Semiconductor device and apparatus including semiconductor device
View Patent ↗A semiconductor device includes a substrate on which an electronic circuit is provided. Two or more pads may be present which can connect the electronic circuit to an external device outside the substrate. A current meter is electrically in contact with at least a part of the substrate and/or the pad. The meter can measure a parameter forming a measure for an aggregate amount of a current flowing between the substrate and said pads. A control unit is connected to the current meter and the electronic circuit, for controlling the electronic circuit based on the measured parameter.
1. A semiconductor device, comprising:
a substrate on which an electronic circuit is provided;
at least two pads for connecting the electronic circuit to an external device outside the substrate;
a current sensor for sensing a parameter forming a measure for a total amount of current flowing between said substrate and said pads; and
a control unit connected to said current sensor and said electronic circuit, for controlling said electronic circuit based on said total amount of current.
2. A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said electronic circuit has a normal mode and at least two non-normal modes, and wherein said control unit comprises:
a selection unit connected to said current meter, for selecting a non-normal mode based on said measured parameter and
a mode-controller connected to said selection unit and, for controlling said electronic circuit to be in a selected non-normal mode.
3. A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said electronic circuit includes a logic circuit which forms said mode-controller.
4. A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said current sensor includes a sensor portion of said substrate positioned between at least one of the said pads and said electronic circuit, said portion being part of a path for said injected current.
5. A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least a pad portion of said substrate surrounding at least one pad of said at least two pads is provided with a doping of a first type and said portion is provided with a doping of a second type.
6. A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein said sensor portion surrounds a circuit region of the substrate, in which circuit region said electronic circuit is present.
7. A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said electronic circuit includes a logic circuit and said current meter includes an analogue to digital converter connected to the logic circuit.
8. A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the analogue to digital converter is part of the electronic circuit.
9. A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said substrate includes a barrier between at least one pad of said at least two pads and the electronic circuit, said barrier at least partially inhibiting a current flow between the at least one pad and the electronic circuit.
10. A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , comprises:
a sensor for sensing said current flowing between said substrate and at least one of said at least two pads;
a detector connected to the sensor, for detecting that said current exceeds a current threshold; and
a current meter controller connected to said detector and to said current meter, for activating said current meter when said current exceeds said threshold.
11. A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , comprising:
a sensor for sensing said current flowing between said substrate and at least one of said at least two pads;
a detector connected to the sensor, for detecting that said current exceeds a current threshold and outputting to said electronic circuit a signal suitable to be processed by said electronic circuit when said current exceeds said threshold.
12. A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said electronic circuit includes one or more of the group consisting of:
microprocessor, central processing unit, coprocessor, digital signal processor, embedded processor, microcontroller.
13. An apparatus including a semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1 .
14. A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said electronic circuit includes a logic circuit which forms said mode-controller.
15. A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said current sensor includes a sensor portion of said substrate positioned between at least one of said two said pads and said electronic circuit, said portion being part of a path for said injected current.
16. A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein said current sensor includes a sensor portion of said substrate positioned between at least one pad of said at least two pads and said electronic circuit, said portion being part of a path for said injected current.
17. A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein at least a pad portion of said substrate surrounding at least one pad of said at least two pads is provided with a doping of a first type and said portion is provided with a doping of a second type.
18. A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein at least a pad portion of said substrate surrounding at least one pad of said at least two pads is provided with a doping of a first type and said portion is provided with a doping of a second type.
19. A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein at least a pad portion of said substrate surrounding at least one pad of said at least two pads is provided with a doping of a first type and said portion is provided with a doping of a second type.
20. A semiconductor device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said electronic circuit includes a logic circuit and said current meter includes an analogue to digital converter connected to the logic circuit.