IP Library Granted Patent US 8,754,632
Granted Patent B2
US 8,754,632 · App. 13/159,543 · Granted Jun 17, 2014

Integrated circuit with power state determination circuit

Inventors: Hidetoshi Sugiyama (Yokohama, JP); Takayuki Nagasawa (Yokohama, JP); Hideaki Suzuki (Yokohama, JP)
Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,754,632
App. No.
13/159,543
Granted
Jun 17, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

An integrated circuit in which a power terminal, a ground terminal, an input terminal and an internal circuit are formed, has a unidirectional circuit of a direction from the input terminal to the power terminal, the unidirectional circuit being provided between the input terminal and the power terminal; and a power state determination circuit which detects whether the power terminal is connected to an external power source or not to output a power open detection signal. And the unidirectional circuit includes a first transistor in which a voltage of the power terminal is applied to a gate, and a second transistor connected to the first transistor in series, and a voltage of the external power source is input to the input terminal.

Claims (52)

1. An integrated circuit in which a power terminal, a ground terminal, an input terminal and an internal circuit are formed, comprising:

a unidirectional circuit of a direction from the input terminal to the power terminal, the unidirectional circuit being provided between the input terminal and the power terminal, the unidirectional circuit including a first transistor and a second transistor, a voltage of the power terminal being applied to a gate of the first transistor, the first transistor and the second transistor being connected in series between the input terminal and the power terminal; and

a power state determination circuit which detects whether the power terminal is connected to an external power source or not to output a power open detection signal,

wherein a voltage of the external power source is input to the input terminal.

2. The integrated circuit according to claim 1 ,

wherein the power state determination circuit includes:

a first voltage-dividing circuit which divides a voltage between the input terminal and the ground terminal to generate a first voltage-dividing signal;

a second voltage-dividing circuit which divides a voltage between the power terminal and the ground terminal to generate a second voltage-dividing signal; and

a comparator which compares the first and second voltage-dividing signals to output the power open detection signal.

3. The integrated circuit according to claim 1 ,

wherein the power state determination circuit operates as a power supply voltage detection circuit having a function of detecting a voltage of the power terminal, and detects whether the voltage of the power terminal is lower than a reference voltage and outputs the power open detection signal.

4. The integrated circuit according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first and second transistors are P-channel MOS transistors, and

wherein the second transistor is provided between the first transistor and the power terminal, and a gate is connected to a drain terminal of the first transistor.

5. The integrated circuit according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first and second transistors are P-channel MOS transistors, and

wherein the second transistor is provided between the first transistor and the input terminal, and a gate is connected to a source terminal of the first transistor.

6. The integrated circuit according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first and second transistors are P-channel MOS transistors, and

wherein the second transistor is provided between the first transistor and the input terminal, and a gate is connected to a gate of the first transistor.

7. The integrated circuit according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first and second transistors are P-channel MOS transistors provided to different N-type well regions respectively, and

wherein the second transistor is provided between the first transistor and the input terminal, and a gate is connected to a source terminal of the first transistor.

8. The integrated circuit according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first and second transistors are P-channel MOS transistors provided to different N-type well regions respectively, and

wherein the second transistor is provided between the first transistor and the power terminal, and a gate is connected to a drain terminal of the first transistor.

9. An integrated circuit in which a power terminal, a ground terminal, an input terminal and an internal circuit are formed, comprising:

a unidirectional circuit of a direction from the ground terminal to the input terminal, the unidirectional circuit being provided between the input terminal and the ground terminal, the unidirectional circuit including a first transistor and a second transistor, a voltage of the ground terminal being applied to a gate of the first transistor, the first transistor and the second transistor being connected in series between the input terminal and the ground terminal; and

a power state determination circuit which detects whether the ground terminal is connected to an external ground terminal or not to output a ground open detection signal,

wherein a voltage of the external ground terminal is input to the input terminal.

10. The integrated circuit according to claim 9 ,

wherein the power state determination circuit includes:

a third transistor in which the input terminal is connected to a gate and in which a source and a drain are connected between the power terminal and the ground terminal;

a fourth transistor in which the ground terminal is connected to a gate and in which a source and a drain are connected between the power terminal and the ground terminal; and

a comparator which compares potentials of nodes between the drains of the third and fourth transistors and the power terminal, and outputs a ground open detection signal informing that the ground terminal of the chip is of an open state of not being connected to the external ground terminal.

11. The integrated circuit according to claim 9 ,

wherein the power state determination circuit operates as a power supply voltage detection circuit having a function of detecting a power supply voltage of the power terminal, and detects that the ground terminal is open based on whether the voltage of the power terminal is lower than a reference voltage.

12. The integrated circuit according to claim 9 ,

wherein the first and second transistors are N-channel MOS transistors, and

wherein the second transistor is provided between the first transistor and the ground terminal, and a gate is connected to a drain terminal of the first transistor.

13. The integrated circuit according to claim 9 ,

wherein the first and second transistors are N-channel MOS transistors, and

wherein the second transistor is provided between the first transistor and the input terminal, and a gate is connected to a source terminal of the first transistor.

14. The integrated circuit according to claim 9 ,

wherein the first and second transistors are N-channel MOS transistors, and

wherein the second transistor is provided between the first transistor and the input terminal, and a gate is connected to a gate of the first transistor.

15. The integrated circuit according to claim 9 ,

wherein the first and second transistors are N-channel MOS transistors provided in different P-type well regions, and

wherein the second transistor is provided between the first transistor and the input terminal, and a gate is connected to a source terminal of the first transistor.

16. The integrated circuit according to claim 9 ,

wherein the first and second transistors are N-channel MOS transistors provided in different P-type well regions, and

wherein the second transistor is provided between the first transistor and the ground terminal, and a gate is connected to a drain terminal of the first transistor.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2020
From: FUJITSU SEMICONDUCTOR LIMITED
To: FUJITSU SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY SOLUTION LIMITED
Reel/Frame 053195/0249 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Dec 23, 2016
From: FUJITSU SEMICONDUCTOR LIMITED
To: FUJITSU SEMICONDUCTOR LIMITED
Reel/Frame 041188/0401 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 19, 2011
From: SUGIYAMA, HIDETOSHI; NAGASAWA, TAKAYUKI; SUZUKI, HIDEAKI
To: FUJITSU SEMICONDUCTOR LIMITED
Reel/Frame 026611/0538 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2010-213170 · Sep 24, 2010 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20120074926A1 · Mar 29, 2012