JP4222389B2 - RINGING REDUCTION CIRCUIT AND SEMICONDUCTOR INTEGRATED CIRCUIT HAVING THE RINGING REDUCTION CIRCUIT - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a ringing reduction circuit suitable for a circuit that drives a load, such as a class D amplifier, and a semiconductor integrated circuit including the ringing reduction circuit.

As is well known, the class D amplifier turns on / off a load driving output transistor and intermittently energizes the load. Here, when the load is intermittently energized, the current that flows through the parasitic inductance that intervenes in the load of the class D amplifier, the power supply line, and the ground line changes abruptly. And appear in the output signal of the class D amplifier. Such ringing contributes to lowering the reproduction quality of the class D amplifier, and also causes damage to the load and the class D amplifier. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 proposes a technique for reducing the time gradient of the output signal waveform of the output transistor. When this type of technology is applied to a class D amplifier, the time gradient of the output signal waveform becomes gentle, so that there is no sudden change in the current flowing through the output transistor, and ringing can be reduced.
Japanese Patent No. 3152204

  However, since the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 makes the time gradient of the output signal waveform gentle, there is a problem that the operation speed of the class D amplifier is sacrificed when this technique is applied. This problem is not limited to class D amplifiers, and is a problem common to semiconductor integrated circuits that require a load to be driven at a high speed and are required to reduce ringing in an output signal.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor integrated circuit that can reduce ringing in an output signal without sacrificing the operation speed.

The present invention provides an output signal line for transmitting an output signal of an output buffer circuit in a semiconductor integrated circuit to a load outside the semiconductor integrated circuit, a high potential power line or a low potential power line for supplying a power supply voltage to the output buffer circuit, When switching occurs between the switching element and the output signal applied to the load via the output signal line, the switching occurs when the output signal exceeds a reference level in the positive or negative direction. There is provided a ringing reduction circuit comprising a ringing detection means for outputting a signal for turning on an element.
According to this invention, when the output signal is ringed by the switching operation of the output buffer circuit and the output signal exceeds the reference level in the positive direction or the negative direction, the switching element is turned on, and the output signal line is lowered from the output signal line. The potential power line or the high potential power line is discharged, and ringing is reduced.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

<First Embodiment>
1 and 2 are circuit diagrams showing the configuration of a class D amplifier 100A including ringing reduction circuits 40PA and 40NA according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Here, FIG. 1 shows a circuit configuration of the ringing reduction circuit 40NA, and FIG. 2 shows a circuit configuration of the ringing reduction circuit 40PA.

  The class D amplifier 100 </ b> A has a high potential power supply terminal 101, a low potential power supply terminal 102, an input terminal 103, and an output terminal 104. Here, the high potential power supply terminal 101 is connected to the positive electrode of the power supply VDD via the high potential power supply line 131 outside the class D amplifier 100A, and the low potential power supply terminal 102 is connected to the low potential power supply line outside the class D amplifier 100A. It is connected to the negative electrode of the power supply VDD via 132 and grounded. In the illustrated example, since a single power supply is used, the low potential power supply terminal 102 is grounded. However, a power supply that generates a positive power supply voltage and a power supply that generates a negative power supply voltage are used. In the case of the configuration, the high potential power supply terminal 101 may be connected to the output terminal of the former power supply, and the low potential power supply terminal 102 may be connected to the output terminal of the latter power supply. An audio signal is input to the input terminal 103 from a sound source (not shown). A load 200 such as a low-pass filter and a speaker is inserted between the output terminal 104 and the low-potential power line 132.

  The class D amplifier 100A is a semiconductor integrated circuit in which each circuit shown in the figure is formed on a semiconductor substrate and sealed in a package. Here, a high potential power supply line 111 connected to the high potential power supply terminal 101 and a low potential power supply line 112 connected to the low potential power supply terminal 102 are formed on the semiconductor substrate. Each circuit constituting the class D amplifier 100A is supplied with a power supply current from a power supply VDD via a high potential power supply line 131, a high potential power supply terminal 101, a parasitic inductance 141 such as a lead or a bonding wire, and a high potential power supply line 111. The power supply current that has passed through each circuit reaches the negative pole of the power supply VDD via the low potential power supply line 112, the parasitic inductance 142 such as a lead or a bonding wire, the low potential power supply terminal 102, and the low potential power supply line 132.

