Patent ID: 8471720
Filing Date: 2013-06-25
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for monitoring at least supply voltage in an integrated circuit, comprising: a plurality of monitor circuits distributed throughout the integrated circuit, each of the monitor circuits being operative to receive the supply voltage or a signal representative thereof and to generate at least one output signal indicative of a comparison between the supply voltage and a reference voltage; and a control circuit coupled to the plurality of monitor circuits, the control circuit being operative to receive the respective output signals from the plurality of monitor circuits and to generate an output of the apparatus which is a function of information conveyed in the respective output signals from the plurality of monitor circuits; wherein at least one of the plurality of monitor circuits comprises: an integration circuit; a latching sense amplifier, the latching sense amplifier including a first input connected to the integration circuit, a second input adapted to receive the reference voltage, a control input adapted to receive a control signal supplied to the sense amplifier, and an output for generating the output signal indicative of a comparison between the supply voltage and the reference voltage as a function of the control signal; and a pull-down circuit coupled to the integration circuit in a feedback configuration, the pull-down circuit being operative to receive the output signal generated by the latching sense amplifier and to provide a current discharge path for controlling a voltage at a common summing node in the integration circuit.