IP Library Granted Patent US 12,413,209
Granted Patent B2
US 12,413,209 · App. 18/416,527 · Granted Sep 9, 2025

Clock signal generator and operating method thereof

Inventors: Jihyun Park (Suwon-si, KR); Bilal Ahmad Janjua (Suwon-si, KR); Chiweon Yoon (Suwon-si, KR); Jungyu Lee (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
H03K3/011G05F3/262G11C7/04G11C16/32H03L1/022
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,413,209
App. No.
18/416,527
Granted
Sep 9, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of generating clock signals includes: receiving a bandgap reference voltage from a bandgap reference circuit; generating a first current having a first curvature characteristic based on the bandgap reference voltage; generating a second current having a second curvature characteristic based on the bandgap reference voltage; generating a first complementary to absolute temperature (CTAT) current by adding the first current to the second current; receiving a temperature-variable voltage and a temperature-fixed voltage from a voltage generator; generating an offset current based on the temperature-variable voltage and the temperature-fixed voltage; generating a reference current by adding the first CTAT current to the offset current; and generating the clock signals by alternately discharging a first capacitor and a second capacitor based on the reference current, and charging the first capacitor and the second capacitor based on a power voltage.

Claims (57)

1. A method of generating clock signals, the method comprising:

receiving a bandgap reference voltage from a bandgap reference circuit;

generating a first current having a first curvature characteristic based on the bandgap reference voltage;

generating a second current having a second curvature characteristic based on the bandgap reference voltage;

generating a first complementary to absolute temperature (CTAT) current by adding the first current to the second current;

receiving a temperature-variable voltage and a temperature-fixed voltage from a voltage generator;

generating an offset current based on the temperature-variable voltage and the temperature-fixed voltage;

generating a reference current by adding the first CTAT current to the offset current; and

generating the clock signals by alternately discharging a first capacitor and a second capacitor based on the reference current, and charging the first capacitor and the second capacitor based on a power voltage.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first current is a second CTAT current in which a rate of change of current with respect to temperature increases as the temperature increases, and

wherein the second current is a third CTAT current in which a rate of change of current with respect to temperature decreases as the temperature increases.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein a sum of the first current and the second current has a rate of change of current which is linear.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the offset current is a proportional to absolute temperature (PTAT) current.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the reference current is a constant current that is constant with respect to a temperature change.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the reference current is an increasing current that increases with a temperature change.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the offset current is a fourth CTAT current.

8. A method of generating clock signals, the method comprising:

receiving a bandgap reference voltage from a bandgap reference circuit;

generating a first current having a first curvature characteristic based on the bandgap reference voltage;

generating a second current having a second curvature characteristic based on the bandgap reference voltage;

generating a first complementary to absolute temperature (CTAT) current by adding the first current to the second current;

receiving a temperature-variable current and a temperature-fixed current from a current generator;

controlling a first p-type metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS) transistor to generate a first offset current based on the temperature-fixed current;

controlling a second PMOS transistor to generate a second offset current based on the temperature-variable current;

generating an offset current based on the first offset current and the second offset current;

generating a reference current by adding the first CTAT current to the offset current; and

generating the clock signals by alternately discharging a first capacitor and a second capacitor based on the reference current, and charging the first capacitor and the second capacitor based on a power voltage,

wherein a source terminal of the first PMOS transistor is connected to a source terminal of the second PMOS transistor.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a complementary to absolute temperature (CTAT) current generating circuit configured to receive a bandgap reference voltage from a bandgap reference circuit, generate a first current having a first curvature characteristic based on the bandgap reference voltage, generate a second current having a second curvature characteristic based on the bandgap reference voltage, and generate a first CTAT current by adding the first current to the second current;

an offset current generating circuit configured to receive a temperature-variable voltage and a temperature-fixed voltage from a voltage generator, generate an offset current based on the temperature-variable voltage and the temperature-fixed voltage, and generate a reference current by adding the first CTAT current to the offset current; and

a clock signal generating circuit configured to generate clock signals by alternately discharging a first capacitor and a second capacitor based on the reference current, and charging the first capacitor and the second capacitor based on a power voltage.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the CTAT current generating circuit comprises a first curvature compensation circuit and a second curvature compensation circuit,

wherein the first curvature compensation circuit is configured to generate the first current based on a driving voltage of a first p-type metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS) transistor and the bandgap reference voltage, wherein the first current flows through a first resistor, and

wherein the second curvature compensation circuit is configured to generate the second current based on the bandgap reference voltage, wherein the second current flows through a second resistor to a ground node.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first current is a second CTAT current in which a rate of change of current with respect to temperature increases as the temperature increases, and

wherein the second current is a third CTAT current in which a rate of change of current with respect to temperature decreases as the temperature increases.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein a sum of the first current and the second current has a rate of change of current which is linear.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the offset current generating circuit comprises:

a first n-type metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) transistor configured to mirror the first CTAT current;

a first current mirror circuit configured to generate a third current by adding the mirrored first CTAT current to a first offset current;

a second current mirror circuit configured to generate a reference current based on a difference between the third current and a second offset current; and

a third current mirror circuit for mirroring the reference current.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the temperature-fixed voltage is applied to a gate terminal of a second p-type metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS) transistor of the first current mirror circuit, the temperature-variable voltage is applied to a gate terminal of a third PMOS transistor of the second current mirror circuit, and

wherein the offset current is a proportional to absolute temperature (PTAT) current.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the reference current is a constant current that is constant with respect to a temperature change.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the reference current is an increasing current that increases with respect to a temperature change.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the temperature-variable voltage is applied to a gate terminal of a second p-type metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS) transistor of the first current mirror circuit, the temperature-fixed voltage is applied to a gate terminal of a third PMOS transistor of the second current mirror circuit, and

wherein the offset current is a fourth CTAT current.

18. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the offset current is controlled by controlling a current mirror ratio based on a temperature code received from a digital temperature sensor.

19. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein a frequency of a cycle of the clock signals is inversely proportional to the reference current.

20. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:

a memory cell array comprising a plurality of memory blocks, each of the plurality of memory blocks comprising a plurality of memory cells connected to a plurality of word lines and a plurality of bit lines;

a row decoder configured to identify a selected memory block, from among the plurality of memory blocks, according to an address;

the voltage generator configured to provide a word line voltage to the plurality of word lines;

page buffers connected to the plurality of bit lines and configured to read data from the plurality of memory cells connected to a selected word line of the selected memory block; and

a control logic circuit configured to control, based on the clock signals, the row decoder, the voltage generator, and the page buffers.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 19, 2024
From: PARK, JIHYUN; JANJUA, BILAL AHMAD; YOON, CHIWEON; LEE, JUNGYU
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 066175/0939 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2023-0014901 · Feb 3, 2023 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240267034A1 · Aug 8, 2024
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