Patent ID: 7733075
Filing Date: 2010-06-08
Classification: G11C

Abstract:
1. A voltage regulator for supplying power to volatile memory cells, comprising: an amplifier coupled to receive a reference voltage and a regulated voltage and configured to provide a gating voltage; a first transistor coupled at a source node thereof to a first supply voltage and coupled at a gate thereof to receive the gating voltage; a second transistor coupled at a source node thereof to a second supply voltage; the second supply voltage having a logic high voltage level which is substantially less than that of the first supply voltage; the first transistor and the second transistor each having a drain node which is coupled at an output node; the regulated voltage being provided from the output node in part for a feedback input to the amplifier; the volatile memory cells being coupled to the output node for receiving the regulated voltage therefrom; control circuitry coupled to receive a first control signal and configured for providing control signaling, the control signaling including at least a second control signal; a third transistor coupled at a source node thereof to a ground potential and coupled at a gate thereof to receive the second control signal; a resistive load coupled to receive the first supply voltage; a drain node of the third transistor and the resistive load each coupled at a sense node; and the second transistor coupled at a gate thereof to receive a sense voltage obtained from the sense node.