IP Library Granted Patent US 11,444,026
Granted Patent B2
US 11,444,026 · App. 16/861,028 · Granted Sep 13, 2022

Accidental fuse programming protection circuit

Inventors: Bo Zhou (Acton, MA); Guillaume Alexandre Blin (Carlisle, MA)
Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
H01L23/5256G11C17/16G11C17/18H04B1/40H01L2223/6677
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,444,026
App. No.
16/861,028
Granted
Sep 13, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Circuits, methods, and devices for protecting against accidental fuse programming are discussed herein. For example, a fuse circuit may include a first switch electrically connected to a first point, a fuse electrically connected in series with the first switch, a first biasing circuit to control the first switch to enable programming of the fuse in response to a fuse programming event, a second switch electrically connected in series with the fuse between the fuse and a second point, and a second biasing circuit to control the second switch to enable programming of the fuse in response to the fuse programming event.

Claims (33)

1. A fuse circuit comprising:

a first switch electrically connected to a first point;

a fuse electrically connected in series with the first switch;

a fuse protection diode electrically connected in series with the first switch between the first point and the fuse;

a first biasing circuit to control the first switch to enable programming of the fuse in response to a fuse programming event;

a second switch electrically connected in series with the fuse between the fuse and a second point; and

a second biasing circuit to control the second switch to enable programming of the fuse in response to the fuse programming event.

2. The fuse circuit of claim 1 wherein the first switch and the second switch each include a field-effect transistor.

3. The fuse circuit of claim 2 further comprising a conductive path coupled to a gate of the second switch and the second point, the conductive path including a resistor, the conductive path creating a path to bleed current when the second biasing circuit controls the second switch to operate in a non-programming or non-sensing state.

4. The fuse circuit of claim 2 further comprising a third switch electrically connected in series with the first switch between the first switch and the fuse, the third switch including a cascode field-effect transistor, the first biasing circuit to control the third switch to enable programming of the fuse in response to the fuse programming event.

5. The fuse circuit of claim 4 further comprising a fuse protection capacitor coupled to a gate of the third switch and the first point to adjust a bias voltage of the third switch in response to a change in a voltage of the first point relative to a voltage of the second point.

6. The fuse circuit of claim 1 wherein the first point includes a shared power supply and fuse programming pad and the second point includes a ground pad.

7. The fuse circuit of claim 1 further comprising a fuse sensing circuit electrically connected to the fuse, the fuse sensing circuit to detect a state of the fuse in response to a fuse sensing event.

8. The fuse circuit of claim 7 wherein the fuse sensing circuit includes the second biasing circuit, the second biasing circuit to enable a current to flow through the second switch in response to the fuse sensing event.

9. The fuse circuit of claim 1 wherein the fuse includes a first fuse and the fuse circuit further includes a third switch and a second fuse, the third switch electrically connected in series with the second fuse, the first biasing to control the third switch to enable programming of the second fuse in response to an additional fuse programming event.

10. The fuse circuit of claim 9 further comprising a fourth switch electrically connected in series with the second fuse between the second fuse and the second point, the second biasing circuit to control the fourth switch to enable programming of the second fuse in response to the additional fuse programming event.

11. The fuse circuit of claim 9 wherein the first and second fuses are electrically connected to a node and the second switch is electrically connected between the node and the second pad.

12. The fuse circuit of claim 1 wherein the first switch includes a P- type field-effect transistor and the second switch includes an N-type field-effect transistor.

13. A packaged module comprising:

a packaging substrate; and

a fuse circuit implemented on the packaging substrate, the fuse circuit including a first switch, a fuse, a fuse protection diode, a first biasing circuit, a second switch, and a second biasing circuit, the first switch electrically connected to a first point, the fuse electrically connected in series with the first switch, the fuse protection diode electrically connected in series with the first switch between the first point and the fuse, the first biasing circuit configured to control the first switch to enable programming of the fuse based at least in part on a fuse programming event, the second switch electrically connected in series with the fuse between the fuse and a second point, the second biasing circuit configured to control the second switch to enable programming of the fuse based at least in part on the fuse programming event.

14. The packaged module of claim 13 wherein the first switch and the second switch each include a field-effect transistor.

15. The packaged module of claim 13 wherein the fuse circuit further includes a conductive path coupled to a gate of the second switch and the second point, the conductive path including a resistor.

16. The packaged module of claim 13 wherein the first point includes a shared power supply and fuse programming pad and the second point includes a ground pad.

17. A radio-frequency device comprising:

memory;

a transceiver in communication with the memory, the transceiver to generate a radio-frequency signal;

a front end system in communication with the transceiver, the front end system to amplify the radio-frequency signal;

a power management system in communication with the transceiver, the power management system to provide power for operation of the radio-frequency device;

a fuse circuit implemented on a least one of the memory, the transceiver, the front end system, or the power management system, the fuse circuit including a first switch, a fuse, a fuse protection diode, a first biasing circuit, a second switch, and a second biasing circuit, the first switch electrically connected to a first point, the fuse electrically connected in series with the first switch, the fuse protection diode electrically connected in series with the first switch between the first point and the fuse, the first biasing circuit to control the first switch to enable programming of the fuse based at least in part on a fuse programming event, the second switch electrically connected in series with the fuse between the fuse and a second point, the second biasing circuit to control the second switch to enable programming of the fuse based at least in part on the fuse programming event; and

an antenna in communication with the front end system, the antenna to transmit the amplified radio-frequency signal.

18. The radio-frequency device of claim 17 wherein the fuse circuit further includes a conductive path coupled to a gate of the second switch and the second point.

19. The radio-frequency device of claim 17 wherein the first point includes a shared power supply and fuse programming pad and the second point includes a ground pad.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 5, 2021
From: ZHOU, BO; BLIN, GUILLAUME ALEXANDRE
To: SKYWORKS SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 054808/0839 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62841482 · May 1, 2019
Related Publication 20200350247A1 · Nov 5, 2020
Cited By (3)
US 12,525,492 US 12,604,709 US 12,721,112