Patent ID: 7468623
Filing Date: 2008-12-23
Classification: G11C

Abstract:
1. A device which provides a test supply voltage during manufacturing and testing of a semiconductor device and an operational supply voltage after certification of the semiconductor device, the operational supply voltage being lower than the test supply voltage, the device comprising: a clamp circuit having a plurality of voltage regulation devices, the voltage regulation devices controlling a clamping threshold of the clamp circuit, wherein the clamping circuit is configured to allow an output to track an input below a clamping maximum; a voltage regulator electrically coupled to the clamp circuit, the voltage regulator comprising a switching device configured to bypass at least one diode responsive to the clamping threshold of the clamp circuit and to the operational or test supply voltage, such that the switching device is configured to generate a first control signal; a control circuit electrically coupled to the voltage regulator circuit which generates a second control signal responsive to the first control signal; a charge pump which receives the second control signal from the control circuit, the charge pump generating the test supply voltage; and at least one bypass device connected to at least one of the plurality of voltage regulation devices, wherein the at least one bypass device is activated following the certification of the semiconductor device to bypass the at least one of the plurality of voltage regulation devices of the clamp circuit to lower the clamping threshold of the clamp circuit, the voltage regulator generating a third control signal responsive to the lowered clamping threshold of the clamp circuit to cause the charge pump to generate the operational supply voltage.