  In the class D amplifier 100 </ b> A, the PWM modulator 10 is a circuit that outputs a pulse that is pulse-width modulated in accordance with the level of an input signal supplied via the input terminal 103. The pre-driver 20 is a circuit that drives the output buffer circuit 30 in response to this pulse. In the illustrated example, the output buffer circuit 30 is a circuit having a so-called inverter configuration, and is a P-channel field effect transistor (hereinafter simply referred to as a P-channel transistor) interposed between the high-potential power line 111 and the low-potential power line 112. 30N and an N channel field effect transistor (hereinafter simply referred to as an N channel transistor) 30N. Here, the drains of the P-channel transistor 30P and the N-channel transistor 30N are connected to each other, and the connection point is connected to the output terminal 104 via the output signal line 120. The pre-driver 20 supplies pulses GP and GN to the gates of the transistors 30P and 30N so that the load 200 is energized for a period corresponding to the pulse width of the pulses supplied from the PWM modulator 10, respectively. The pre-driver 20 includes a circuit that adjusts the timing of pulses supplied to the gates of the transistors so that the transistors 30P and 30N are not turned on at the same time in order to prevent a so-called through current.

  The ringing reduction circuits 40NA and 40PA are circuits unique to this embodiment. Here, as shown in FIG. 1, the ringing reduction circuit 40NA includes an N-channel transistor 401 serving as a switching element and a comparator 410 serving as a ringing detection unit. Here, the drain of the transistor 401 is connected to the output signal line 120 that transmits the output signal OUT of the output buffer circuit 30 to the external load 200, and the source of the transistor 401 supplies the power supply voltage to the output buffer circuit 30. The high potential power supply line 111 and the low potential power supply line 112 are connected to the low potential power supply line 112. The comparator 410 has P-channel transistors 411 and 412 and constant current sources 413 and 414. Here, the source of the transistor 411 is a non-inverting input terminal (+ terminal) of the comparator 410 and is connected to the output signal line 120. The source of the transistor 412 is an inverting input terminal (− terminal) of the comparator 410 and is connected to the high potential power supply line 111. The gate of the transistor 411 and the gate of the transistor 412 are connected to the drain of the transistor 412, and the drain of the transistor 412 is connected to the low potential power supply line 112 via the constant current source 414. Further, the drain of the transistor 411 is connected to the low potential power supply line 112 via the constant current source 413. The connection point between the drain of the transistor 411 and the constant current source 413 is an output terminal of the comparator 410 and is connected to the gate of the transistor 401. With the above configuration, the comparator 410 compares the output signal OUT supplied to the load 200 via the output signal line 120 with the level PVDDI of the high potential power supply line 111 that is the reference level, and the output signal OUT has the reference level. When exceeding in the positive direction (when overshoot occurs), an H level gate voltage is applied to the transistor 401 to turn on the transistor 401 which is a switching element.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the ringing reduction circuit 40PA includes an N-channel transistor 402 as a switching element, a comparator 420 as a ringing detection means, and an inverter 429. Here, the source of the transistor 402 is connected to the output signal line 120, and the drain of the transistor 402 is connected to the high potential power supply line 111. The comparator 420 includes N-channel transistors 421 and 422 and constant current sources 423 and 424. Here, the source of the transistor 421 is a non-inverting input terminal (+ terminal) of the comparator 420 and is connected to the output signal line 120. The source of the transistor 422 is an inverting input terminal (− terminal) of the comparator 420 and is connected to the low potential power supply line 112. The gate of the transistor 421 and the gate of the transistor 422 are connected to the drain of the transistor 422, and the drain of the transistor 422 is connected to the high potential power supply line 111 through the constant current source 424. The drain of the transistor 421 is connected to the high potential power supply line 111 via the constant current source 423. A connection point between the drain of the transistor 421 and the constant current source 423 is an output terminal of the comparator 420 and is connected to the gate of the transistor 402 via the inverter 429. With the above configuration, the comparator 420 compares the output signal OUT supplied to the load 200 via the output signal line 120 with the level PVSSI of the low potential power supply line 112 that is the reference level. When the output signal OUT exceeds the reference level in the negative direction (when undershoot occurs), the comparator 420 outputs an L level signal, and the inverter 429 inverts the output signal of the comparator 420 to the H level. Then, the voltage is supplied to the gate of the transistor 402, and the transistor 402 is turned on.

