Patent Publication Number: US-2015061755-A1

Title: Semiconductor apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) to Korean application number 10-2013-0103839, filed on Aug. 30, 2013, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     Various embodiments relate to a semiconductor integrated circuit, and more particularly, to a semiconductor apparatus. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A semiconductor apparatus receives a voltage from an exterior, and generates and uses a voltage having a voltage level required inside the semiconductor apparatus. 
     A voltage generated inside is called an internal voltage. An internal voltage is generally generated by down-converting a voltage applied from an exterior, but an interval voltage may be generated as a voltage having a higher voltage level or as a voltage having a lower voltage level than a voltage applied from an exterior. 
     In this case, a voltage having a higher voltage level or a voltage having a lower voltage level than a voltage applied from an exterior is generated by a pumping operation, and is thus called a pumping voltage. 
     The generation of a pumping voltage is accommodated with power consumption to increase or decrease, through a pumping operation, the voltage level of a voltage applied from an exterior, wherein since the efficiency of the pumping operation is lower than the efficiency of down-converting to generate another internal voltage, the power consumption for the generation of the pumping voltage is greater than that for the generation of the other internal voltage. 
     Power consumed to generate a pumping voltage acts as an obstacle to implementation of a low-power semiconductor apparatus. 
     SUMMARY 
     A semiconductor apparatus which consumes less power than a normal semiconductor apparatus is described herein. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, a semiconductor is apparatus includes: a negative voltage pumping unit including a driver configured to receive an external high-voltage and an external voltage and drive and output an oscillator signal, and a capacitor configured to perform a pumping operation and generate a negative voltage; and an internal circuit configured to receive a ground voltage and the voltage of a node. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, a semiconductor apparatus includes: a variable period oscillator configured to generate an oscillator signal; a negative voltage pumping unit including a driver configured to drive the oscillator signal to the voltage level of an external high-voltage and the voltage level of an external voltage, and a capacitor configured to perform a pumping operation, the negative voltage pumping unit generating a negative voltage; a first negative voltage sensing unit configured to sense the voltage level of the negative voltage and to generate an oscillator enable signal; a second negative voltage sensing unit configured to the voltage level of the negative voltage and to generate the frequency control signal; and an internal circuit configured to be electrically coupled to a node and to receive a ground voltage. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, a semiconductor apparatus includes: a negative voltage pumping unit configured to receive an external high-voltage and an external voltage and drive and transfer an oscillator signal to a capacitor for a pumping operation to be performed; and an internal circuit electrically coupled to a node and ground terminal and configured to receive a voltage of is the node and a ground voltage. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Features, aspects, and embodiments are described in conjunction with the attached drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a semiconductor apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a timing diagram explaining an embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a semiconductor apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram illustrating the semiconductor apparatus in relation to a microprocessor according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Hereinafter, a semiconductor apparatus according to the invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying to drawings through various embodiments. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a semiconductor apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention can include an external high-voltage pad  100 , an external voltage pad  200 , a negative voltage sensing unit  300 , a variable period oscillator  400 , a negative voltage pumping unit  500 , and an internal circuit  600 . 
     The external high-voltage pad  100  receives an external high-voltage VPP_ext from the outside of the semiconductor apparatus. 
     The external voltage pad  200  receives an external voltage VDD from the outside of the semiconductor apparatus. In this case, the external high-voltage VPP_ext may have a higher voltage level than the external voltage VDD. 
     The negative voltage sensing unit  300  senses the voltage level of a negative voltage VBB, and generates an oscillator enable signal OSC_en. For example, the negative voltage sensing unit  300  can enable the oscillator enable signal OSC_en when the voltage level of the negative voltage VBB is higher than a target level. 
     The variable period oscillator  400  generates an oscillator signal OSC in response to an active signal ACT and the oscillator enable signal OSC_en. For example, the variable period oscillator  400  can generate the oscillator signal OSC when the oscillator enable signal OSC_en is enabled. In addition, the variable period oscillator  400  can generate an oscillator signal OSC having a higher frequency when the active signal ACT is enabled than when the active signal ACT is disabled. Referring to  FIG. 2 , the variable period oscillator  400  generates an oscillator signal OSC having a higher frequency in a region where the active signal ACT is enabled to a high level than in a region where the active signal ACT is disabled to a low level. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the negative voltage pumping unit  500  is performs a pumping operation in response to a control signal ctrl and the oscillator signal OSC, and generates the negative voltage VBB through the pumping operation. 
