A data retention circuit includes a power switch, a first inverter and a second inverter. The power switch has a first connection terminal coupled to a power voltage, and a second connection terminal coupled to the first power terminal and a second power terminal of a second inverter. The second input terminal and the second output terminal of the second inverter are coupled to the first output terminal and the first input terminal of the first inverter, respectively. In a sleep mode, the power switch and the transistor are turned off, a first leakage current flows between the first connection terminal and the second connection terminal, a second leakage current flows between the first power terminal and the first output terminal, and the first and the second leakage currents form a steady-state voltage, higher than or equal to a data retention voltage, on a second connection terminal.

In accordance with an embodiment, a method includes receiving an enable signal. After the enable signal is asserted, it is determined whether a soft-start capacitor is electrically connected to an input of a ramp generator circuit while keeping an output of the ramp generator circuit low. If the soft-start capacitor is electrically connected to the input of the ramp generator circuit, a first current is injected into the input of the ramp generator circuit to generate a first voltage ramp at the output of the ramp generator circuit. If the soft-start capacitor is not electrically connected to the input of the ramp generator circuit, a second current is injected to the input of the ramp generator circuit to generate a second voltage ramp at the output of the ramp generator circuit. The second current is smaller than the first current.

In accordance with an embodiment, a method includes receiving an enable signal. After the enable signal is asserted, it is determined whether a soft-start capacitor is electrically connected to an input of a ramp generator circuit while keeping an output of the ramp generator circuit low. If the soft-start capacitor is electrically connected to the input of the ramp generator circuit, a first current is injected into the input of the ramp generator circuit to generate a first voltage ramp at the output of the ramp generator circuit. If the soft-start capacitor is not electrically connected to the input of the ramp generator circuit, a second current is injected to the input of the ramp generator circuit to generate a second voltage ramp at the output of the ramp generator circuit. The second current is smaller than the first current.

Method and apparatus to produce a step function with a designed transition (rise and/or fall) time on the order of <10 ns that reaches steady state by implementing a system that sums a number of currents at different rise times (frequencies) to generate the step function. The system also includes a passive output filter, composed of low resistance, inductance and very low capacitance to mitigate overshoot and high frequency noise.

A ramp signal generation device includes a sampling circuit suitable for sampling a ramp current, which flows on a plurality of ramp current paths, and storing a voltage corresponding to the sampled ramp current; a current maintaining circuit suitable for maintaining the ramp current; a current maintaining/transferring circuit suitable for maintaining and transferring a current corresponding to the voltage stored by the sampling circuit; a selection circuit suitable for selecting a ramp current path of the sampling block and the current maintaining/transferring circuit; and a current-to-voltage converter suitable for converting the current transferred from the current maintaining/transferring circuit and generating therefrom a ramp voltage.

An analog signals generating device comprises a current pump controlled by a control code generated by a module for calculating the digital code with shaping of noise. The calculation module receives as input a digital signal representative of the analog signal to be generated and comprises at least one quantizer and a quantization error compensating stage. The current pump comprises two groups of at least one electric current generator and two groups of at least one switching means, the switching facilities being controlled by the control signal and causing the electric currents to flow between the electric current generators and the inputs of a differential amplifier exhibiting a predominantly capacitive input impedance and connected in series between the two groups of switching means.

In accordance with an embodiment, a method includes receiving an enable signal. After the enable signal is asserted, it is determined whether a soft-start capacitor is electrically connected to an input of a ramp generator circuit while keeping an output of the ramp generator circuit low. If the soft-start capacitor is electrically connected to the input of the ramp generator circuit, a first current is injected into the input of the ramp generator circuit to generate a first voltage ramp at the output of the ramp generator circuit. If the soft-start capacitor is not electrically connected to the input of the ramp generator circuit, a second current is injected to the input of the ramp generator circuit to generate a second voltage ramp at the output of the ramp generator circuit. The second current is smaller than the first current.

In accordance with an embodiment, a method includes receiving an enable signal. After the enable signal is asserted, it is determined whether a soft-start capacitor is electrically connected to an input of a ramp generator circuit while keeping an output of the ramp generator circuit low. If the soft-start capacitor is electrically connected to the input of the ramp generator circuit, a first current is injected into the input of the ramp generator circuit to generate a first voltage ramp at the output of the ramp generator circuit. If the soft-start capacitor is not electrically connected to the input of the ramp generator circuit, a second current is injected to the input of the ramp generator circuit to generate a second voltage ramp at the output of the ramp generator circuit. The second current is smaller than the first current.

In accordance with an embodiment, a method includes receiving an enable signal. After the enable signal is asserted, it is determined whether a soft-start capacitor is electrically connected to an input of a ramp generator circuit while keeping an output of the ramp generator circuit low. If the soft-start capacitor is electrically connected to the input of the ramp generator circuit, a first current is injected into the input of the ramp generator circuit to generate a first voltage ramp at the output of the ramp generator circuit. If the soft-start capacitor is not electrically connected to the input of the ramp generator circuit, a second current is injected to the input of the ramp generator circuit to generate a second voltage ramp at the output of the ramp generator circuit. The second current is smaller than the first current.

An analog signals generating device comprises a current pump controlled by a control code generated by a module for calculating the digital code with shaping of noise. The calculation module receives as input a digital signal representative of the analog signal to be generated and comprises at least one quantizer and a quantization error compensating stage. The current pump comprises two groups of at least one electric current generator and two groups of at least one switching means, the switching facilities being controlled by the control signal and causing the electric currents to flow between the electric current generators and the inputs of a differential amplifier exhibiting a predominantly capacitive input impedance and connected in series between the two groups of switching means.