  In this embodiment, the transistors 401 and 402 serving as switching elements are connected to the low potential power supply line 112 or the high potential power supply from the output signal line 120 when an overshoot or undershoot occurs in the output signal OUT on the output signal line 120. The line 111 is discharged to release excess energy and to reduce overshoot or undershoot. Therefore, the channel widths of the transistors 401 and 402 are required to be appropriately sized so that the overshoot and undershoot can be appropriately reduced. In a preferred embodiment, the channel width of the transistors 401 and 402 is about 1/100 of the channel width of the transistor 30N of the output buffer circuit 30.

  In the ringing reduction circuit 40PA, the N channel transistor 402 may be replaced with a P channel transistor, and the output signal of the comparator 420 may be supplied to the gate of the P channel transistor without passing through the inverter 429. In the present embodiment, the N-channel transistor 402 is adopted instead of the P-channel transistor because the N-channel transistor can lower the ON resistance than the P-channel transistor when the channel width is the same. is there.

  FIG. 3 is a waveform diagram showing waveforms at various parts in the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, in class D amplifier 100A, pulses GP and GN for the gates of the transistors are generated so that transistors 30P and 30N are alternately turned on. In addition, when switching on / off of each transistor, in order to prevent a through current, the transistor 30P is changed from the OFF state to the ON state after the transistor 30P is changed from the ON state, and the transistor 30N is changed from the ON state. The pulses GP and GN are output from the pre-driver 20 in a state where the timing is adjusted as shown so that the transistor 30P changes from the OFF state to the ON state after the OFF state.

  At time t1 shown in FIG. 3, the transistor 30P is in an OFF state and the transistor 30N is in an ON state. For this reason, a negative current I flowing from the load 200 to the transistor 30N flows. Next, at time t2, the transistor 30N is turned off. At this time, the path of the current I that has flowed through the load 200 that is an inductive load is cut off, and the current that has flowed through the load 200 up to that time is, for example, the parasitic between the drain of the transistor 30P and the N-type substrate that is the background. Since the current flows to the power supply VDD via a parasitic inductance such as a diode and a bonding wire, an oscillating high voltage is induced at both ends of the load 200. For this reason, ringing occurs in the level of the signal OUT. In the present embodiment, however, the comparator 410 in the ringing reduction circuit 40NB is switched to the H level from the comparator 410 in the ringing reduction circuit 40NB during the period when the level of the signal OUT exceeds the level PVDDI of the high potential power supply line 111 in the positive direction. The N-channel transistor 401 is turned on. As a result, current is discharged from the output signal line 120 to the low potential power supply line 112 by the N-channel transistor 401, and the overshoot of the signal OUT is reduced as shown in the figure.