     The negative voltage pumping unit  500  can include a driver  510 , a capacitor  520 , and first and second switches  530  and  540 , respectively. 
     The driver  510  receives the external high-voltage VPP_ext and the external voltage VDD as a driving voltage, and drives and outputs the oscillator signal OSC. For example, the driver  510  drives the oscillator signal OSC to transition to the voltage level of the external high-voltage VPP_ext and the voltage level of the external voltage VDD, and transfers the driven oscillator signal OSC to the capacitor  520 . In this case, the driver  510  may receive the external voltage VDD from a first node Node_A. The first node Node_A may be electrically coupled in common to the external voltage pad  200  to which the external voltage VPP_ext is applied from an exterior, the driver  510 , and the internal circuit  600 . 
     The capacitor  520  performs a pumping operation in response to the output of the driver  510 , and generates the negative voltage VBB. 
     The first switch  530  electrically couples or electrically decouples a second node Node_B to or from a ground terminal VSS in response to a control signal ctrl. 
     The second switch  540  electrically couples or electrically decouples the second node Node_B to or from an output node is Node_out in response to an inverted control signal ctrlb. In this case, the inverted control signal ctrlb may be obtained by inverting the control signal ctrl. 
     The internal circuit  600  is electrically coupled to the first node Node_A and the ground terminal VSS, and receives the voltage level of the first node Node_A through which the driver  510  receives the external voltage VPP_ext and the ground terminal VSS and operates. 
     The operation of a semiconductor apparatus, configured as above, according to an embodiment of the invention is as follows. 
     The negative voltage sensing unit  300  enables an oscillator enable signal OSC_en when a negative voltage VBB becomes higher than a target level. 
     The variable period oscillator  400  generates an oscillator signal OSC when the oscillator enable signal OSC_en is enabled. In this case, the variable period oscillator  400  determines the frequency of the oscillator signal OSC in response to an active signal ACT. 
     The oscillator signal OSC is applied to the driver  510 , which receives an external high-voltage VPP_ext and an external voltage VDD as a driving voltage, and the driver  510  drives the oscillator signal OSC and outputs a signal for the oscillator signal OSC to transition to the voltage level of the external high-voltage VPP_ext and the voltage level of the external voltage VDD. 
     The capacitor  520  and the first and second switches  530  and  540  perform a pumping operation in response to the output of the is driver  510  and a control signal ctrl, and thus generate a negative voltage VBB. 
     In more detail, when the output of the driver  510  is lowered from the external high-voltage VPP_ext to the external voltage VDD, the capacitor  520  may lower the voltage level of the second node Node_B, by the coupling phenomenon of the capacitor  520 , by a voltage corresponding to a level difference between the external high-voltage VPP_ext and the external voltage VDD. In this case, the first switch  530  may be turned on to electrically couple the second node Node_B to the ground terminal VSS, and the second switch  540  may be turned off to electrically decouple the second node Node_B from the output node Node_out. After the voltage level of the second node Node_B is lowered, the first switch  530  may be turned off and the second switch  540  may be turned on, thereby transferring the voltage level of the second node Node_B to the output node Node_out. 
     In view of current, when the output of the driver  510  is lowered from the external high-voltage VPP_ext to the external voltage VDD, the driver  510  may make current I to flow to the first node Node_A. In this case, by the coupling phenomenon of the to capacitor  520 , coupling current I_c corresponding to the current I may flow from the second node Node_B to the ground terminal VSS. When the coupling current I_c flows from the second node Node_B to the ground terminal VSS, the voltage level of the second node Node_B may be lowered. 
     The internal circuit  600  is electrically coupled to the first node Node_A and the ground terminal VSS. In this case, the first node Node_A may be electrically coupled to the external voltage pad  200 , to which the external voltage VDD is applied. 
     Accordingly, the internal circuit  600  receives the external voltage VDD and the current I applied from the driver  510 , and operates. 
