Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to power on detect circuits, and particularly to power on detect circuits detecting low voltage.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    [0004]FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of the prior art. The power on detect circuit  100  in FIG. 1 includes a voltage detect circuit  110  and a RC-filter  120 .  
           [0005]    The voltage detect circuit  110  includes a PMOS transistors MP 1 , NMOS transistors MN 1 , MN 2 , and a resistor R 1 . The NMOS transistor MN 1  and PMOS MP 1  transistor form a voltage reference circuit. The source and gate of the PMOS transistor MP 1  are both coupled to a node A to which the drain and gate of the NMOS transistor MN 2  are both coupled. The node A is coupled to the gate of the NMOS transistor MN 2 . The NMOS transistor MN 2  and the resistor R 1  form a detect circuit. A resistor R 1  is coupled between the drain of the NMOS transistor MN 2  and the voltage source VCC.  
           [0006]    The PMOS transistors MP 1  and the NMOS transistor MN 1  form a voltage divider to generate a reference voltage VREF at the node A. The reference voltage VREF is determined by threshold voltages Vthn and Vthp of the NMOS transistor MN 1  and of the PMOS transistor MP 1  respectively. The NMOS transistor MN 2  is in the configuration of common-source with a passive load R 1  for outputting the detecting result at node B.  
           [0007]    When process or temperature results in variations of the threshold voltage Vthn of the NMOS transistor MN 2 , the NMOS transistor MN 1  has the same variation in the threshold voltage Vthn. Thus, the reference voltage VREF has the variation resulted from the threshold voltage Vthn of the NMOS transistor MN 1 . Under the condition that voltage VCC remains the same, the variation of reference voltage VREF compensates the variation of the threshold voltage Vthn of the NMOS transistor MN 2 . Therefore, the voltage of the node B remains constantly without suffering from the variation of the threshold voltage Vthn.  
           [0008]    There is a disadvantage, a worst case that the threshold voltage Vthp of the PMOS transistor MP 1  varies in the same attitude as that of the NMOS transistor MN 1  does. Thus, the variation resulted from the threshold voltage Vthp of the PMOS transistor MP 1  impedes the compensation by the NMOS transistor MN 1 . The worst case occurs in PFNS/PSNS process.  
           [0009]    Another disadvantage in the power on detect circuit  100  occurs when the voltage source VCC is scaled down by the advance process. Owing to the threshold voltages Vthn and Vthp not scaled down with process, variations of the detect voltage are very large and voltage overhead is too high.  
           [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram for the other prior art. The voltage circuit  200  includes BJT Q 1 , Q 2 , resistors R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , and a comparator  22 . The base and the collector the BJT Q 1  are both tied to ground. The collector of the BJT Q 1  is coupled to the resistor R 1 . The resistor R 2  is in series with the resistor R 1  at node A. The base and the collector of the BJT Q 2  are both tied to ground. The collector of the BJT Q 2  is coupled to the resistor R 2  at node B. The resistor R 4  is coupled between the resistors R 2 , R 3  and the voltage source VCC. A non-inverting input of the comparator  22  is coupled to the node A, and an inverting input of the comparator  22  is coupled to the node B. The emitter area of the BJT transistor Q 1  is N times that of the BJT transistor Q 2 . The resistors R 2  and R 3  have the same resistance.  
           [0011]    When the voltage source VCC is powered up to a detect voltage range, the voltages VA approximates the voltage VB.  
           [0012]    The detected voltage of the power on detect circuit  200  is given by of the junction voltage VEB2 of the BJT transistor Q 2  and the voltage drop of the resistor R 3 . The temperature coefficient of the junction voltage VEB2 is negative. The voltage drop of the resistor R 1  is a voltage difference of the voltages VEB2 and VEB1, the thermal voltage multiplied by a factor. Because R 1 =R 3  and VA=VB, the temperature coefficient of the voltage drop of the resistor R 3  is positive and proportional to a resistance ratio ((R 3 /R 1 )+1) timed by ln(N). A zero temperature coefficient of the detect voltage of the power on detect circuit  200  can be achieved by adjusting the emitter area ratio N and the resistance ratio R 3 /R 1 .  
           [0013]    The resistance of the resistor R 4  is used to tune the detect voltage of the voltage source VCC to a required level. The comparator  22  is utilized for sensing out the voltage VA and VB of the nodes A and B respectively, and the output voltage Vout of the comparator  22  will not transit state until the voltage source VCC is powered up to a detect voltage range.  