  Next, at time t3, the transistor 30P is in the ON state and the transistor 30N is in the OFF state. For this reason, a positive current I flowing from the transistor 30P to the load 200 flows. Next, at time t4, the transistor 30P is turned off. At this time, the path of the current I that has flowed through the load 200 that is an inductive load is cut off, and the current that has flowed through the load 200 until then is, for example, parasitic between the drain of the transistor 30N and the P-type substrate that is the background. Since it flows through a parasitic inductance such as a diode and a bonding wire, an oscillating high voltage is induced across the load 200. For this reason, ringing occurs in the level of the signal OUT. However, in the present embodiment, the transistor 402 in the ringing reduction circuit 40PA is turned on while the undershoot occurs in which the level of the signal OUT exceeds the level PVSSI of the low potential power supply line 111 in the negative direction. As a result, the transistor 402 discharges between the output signal line 120 and the high potential power supply line 111, and the undershoot of the signal OUT is reduced as illustrated.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, ringing can be reduced without sacrificing the operation speed of the class D amplifier 100A.

Second Embodiment
4 and 5 are circuit diagrams showing the configuration of a class D amplifier 100B including ringing reduction circuits 40PB and 40NB according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Here, FIG. 4 shows the circuit configuration of the ringing reduction circuit 40NB, and FIG. 5 shows the circuit configuration of the ringing reduction circuit 40PB. In these drawings, parts corresponding to those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

  In the first embodiment, the comparators 410 and 420 serving as ringing detection means compare the level of the output signal line 120 with the level PVDDI of the high potential power supply line 111 or the level PVSSI of the low potential power supply line 112, thereby outputting the output. The occurrence of ringing in the signal OUT was detected.

  However, when the switching current of the output buffer circuit 30 flows through the parasitic inductances 141 and 142, a large back electromotive force is induced in the parasitic inductances 141 and 142. Therefore, the level PVDDI of the high potential power supply line 111 and the low potential power supply line 112 Vibratory noise is generated in the level PVSSI. When the amplitude of this vibration noise is large, even when no overshoot or undershoot occurs in the output signal OUT of the output buffer circuit 30, the comparator 410 or 420 erroneously turns on the transistor 401 or 402, The output signal OUT may be distorted.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a high potential different from the high potential power supply terminal 101 and the low potential power supply terminal 102 for supplying the power supply voltage to each circuit including the output buffer circuit 30. A power supply terminal 101a and a low potential power supply terminal 102a are provided in the class D amplifier 100B, and are connected to the positive electrode and the negative electrode of the power supply VDD, respectively. The comparator 410 in the ringing reduction circuit 40NB detects an overshoot of the output signal OUT by comparing the output signal OUT with the level PVDDIa of the high potential power supply line 111a connected to the high potential power supply terminal 101a. The comparator 420 in the ringing reduction circuit 40PB detects the undershoot of the output signal OUT by comparing the output signal OUT with the level PVSSIa of the low potential power supply line 112a connected to the low potential power supply terminal 102a.

  The ringing reduction circuit NB has a configuration in which a P-channel transistor 431 and a non-inverting buffer 432 are added to the ringing reduction circuit NA in the first embodiment. Here, the transistor 431 has a source connected to the output signal line 120 and a gate and a drain connected to the source of the transistor 411 of the comparator 410. This transistor 431 reduces the sensitivity of the comparator 410 so that the comparator 410 does not react sensitively to such a subtle vibration when a subtle vibration that cannot be said to be an overshoot occurs in the output signal OUT. Play a role. Similarly, an N-channel transistor 433 that reduces the sensitivity of the comparator 420 is also added to the ringing reduction circuit PB. The non-inverting buffer 432 plays a role of amplifying the output signal of the comparator 410 and generating a gate voltage at a level at which ON / OFF switching of the transistor 401 can be performed reliably.

  In the present embodiment, a parasitic inductance 141a such as a lead or a bonding wire is interposed between the high potential power supply line 111a and the high potential power supply terminal 101a, and between the low potential power supply line 112a and the low potential power supply terminal 102a. In addition, a parasitic inductance 142a such as a lead or a bonding wire is interposed. However, since the output buffer circuit 30 is not interposed between the high potential power supply terminal 101a and the low potential power supply terminal 102a, the switching current of the output buffer circuit 30 does not flow through the parasitic inductances 141a and 142a. For this reason, the level PVDDIa of the high potential power supply line 111a and the level PVSSIa of the low potential power supply line 112a are less stable and less stable than the level PVDDI of the high potential power supply line 111 and the level PVSSI of the low potential power supply line 112. Become. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, even when large noise occurs in the level PVDDI of the high potential power supply line 111 and the level PVSSI of the low potential power supply line 112 due to the switching of the output buffer circuit 30, the overshoot in the output signal OUT It is possible to prevent erroneous detection of undershoot.

