Fast ramp low supply charge pump circuits
AssigneeCypress Semiconductor Corporation
InventorsMichael Achter, Evrim Binboga
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Techniques for fast ramp, low supply charge-pump circuits are described herein. In an example embodiment, a non-volatile memory device comprises a flash memory array coupled to a fast charge-pump circuit. The charge-pump circuit comprises a first charge pump, an active charge pump coupled as input to the first charge pump, and a power supply coupled as input to the active charge pump. The active charge pump is configured to initialize the first charge pump to a greater absolute voltage than the power supply and to provide power to the first charge pump during an active mode of the flash memory array.
Claims18
A charge-pump circuit comprising:
- multiple charge pumps including a first charge pump and a second charge pump, wherein the first charge pump is coupled as input to the second charge pump;
- an active charge pump coupled as input to the first charge pump;
- and
- a power supply coupled as input to the active charge pump;
- wherein the active charge pump is configured to initialize the first charge pump to a first voltage that has a greater absolute value than the power supply and to provide to the first charge pump an input voltage during operation of the first charge pump;
- wherein the first charge pump is configured to initialize the second charge pump to a second voltage that is greater than the first voltage;
- wherein the active charge pump is configured to continuously generate an output voltage even when one or more of the multiple charge pumps are idle or off.
A memory device comprising:
- a memory array;
- and
- a charge-pump circuit, wherein the charge-pump circuit comprises:
- a first charge pump;
- a second charge pump, wherein the first charge pump is coupled as input to the second charge pump;
- an active charge pump coupled as input to the first charge pump;
- and
- a power supply coupled as input to the active charge pump;
- wherein the active charge pump is configured to initialize the first charge pump to a first voltage that has a greater absolute value than the power supply and to provide an input voltage to the first charge pump during an active mode of the memory array;
- wherein the first charge pump is configured to initialize the second charge pump to a second voltage that is greater than the first voltage;
- wherein the active charge pump is configured to continuously generate an output voltage even when the first charge pump is idle or off.
A method of operating a charge-pump circuit, the method comprising:
- applying a power supply voltage to an active charge pump of the charge-pump circuit, wherein the active charge pump is coupled as input to multiple charge pumps of the charge-pump circuit, and wherein the active charge pump is configured to continuously generate an output voltage even when one or more of the multiple charge pumps are idle or off;
- initializing, by the active charge pump, a first charge pump of the multiple charge pumps to a first voltage that has a greater absolute value than the power supply voltage, wherein the first charge pump is coupled as input to a second charge pump of the multiple charge pumps;
- applying by the first charge pump to the second charge pump a second voltage that is greater than the first voltage;
- and
- providing an input voltage by the active charge pump to the first charge pump during operation of the first charge pump.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.