     Since the current I used for a pumping operation is reused as operating current of the internal circuit  600 , the semiconductor apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention can reduce current consumption. Since the frequency of the oscillator signal OSC is raised in an active region where a negative voltage VBB is frequently used, i.e. in an enable region of an active signal ACT, the negative voltage VBB is more rapidly lowered to a target level or less in a region where the voltage level of the negative voltage VBB is raised. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , a semiconductor apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention can include an external high-voltage pad  100 , an external voltage pad  200 , first and second negative voltage sensing units  310  and  320 , respectively, a variable period oscillator  400 , a negative voltage pumping unit  500 , and an internal circuit  600 . 
     The external high-voltage pad  100  receives an external high-voltage VPP_ext from the outside of the semiconductor apparatus. 
     The external voltage pad  200  receives an external voltage VDD from the outside of the semiconductor apparatus. In this case, the external high-voltage VPP_ext may have a higher voltage level than the external voltage VDD. 
     The first negative voltage sensing unit  310  senses the voltage level of a negative voltage VBB, and generates an oscillator enable signal OSC_en. For example, the first negative voltage sensing unit  310  can enable the oscillator enable signal OSC_en when the voltage level of the negative voltage VBB is higher than a first target level. 
     The second negative voltage sensing unit  320  senses the voltage level of the negative voltage VBB and is configured to the voltage level of the negative voltage VBB, and generates a frequency control signal f_ctrl. For example, the second negative voltage sensing unit  320  can enable the frequency control signal f_ctrl when the voltage level of the negative voltage VBB is higher than a second target level. In this case, the second target level is higher than the first target level. 
     The variable period oscillator  400  generates an oscillator signal OSC in response to a frequency control signal f_ctrl and the oscillator enable signal OSC_en. For example, the variable period oscillator  400  can generate the oscillator signal OSC when the oscillator enable signal OSC_en is enabled. In addition, the variable period oscillator  400  can generate an oscillator signal OSC having a higher frequency when the frequency control signal f_ctrl is enabled is than when the frequency control signal f_ctrl is disabled. Moreover, the variable period oscillator  400  may be configured to control the frequency of oscillator signal OSC in response to the frequency control signal f_ctrl. Referring to  FIG. 2 , the variable period oscillator  400  generates an oscillator signal OSC having a higher frequency in a region where the active signal ACT is enabled to a high level than in a region where the active signal ACT is disabled to a low level. 
     The negative voltage pumping unit  500  performs a pumping operation in response to a control signal ctrl and the oscillator signal OSC, and generates the negative voltage VBB through the pumping operation. 
     The negative voltage pumping unit  500  can include a driver  510 , a capacitor  520 , and first and second switches  530  and  540 , respectively. 
     The driver  510  receives the external high-voltage VPP_ext and the external voltage VDD as a driving voltage, and drives and outputs the oscillator signal OSC. For example, the driver  510  drives the oscillator signal OSC to transition to the voltage level of the external high-voltage VPP_ext and the voltage level of the external voltage VDD, and transfers the driven oscillator signal OSC to the capacitor  520 . In this case, the driver  510  may receive the external voltage VDD from a first node Node_A. The first node Node_A is electrically coupled to the external voltage pad  200  which receives the external voltage VPP_ext from an exterior. 
     The capacitor  520  performs a pumping operation in is response to the output of the driver  510 , and generates the negative voltage VBB. 
     The first switch  530  electrically couples or electrically decouples a second node Node_B to or from a ground terminal VSS in response to a control signal ctrl. 
     The second switch  540  electrically couples or electrically decouples the second node Node_B to or from an output node Node_out in response to an inverted control signal ctrlb. In this case, the inverted control signal ctrlb may be obtained by inverting the control signal ctrl. 
     The internal circuit  600  is electrically coupled to the first node Node_A through which the driver  510  receives the external voltage VPP_ext and the ground terminal VSS, and receives the voltage level of the first node Node_A and the ground terminal VSS and operates. The internal circuit  600  is configured to receive, from the first node Node_A, current I which flows out from the driver  510 . 
     The operation of a semiconductor apparatus, configured as above, according to an embodiment of the invention is as follows. 
     The first negative voltage sensing unit  310  enables an oscillator enable signal OSC_en when a negative voltage VBB becomes higher than a target level. 
     The variable period oscillator  400  generates an oscillator signal OSC when the oscillator enable signal OSC_en is enabled. In this case, the variable period oscillator  400  may determine the frequency of the oscillator signal OSC in response to a frequency is control signal f_ctrl. 
