Method and Apparatus for Power Glitch Detection in Integrated Circuits

摘要

A method and apparatus for power glitch detection in IC's is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes a detection circuit in an IC detecting a voltage transient wherein a value of a supply voltage has at least momentarily fallen below a reference voltage value. Responsive thereto, the detection circuit may cause a logic value to be stored in a register indicating that the detection circuit has detected the supply voltage falling below the reference voltage. The IC may include a number of detection circuits coupled to the register, each of which may provide a corresponding indication of detecting the supply voltage falling below the reference voltage. The detection circuits may be placed at different locations, and thus reading the register may yield information indicating the locations where, if any, such voltage transients occurred.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
providing a logic signal at from an output of a first comparator to a clock input of a first flip-flop; storing, in a register, a logic value output by the first flip-flop; comparing a first value of a reference voltage to a value of a supply voltage, wherein said comparing is performed by the first comparator; changing a state of the logic signal output by the comparator responsive to determining that the value of the supply voltage is less than the first value of the reference voltage; and changing the logic value output by the flip-flop to a first logic value from a second logic value responsive to the comparator changing the state of the logic signal.