IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,652,045
Granted Patent B2
US 12,652,045 · App. 18/594,589 · Granted Jun 9, 2026

Semiconductor device, semiconductor system, and method of controlling semiconductor device

Inventors: Fumiya Watanabe (Chigasaki Kanagawa, JP); Kazuhiko Satou (Yokohama Kanagawa, JP); Kenro Kubota (Fujisawa Kanagawa, JP); Atsuko Saeki (Yokohama Kanagawa, JP); Ryota Tsuchiya (Kamakura Kanagawa, JP); Harumi Abe (Kawasaki Kanagawa, JP); Kanta Nagumo (Kamakura Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
H03K19/0005H03K19/00384H03K19/018557
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,652,045
App. No.
18/594,589
Granted
Jun 9, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor device includes a first circuit, a first pad, a first comparator, a second comparator, and a control circuit. The first circuit is configured to pull up a voltage of a first node, and includes a plurality of first transistors connected in parallel to the first node. The first pad is connected to the first node. The first comparator is configured to compare a voltage of the first node with a first reference voltage. The second comparator is configured to compare the voltage of the first node with a second reference voltage. The control circuit is configured to control the plurality of first transistors based on an output of the first comparator and an output of the second comparator.

Claims (71)

1 . A semiconductor device comprising:

a first circuit configured to pull up a voltage of a first node, the first circuit including a plurality of first transistors connected in parallel to the first node;

a first pad connected to the first node;

a first comparator configured to compare a voltage of the first node with a first reference voltage;

a second comparator configured to compare the voltage of the first node with a second reference voltage;

a control circuit configured to control the plurality of first transistors based on an output of the first comparator and an output of the second comparator; and

a voltage divider circuit configured to output one of the first and second reference voltages selected based on control of the control circuit.

2 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the voltage divider circuit includes:

a plurality of resistors connected in series; and

a selector to which a plurality of voltages divided by the plurality of resistors are input.

3 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the voltage divider circuit is connected to each of a power voltage and a ground voltage.

4 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a temperature sensor, wherein

the control circuit causes the voltage divider circuit to vary values of the first and second reference voltages based on a change in a temperature acquired from the temperature sensor.

5 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a voltage sensor configured to measure a power voltage supplied to the semiconductor device, wherein

the control circuit causes the voltage divider circuit to vary values of the first and second reference voltages based on a change in a voltage acquired from the voltage sensor.

6 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a second circuit configured to pull up a voltage of a second node, the second circuit including a plurality of second transistors connected in parallel to the second node; and

a third circuit configured to pull down the voltage of a second node, the third circuit including a plurality of third transistors connected in parallel to the second node,

wherein the control circuit configured to control the plurality of second transistors and the plurality of third transistors based on outputs of the first comparator and outputs of the second comparator.

7 . A semiconductor system comprising:

a power device configured to supply a power voltage to the semiconductor device and transmit information regarding a value of the power voltage to the semiconductor device; and

the semiconductor device according to claim 1 configured to cause the voltage divider circuit to vary values of the first and second reference voltages based on a change in the information.

8 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the first reference voltage is different from the second reference voltage.

9 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein

the first comparator has a negative input offset,

the second comparator has a positive input offset, and

the first reference voltage is substantially equal to the second reference voltage.

10 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein

the first reference voltage is lower than ½ of a power voltage of the first circuit, and

the second reference voltage is higher than ½ of the power voltage of the first circuit.

11 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein

the first reference voltage is lower than ⅓ of a power voltage of the first circuit, and

the second reference voltage is higher than ⅓ of the power voltage of the first circuit.

12 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a NAND flash memory array; and

an input/output circuit configured to receive data to be written into and output data read from the NAND flash memory array, wherein

the control circuit is configured to calibrate an output impedance of the input/output circuit by controlling the plurality of first transistors.

13 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a DRAM memory cell array; and

an input/output circuit configured to receive data to be written into and output data read from the DRAM memory cell array, wherein

the control circuit is configured to calibrate an output impedance of the input/output circuit by controlling the plurality of first transistors.

14 . A method of controlling a semiconductor device including:

a first circuit connected to a first node and configured to pull up a voltage of the first node; and

a first pad connected to the first node and to a resistance element provided outside the semiconductor device, the method comprising:

performing a first calibration of output impedance of the semiconductor device for a first period of time; and

performing a second calibration of the output impedance of the semiconductor device for a second period of time longer than the first period of time,

wherein the first calibration comprises:

comparing a voltage of the first node with each of a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage; and

controlling the first circuit to vary the voltage of the first node, based on a relation between the voltage of the first node and the first reference voltage and a relation between the voltage of the first node and the second reference voltage.

15 . The method of controlling the semiconductor device according to claim 14 , wherein the number of times the voltage of the first node is compared with the first reference voltage during the first calibration is once and the number of times the voltage of the first node is compared with the second reference voltage during the first calibration is once.

16 . The method of controlling the semiconductor device according to claim 14 , wherein

the first reference voltage is lower than the second reference voltage, and

said controlling the first circuit to vary the voltage of the first node comprises:

maintaining the voltage of the first node when the voltage of the first node is higher than the first reference voltage and is lower than the second reference voltage,

raising the voltage of the first node when the voltage of the first node is lower than the first reference voltage and is lower than the second reference voltage, and

lowering the voltage of the first node when the voltage of the first node is higher than the first reference voltage and is higher than the second reference voltage.

17 . The method of controlling the semiconductor device according to claim 14 , wherein

the first reference voltage is lower than the second reference voltage, and

said controlling the first circuit to vary the voltage of the first node comprises:

lowering the voltage of the first node by a predetermined voltage when the voltage of the first node is higher than the first reference voltage and is lower than the second reference voltage,

lowering the voltage of the first node by a voltage greater than the predetermined voltage when the voltage of the first node is higher than the first reference voltage and is higher than the second reference voltage, and

raising the voltage of the first node by a voltage less than the predetermined voltage when the voltage of the first node is lower than the first reference voltage and is lower than the second reference voltage.

18 . The method of controlling the semiconductor device according to claim 14 , wherein

the first reference voltage is lower than the second reference voltage, and

said controlling the first circuit to vary the voltage of the first node comprises:

maintaining the voltage of the first node when the voltage of the first node is lower than the first reference voltage and is higher than the second reference voltage.

19 . The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein

the first reference voltage is lower than the second reference voltage, and

the control circuit is configured to determine that an error occurred when the voltage of the first node is lower than the first reference voltage and is higher than the second reference voltage.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 17, 2024
From: WATANABE, FUMIYA; SATOU, KAZUHIKO; KUBOTA, KENRO; SAEKI, ATSUKO; TSUCHIYA, RYOTA; ABE, HARUMI; NAGUMO, KANTA
To: KIOXIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 067449/0324 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2023-042083 · Mar 16, 2023 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240313776A1 · Sep 19, 2024
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