<Third Embodiment>
6 and 7 are circuit diagrams showing the configuration of a class D amplifier 100C having ringing reduction circuits 40PC and 40NC according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Here, FIG. 6 shows a circuit configuration of the ringing reduction circuit 40NC, and FIG. 7 shows a circuit configuration of the ringing reduction circuit 40PC. In these drawings, portions corresponding to those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and FIGS. 4 and 5 are denoted by common reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

  Also in the present embodiment, as in the second embodiment, a high-potential power supply terminal 101a that is different from the high-potential power supply terminal 101 and the low-potential power supply terminal 102 for supplying power supply voltage to each circuit including the output buffer circuit 30. The low-potential power supply terminal 102a is provided in the class D amplifier 100C, and is connected to the positive and negative electrodes of the power supply VDD, respectively. In detecting overshoot and undershoot, the level PVDDIa of the high potential power supply line 111a connected to the high potential power supply terminal 101a and the level PVSSIa of the low potential power supply line 112a connected to the low potential power supply terminal 102a are the reference levels. Used as

  In this embodiment, a parasitic diode between the drain of the P-channel transistor 30P and the background N-type substrate is interposed between the output signal line 120 and the high-potential power line 111. For this reason, when an overshoot occurs in the output signal OUT, an overshoot having a potential lower than the output signal OUT by approximately the forward voltage VB of the parasitic diode occurs in the level PVDDI of the high potential power supply line 111. Further, a parasitic diode between the drain of the N-channel transistor 30N and the P-type substrate that is the background is interposed between the output signal line 120 and the low-potential power line 112. For this reason, when an undershoot occurs in the output signal OUT, an undershoot having a potential higher than the output signal OUT by the forward voltage VB of the parasitic diode is generated in the level PVSSI of the low potential power line 112.

Therefore, the comparator 410 of the ringing reduction circuit 40NC according to the present embodiment compares the level PVDDI of the high potential power supply line 111 with the level PVDDIa of the stable high potential power supply line 111a with less noise and the former level PVDDI being the latter. When the level is higher than the level PVDDIa, a signal for turning on the transistor 401 is output. Further, the comparator 420 of the ringing reduction circuit 40PC in this embodiment compares the level PVSSI of the low potential power supply line 112 with the level PVSSIa of the stable low potential power supply line 112a with less noise, and the former level PVSSI is the latter. When the level is lower than PVSSIa, a signal for turning on the transistor 402 is output.
Also in this embodiment, the same effect as the second embodiment can be obtained.

  While the first to third embodiments of the present invention have been described above, various other embodiments are conceivable for the present invention. For example:

(1) In the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to a class D amplifier having an output buffer circuit 30 having an inverter configuration. However, the present invention is an output buffer having a bridge configuration using two pairs of P-channel and N-channel transistor pairs. The present invention is also applicable to a class D amplifier having a circuit. The present invention is not limited to a class D amplifier, and can be applied to various semiconductor integrated circuits in which ringing reduction is desired.

(2) In the above embodiment, both the ringing reduction circuit for reducing overshoot and the ringing reduction circuit for reducing undershoot are provided in the semiconductor integrated circuit, but only one of them may be provided.

(3) In each of the above embodiments, the ringing reduction circuit is provided inside the semiconductor integrated circuit. However, the ringing reduction circuit may be provided outside the semiconductor integrated circuit where reduction of ringing is desired and connected to the semiconductor integrated circuit. .

(4) The high potential power supply line 111a and the low potential power supply line 112a may be connected to a stable part of the power supply voltage in the semiconductor integrated circuit.

