Measuring and controlling current consumption and output current of charge pumps

1. A method of operating a non-volatile memory device comprising:

regulating a charge pump having one or more stages based on measuring current consumption (Icp_in) and output current (load current, Icp_out) of the charge pump (CP), wherein measuring includes:

measuring a first current (I.sub. 1 ) coming into the charge pump; and

measuring a second current (I.sub. 2 ) coming into a driver for at least one of the one or more stages of the charge pump.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: controlling current consumption and/or output current of the charge pump using a control loop affecting one or more parameters of the charge pump and/or a load connected to the charge pump.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

decreasing the current consumption (Icp_in) by adjusting one or more of:

a. a supply voltage (Vsupply);

b. a stage's voltage (V.phi.);

c. the stage's frequency and/or duty-cycle; and

d. the number (N) of stages.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

decreasing the current consumption (Icp_in) by adjusting a load connected to the output of the charge pump pipe.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

measuring the first current using a resistive path.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

comparing the first current to a first reference current.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

measuring the second current using a resistive path.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

comparing the second current to a second reference current.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

comparing the first current to a first reference current.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing a first measured voltage (Vmeas 1 ) indicative of the first current (I.sub. 1 );

providing a second measured voltage (Vmeas 2 ) indicative of the second current (I.sub. 2 );

providing a first supply voltage (Vsupply) to an input of the charge pump;

providing a second supply voltage (V.phi. 1 ) to a driver of the charge pump;

providing a first reference voltage (Vref 1 ) based on the first supply voltage (Vsupply);

providing a second reference voltage (Vref 2 ) based on the second supply voltage (V.phi. 1 ); and

selectively comparing the measured voltages to the reference voltages to control operation of the charge pump.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

wherein a load connected to the charge pump comprises non-volatile memory cells.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

implementing the charge pump on a same integrated circuit (IC) chip as the memory cells.

13. A method of controlling operation of a charge pump (CP) pipe having an input receiving a supply voltage (Vsupply), a number of stages, and an output (Vout, Iout), comprising:

regulating the charge pump based on measuring current consumption (Icp_in) in the charge pump pipe and measuring a second current (I.sub. 2 ) coming into a driver for at least one of the one or more stages of the charge pump; and

decreasing the current consumption (Icp_in) by adjusting one or more of:

a. a supply voltage (Vsupply);

b. a stage's voltage (V.phi.);

c. the stage's frequency and/or duty-cycle;

d. the number (N) of stages; and

e. adjusting a load connected to the output of the charge pump pipe.

14. A Non-Volatile Memory apparatus comprising: a control circuit for controlling operation of a charge pump (CP) pipe having an input receiving a supply voltage (Vsupply), a number of stages, and an output (Vout, Iout), said control circuit including means for measuring current consumption (Icp_in) in the charge pump pipe, and means for measuring a second current (I.sub. 2 ) coming into a driver for at least one of the one or more stages of the charge pump, and

means for decreasing or increasing the current consumption (Icp_in) by adjusting one or more of:

a. a supply voltage (Vsupply);

b. a stage's voltage (V.phi.);

c. the stage's frequency and/or duty-cycle;

d. the number (N) of stages; and

e. adjusting a load connected to the output of the charge pump pipe.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein:

each stage comprises a switch (S) and a capacitor (C).

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein:

the means for measuring current consumption (Icp_in) comprises:

means for measuring a first current (I.sub. 1 ) coming into the charge pump; and

means for measuring a second current (I.sub. 2 ) coming into a driver (drv 1 ) for a given stage of the charge pump.

17. A non-volatile memory apparatus comprising:

A control circuit for a charge pump (CP) pipe having an input receiving a supply voltage (Vsupply), a number (N) of stages, each stage having a driver (drv), and an output (Vout, Iout), said control circuit comprising:

means for measuring a first current (I.sub. 1 ) coming into the charge pump; and

means measuring a second current (I.sub. 2 ) coming into a driver for at least one of the one or more stages of the charge pump.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising:

means for controlling the current consumption and/or output current of the charge pump using a control loop affecting one or more parameters of the charge pump and/or a load connected to the charge pump.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising:

means for comparing the first current to a first reference current; and

means for comparing the second current to a second reference current.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising:

means for controlling the current consumption by adjusting one or more of:

a. a supply voltage (Vsupply);

b. a stage's voltage (V.phi.);

c. the stage's frequency and/or duty-cycle; and

d. the number (N) of stages; and

e. a load connected to the output of the charge pump pipe.