           [0014]    With process shrinks down to 0.13 um, the required detect voltage range is 0.65V to 0.8V, below the normal voltage that BJT transistors can work. There is a need for a power on detect circuit that has a detect voltage for low voltage design.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0015]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a power on detect circuit for low voltage.  
           [0016]    To achieve the above objects, the present invention provides the power on detect circuit with MOS transistors having advantages of low voltage overheads, as shown in FIG. 3.  
           [0017]    The voltage detect circuit includes a first MOS transistors MN 1 , a second MOS transistor MN 2 , a first resistor R 1 , a second resistor R 2 , a third resistor R 3 , a fourth resistor R 4 , and a comparator  22 . The gate and the drain the first MOS transistor are tied together. The drain of the first MOS transistor is coupled to the first resistor. The second resistor is in series with the first resistor at a first node A. The gate and the drain of the second MOS transistor are tied together. The drain of the second MOS transistor is coupled to the third resistor at a second node B. The area ratio of the first MOS transistor is made N multiple of that of the second MOS transistor.  
           [0018]    The fourth resistor R 4  is coupled between the second and third resistors and a voltage source. A positive terminal of the comparator is coupled to the first node A, and a negative terminal of the comparator is coupled to the second node B.  
           [0019]    The power on detect circuit further includes a fifth resistor R 5  and a sixth resistor R 6 . The fifth resistor is coupled between the source of the first MOS transistor M 1  and a first voltage source A. The sixth resistor is coupled between the source of the second MOS transistor M 2  and the second voltage source B. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]    The aforementioned objects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of the prior art.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram for the other prior art.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of the first embodiment.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 4 is a timing diagram of power supply.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 5 shows a diagram of detect voltages versus process variations.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 6 shows a diagram of detect voltages versus temperature variations.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 7 shows power on detect voltages of the present embodiment compared to the prior art.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 8 shows another schematic diagram of the first embodiment.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 9 shows a schematic diagram of the second embodiment.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 10 shows another schematic diagram of the second embodiment. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0031]    The First Embodiment  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of the first embodiment. The voltage detect circuit  300  includes NMOS transistors MN 1 , MN 2 , resistors R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6  and an comparator  22 . The gate and the drain the NMOS transistor MN 1  are tied together. The drain of the NMOS transistor MN 1  is coupled to the resistor R 1 . The resistor R 2  is in series with the resistor R 1  at node A. The gate and the drain of the NMOS transistor MN 2  are tied together. The drain of the NMOS transistor MN 2  is coupled to the resistor R 3  at node B. The aspect ratio of the NMOS transistor MN 1  is made N times larger than that of the NMOS transistor MN 2 . The resistor R 4  is coupled between the resistors R 2 , R 3  and the voltage source VCC. A non-inverting terminal of the comparator  22  is coupled to the node A, and an inverting terminal of the comparator  22  is coupled to the node B. The resistor R 5  is coupled between the source of the NMOS transistor MN 1  and ground. The resistor R 6  is coupled between the source of the NMOS transistor MN 2  and ground.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 4 is a timing diagram of power supply. Initially, the voltage source VCC is below the voltage Vf r such that the voltage VA is lower than the voltage VB, and the output voltage Vout of the comparator  22  is at low level. Until the voltage source VCC rises to the voltage Vfr, the output voltage Vout of the comparator  22  is at low level margin.  
         [0034]    During the voltage source VCC rises from the voltage Vfr to the voltage Vrr, there is a crossing point of the voltage VB and the voltage VA, then the voltage VA is higher than the voltage VB. The non-inverting terminal and the inverting terminal of the comparator  22  sense out the crossing over of the voltage VA and VB, the output voltage Vout of the comparator  22  has a transition from low level to high level.  
         [0035]    When the voltage source VCC rises to the voltage Vrr, the output voltage Vout of the comparator  22  is at high level margin.  
         [0036]    Compared with the power on detect circuit  200  in FIG. 2, the NMOS transistor MN 1  and MN 2  is used to ensure the power on detect circuit  300  to detect voltage Vrr=0.8V and Vfr=0.65V, below normal voltage by which BJT transistor can work.  
         [0037]    The resistance of the resistor R 4  is designed to tune the voltages Vfr and Vrr to meet a required voltages.  