     The oscillator signal OSC is applied to the driver  510 , using an external high-voltage VPP_ext and an external voltage VDD as a driving voltage, and the driver  510  drives the oscillator signal OSC and outputs a signal for the oscillator signal OSC to transition to the voltage level of the external high-voltage VPP_ext and the voltage level of the external voltage VDD. 
     The capacitor  520  and the first and second switches  530  and  540  perform a pumping operation in response to the output of the driver  510  and a control signal ctrl, and thus generate a negative voltage VBB. 
     In more detail, when the output of the driver  510  is lowered from the external high-voltage VPP_ext to the external voltage VDD, the capacitor  520  may lower the voltage level of the second node Node_B, by the coupling phenomenon of the capacitor  520 , by a voltage corresponding to a level difference between the external high-voltage VPP_ext and the external voltage VDD. In this case, the first switch  530  may be turned on to electrically couple the second node Node_B to the ground terminal VSS, and the second switch  540  is turned off to electrically decouple the second node Node_B from to the output node Node_out. After the voltage level of the second node Node_B is lowered, the first switch  530  may be turned off and the second switch  540  may be turned on, thereby transferring the voltage level of the second node Node_B to the output node Node_out. 
     In view of current, when the output of the driver  510  is lowered from the external high-voltage VPP_ext to the external voltage VDD, the driver  510  may make current I to flow to the first node Node_A. In this case, by the coupling phenomenon of the capacitor  520 , coupling current I_c corresponding to the current I may flow from the second node Node_B to the ground terminal VSS. When the coupling current I_c flows from the second node Node_B to the ground terminal VSS, the voltage level of the second node Node_B may be lowered. 
     The internal circuit  600  is electrically coupled to the first node Node_A and the ground terminal VSS. In this case, the first node Node_A may be electrically coupled to the external voltage pad  200 , to which the external voltage VDD is applied. 
     Accordingly, the internal circuit  600  receives the external voltage VDD and the current I applied from the driver  510 , and operates. 
     Since the current I used for a pumping operation is reused as operating current of the internal circuit  600 , the semiconductor apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention can reduce current consumption. When the voltage level of the negative voltage VBB becomes higher than the second target level due to frequent use of the negative voltage VBB, the frequency of the oscillator signal OSC may be raised, so that the negative voltage VBB is more rapidly lowered to a target level or less in a region where the voltage level of the negative voltage VBB is raised. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , a microprocessor  1000  may include a storage unit  1010 , an operation unit  1020 , and a control unit  1030 . The microprocessor  1000  may be a variety of processing apparatuses, such as a central processing unit (CPU), a graphic processing unit (GPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), or an application processor (AP). 
     The storage unit  1010  may be a processor register or a register, and the storage unit may be a unit that may store data in the microprocessor  1000 . The storage unit  1010  may also include various registers. The storage unit  1010  may also temporarily store data to be operated in the operation unit  1020 , resulting data to be performed in the operation unit  1020 , and an address in which data to be operated is stored. 
     The storage unit  1010  may include the semiconductor apparatus described above. 
     The operation unit  1020  may perform an operation in the microprocessor  1000 , and perform a variety of four fundamental rules of an arithmetic operation or a logic operation depending on a command in the control unit  1030 . The operation unit  1020  may include one or more arithmetic and logic units (ALU). 
     The control unit  1030  receives a signal from the storage unit  1010 , the operation unit  1020 , or an external apparatus of the microprocessor, performs extraction or decryption of a command, or input or output control, and executes a process in a program form. 
     The microprocessor  1000  may further include a cache is memory unit  140  suitable for temporarily storing data input from an external apparatus other than the storage unit  1010  or data to be output to an external apparatus. The cache memory unit  1040  may exchange data from the storage unit  1010 , the operation unit  1020 , and the control unit  1030  through a bus interface  1050 . 
     A semiconductor apparatus according to the invention has lower power consumption than a normal semiconductor apparatus, and thus provides an advantage in implementing a low-power semiconductor apparatus. 
     While certain embodiments have been described above, it will be understood to those skilled in the art that the embodiments described are by way of example only. Accordingly, the apparatus described herein should not be limited based on the described embodiments. Rather, the apparatus described herein should only be limited in light of the claims that follow when taken in conjunction with the above description and accompanying drawings.