decision circuit section that measures an arrival time until the output voltage reaches the reference voltage from the compared result and decides a size of the leakage current from the measured result, and a power-off controlling circuit section that controls power-off of the integrated circuit on the basis of the decided size of the leakage current.

Claims (20)

1. A power-off controlling circuit comprising:

a model circuit section that comprises a model circuit made by modeling a basic circuit of an integrated circuit to be controlled, wherein the model circuit includes a first transistor comprising a first threshold voltage and the model circuit is configured to be charged by turning off a second transistor comprising a second threshold voltage higher than the first threshold voltage;

a voltage comparing circuit section that compares an output voltage charges by a leakage current occurred at the model circuit and a preset reference voltage;

a deciding circuit section that measures an arrival time until the output voltage reaches the reference voltage from the compared result and decides a size of the leakage current from the measured result; and

a power-off controlling circuit section configured to power-off the integrated circuit on the basis of the decided size of the leakage current.

2. The power-off controlling circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising a reference voltage generating circuit section that generates the reference voltage.

3. The power-off controlling circuit according to claim 1 , wherein

the model circuit section is a MTCMOS circuit

the output voltage is a voltage of a connection interval between first transistor and the second transistor.

4. The power-off controlling circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the voltage comparing circuit section comprises a current mirror type sense amplifier circuit.

5. The power-off controlling circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the deciding circuit section discharges the output voltage before deciding the size of the leakage current.

6. The power-off controlling circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the power-off controlling circuit section is configured to turn off the integrated circuit.

7. The power-off controlling circuit according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of a source or a drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to ground.

8. A power-off controlling method comprising:

charging an output voltage by a leakage current occurred at a model circuit made by modeling a basic circuit of an integrated circuit, wherein the model circuit includes a first transistor comprising a first threshold voltage and the model circuit is configured to be charged by turning off a second transistor comprising a second threshold voltage higher than the first threshold voltage;

comparing a preset reference voltage with the charged output voltage;

measuring an arrival time until the output voltage reaches the reference voltage from the compared result and deciding a size of the leakage current from the measured result; and

power-off the integrated circuit on the basis of the decided size of the leakage current.

9. The power-off controlling method according to claim 8 , wherein powering-off of the integrated circuit comprises turning off the integrated circuit.

10. The power-off controlling method according to claim 8 , wherein at least one of a source or a drain of the second transistor is electrically connected to ground.

Assignments (3)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 31, 2019
From: CRESTLINE DIRECT FINANCE, L.P.
To: EMPIRE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT LLC
Reel/Frame 049924/0794 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 29, 2019
From: EMPIRE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT LLC
To: CRESTLINE DIRECT FINANCE, L.P.
Reel/Frame 048373/0217 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 22, 2009
From: USAMI, KIMIYOSHI
To: SHIBAURA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Reel/Frame 023268/0076 →