         [0038]    When the voltage source VCC is between the voltage Vfr and the voltage Vrr, the voltage VA approximates to the voltage VB. The voltage drop of the resistor R 1  is close to a voltage difference (Vgs2−Vgs1) between the gate-to-drain voltages Vgs2 and Vgs1 of the NMOS transistors MN 2  and MN 1  respectively. And, the current in the resistors R 1 , R 2 , and R 3  are nearly equal. Thus, the voltage drop of the resistor R 3  approximates to the voltage difference (R 3 /R 1 ) (Vgs2−Vgs1). R 3 /R 1  is a ratio of the resistance of the resistor R 3  to that of the resistor R 1 .  
         [0039]    The voltage difference (Vgs2−Vgs1) has a negative temperature coefficient. The gate-to-drain voltage Vgs2 has a negative temperature coefficient. The ratio R 3 /R 1  is used to adjust the temperature coefficient of the voltage Vrr and Vfr. The temperature coefficient of the voltage Vrr and Vfr is reduced by decreasing the ratio of the resistance R 1  to R 2 .  
         [0040]    The temperature coefficient of the gate-to-drain voltage Vgs2 is reduced by source degeneration of the NMOS transistor MN 2 . The resistor R 6  is used to realize source degeneration of the NMOS transistor MN 2 . Similarly, the resistor R 5  functions as the same.  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 5 shows a diagram of detect voltages versus process variations. As shown in FIG. 5, the curve  100 A and  300 A represents the detect voltage Vrr of the power on detect circuit  100  and  300  respectively. Processes PFNF, PFNS, PTNT, PSNF, and PSNS represent various kinds of extreme variations in PMOS and NMOS transistors. The power on detect circuit  300  has narrower variations than that the power on detect circuit  100  has.  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 6 shows a diagram of detect voltages versus temperature variations. The temperature varies from −40° C. to 125° C. As shown in FIG. 6, the curve  100 B and  300 B represents the detect voltage Vrr of the power on detect circuit  100  and  300  respectively. The power on detect circuit  300  much lower temperature coefficient than that of the power on detect circuit  100  has.  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 7 shows power on detect voltages of the present embodiment compared to the prior art. The maximum and minimum power on detect voltages are the extreme cases that given by processes PFNF, PFNS, PTNT, PSNF, and PSNS, temperature varying from −40° C. to 125° C., and resistor varying 20%. As shown in FIG. 7, variations of the power on detect circuit  300  is much narrower 58.3% than the power on detect circuit  100 .  
         [0044]    [0044]FIG. 8 shows another schematic diagram of the first embodiment. The voltage detect circuit  310  includes NMOS transistors MN 1 , MN 2 , resistors R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4  and a comparator  22 . The source of the NMOS transistor MN 2  is coupled to ground directly, and so does the NMOS transistor MN 1 .  
         [0045]    The Second Embodiment  
         [0046]    [0046]FIG. 9 shows a schematic diagram of the second embodiment. The voltage detect circuit  400  includes PMOS transistors MP 1 , MP 2 , resistors R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6  and a comparator  22 . The gate and the drain of the PMOS transistor MP 1  are tied together. The drain of the PMOS transistor MP 1  is coupled to the resistor R 1 . The resistor R 2  is in series with the resistor R 1  at node A. The gate and the drain of the PMOS transistor MP 2  are tied together. The drain of the PMOS transistor M 2  is coupled to the resistor R 3  at node B. The resistor R 4  is coupled between the resistors R 2 , R 3  and ground. A non-inverting terminal of the comparator  22  is coupled to the node A, and an inverting terminal of the comparator  22  is coupled to the node B. The resistor R 5  is coupled between the source of the PMOS transistor MP 1  and the voltage source VCC. The resistor R 6  is coupled between the source of the PMOS transistor MP 2  and the voltage source.  
         [0047]    [0047]FIG. 10 shows another schematic diagram of the second embodiment. The voltage detect circuit  410  includes PMOS transistors MP 1 , MP 2 , resistors R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4  and a comparator  22 . The source of the PMOS transistor MP 2  is coupled to the voltage source VCC directly, and so does the NMOS transistor MN 1 .  
         [0048]    Although the present invention has been described in its preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the invention to the precise embodiment disclosed herein. Those who are skilled in this technology can still make various alterations and modifications without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention shall be defined and protected by the following claims and their equivalents.

Technology Category: 5