1 is a circuit diagram showing a configuration of a class D amplifier including a ringing reduction circuit according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and particularly showing a configuration of a ringing reduction circuit for reducing overshoot. FIG. It is a circuit diagram which shows the structure of the same class D amplifier, and shows the structure of the ringing reduction circuit which reduces undershoot especially. It is a wave form diagram which shows the waveform of each part in the embodiment. It is a circuit diagram which shows the structure of the class D amplifier provided with the ringing reduction circuit which is 2nd Embodiment of this invention, and shows the structure of the ringing reduction circuit which reduces especially an overshoot. It is a circuit diagram which shows the structure of the same class D amplifier, and shows the structure of the ringing reduction circuit which reduces undershoot especially. It is a circuit diagram which shows the structure of the class D amplifier provided with the ringing reduction circuit which is 3rd Embodiment of this invention, and shows the structure of the ringing reduction circuit which reduces especially an overshoot. It is a circuit diagram which shows the structure of the same class D amplifier, and shows the structure of the ringing reduction circuit which reduces undershoot especially.

Explanation of symbols

100A, 100B, 100C ... Class D amplifier, 111, 111a, 131 ... High potential power line, 112, 112a, 132 ... Low potential power line, 40PA, 40NA, 40PB, 40NB, 40PC, 40NC ... Ringing reduction Circuit, 30P, 411, 412, 431 ... P channel transistor, 30N, 401, 402, 421, 422, 433 ... N channel transistor, 410, 420 ... Comparator, 101, 101a ... High potential power supply terminal, 102 , 102a... Low-potential power supply terminal, 103... Input terminal, 104... Output terminal, 141, 142, 141 a, 142 a ...... Parasitic inductance, 10 ...... PWM modulator, 20 ...... Pre-driver, 413, 414 423, 424 ... Constant current source, 429 ... Inverter, 432 ... Non-inverty Gubaffa, 200 ...... load.

Claims (5)

Between an output signal line for transmitting an output signal of an output buffer circuit in the semiconductor integrated circuit to a load outside the semiconductor integrated circuit and a high potential power line or a low potential power line for supplying a power supply voltage to the output buffer circuit An inserted switching element;
Ringing that outputs a signal that turns on the switching element when ringing occurs in the output signal applied to the load via the output signal line and the output signal exceeds a reference level in the positive or negative direction. Detecting means ,
The ringing detection means includes a level of a high-potential power line or a low-potential power line that supplies a power supply voltage to the output buffer circuit, and the high-potential power line or low-potential power supply that does not serve as a path for a switching current flowing through the output buffer circuit. A comparator for detecting that an output signal applied to the load exceeds the reference level in a positive direction or a negative direction by comparing a level applied to a power supply line different from the line. Ringing reduction circuit. The switching element is interposed between the output signal line and the low-potential power line,
The ringing detection means turns on the switching element when it detects that the output signal has exceeded the level of the high potential power supply line or a reference level that is more stable than the level in the positive direction. The ringing reduction circuit according to claim 1, wherein the ringing reduction circuit outputs a signal. The switching element is interposed between the output signal line and the high potential power line,
The ringing detection means turns on the switching element when it detects that the output signal has exceeded the level of the low-potential power supply line or a reference level that is more stable than the level in the negative direction. The ringing reduction circuit according to claim 1, wherein the ringing reduction circuit outputs a signal. As the switching element, a first switching element interposed between the output signal line and the low-potential power supply line, and a second switching element interposed between the output signal line and the high-potential power supply line. A switching element,
The ringing detection means detects the first switching when it detects that the output signal exceeds the first reference level which is a level of the high-potential power line or a level more stable than the level in the positive direction. A first comparator that outputs a signal for turning on the element; and that the output signal exceeds a level of the low-potential power supply line or a second reference level that is more stable than the level in the negative direction. The ringing reduction circuit according to claim 1, further comprising: a second comparator that outputs a signal for turning on the second switching element when detected. A semiconductor integrated circuit comprising the ringing reduction circuit according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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