Patent ID: 7466188

Claim:
An integrated circuit designed to substantially operate at a supply voltage, comprising: circuitry requiring a boosted voltage relative to the supply voltage; a voltage pump that includes an output device in electrical communication with said circuitry so as to provide said circuitry with said boosted voltage, said output device driven by a gate voltage having a gate drive level and including a gate-oxide having an excessive stress voltage level; and a gate voltage controller for generating said gate drive level so as to maintain said gate oxide below said excessive stress level; wherein: said gate voltage has a down level and said gate voltage controller is operatively configured to maintain via an analog signal said gate oxide below said excessive stress level by adjusting said down level; said gate voltage controller is operatively configured to adjust said down level by generating an offset voltage; said gate voltage controller includes a first resistance and is configured to generate said offset voltage as a function of directing a predetermined first current through said first resistance; and said gate voltage controller is configured to generate said predetermined first current as a function of a difference between a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage.