Samsung patents circuit that spots power dips in chips
This filing describes a system that uses special filters to keep a steady current flowing to a comparison circuit, even when the main power supply suddenly drops or spikes. It creates a stable reference voltage to compare against the actual power, allowing the chip to detect these brief interruptions, known as glitches, without being affected by them.
In the filing’s own words
A system to detect and monitor a supply voltage glitch includes a bias current generation unit configured to supply a constant bias current to a comparator even during a glitch in a supply voltage by using one or more cascaded Switched-Capacitor filters. The system includes an input reference and replica generation unit configured to generate one or more average input voltages and an instantaneous replica voltage applied to the corresponding a comparison unit by using one or more SC filters and to generate Direct Current biasing for the instantaneous replica voltage. Additionally, the system includes the comparison unit that is configured to generate an output voltage upon receiving the one or more input voltages from the input reference and replica generation unit.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A system for detecting and monitoring a supply voltage glitch, comprising: a comparison circuit including a first comparator and a second comparator; a bias current generation circuit configured to, based on a glitch in a supply voltage, supply a constant bias current to the comparison circuit by using one or more cascaded switched-capacitor filters; and an input reference and replica generation circuit configured to: generate a high reference voltage, a low reference voltage, and an instantaneous replica voltage applied to the comparison circuit by using one or more switched-capacitor (SC) filters, the one or more SC filters including a second SC filter connected to an inverting input of the first comparator and a non-inverting input of the second comparator, and using the second SC filter, block a supply glitch fed through from the instantaneous replica voltage to the high reference voltage and the low reference voltage, and provide direct current biasing at the instantaneous replica voltage; wherein the comparison circuit is configured to generate an output voltage based on the high reference voltage, the low reference voltage, and the instantaneous replica voltage from the input reference and replica generation circuit.
Facts
- Company
- Samsung (SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.)
- Official title
- System to detect and monitor supply voltage glitch
- Patent number
- US12763757B2
- Application number
- 18770196
- Filed
- Jul 11, 2024
- Granted
- Oct 13, 2026
- Inventors
- 5
- Claims
- 16
Classified under
H03K 3/011 Electricity & electronicsH03K 3/0231 Electricity & electronicsH03K 5/2481 Electricity & electronicsH03K 5/249 Electricity & electronicsMore from Samsung in Chips & hardware
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.