Power stage overdrive extender for area optimization and operation at low supply voltage
AssigneeDialog Semiconductor (UK) Limited
InventorNuno Dias
Life of this patent
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Abstract
It is an object of one or more embodiments of the present disclosure to provide a power stage overdrive circuit, at low supply voltages, that can be enabled/disabled on the fly. The power stage overdrive circuit increases the overdrive of a power switch to allow for simple power stage architecture with high voltage PMOS and NMOS devices. The power stage overdrive circuit comprises a driver, configured to drive the power switch having a control terminal, for example a gate terminal, and a boost circuit, further comprising a boost capacitor having a first terminal coupled to a power supply, for example a battery, and a second terminal coupled to the control terminal, configured to provide an overdrive voltage to the control terminal to turn the power switch on.
Claims15
A power stage overdrive circuit, comprising:
- a gate driver output stage, configured to drive a power switch at a control terminal;
- a boost circuit,
- comprising a boost capacitor having a first terminal coupled to a power supply, and a second terminal coupled to the control terminal,
- configured to provide an overdrive voltage to the control terminal to turn the power switch on;
- and
- a charge pump coupled to the control terminal, the charge pump configured to operate to maintain the power switch below saturation level.
A method for overdriving a circuit element, comprising the steps of:
- providing a gate driver output stage;
- driving a power switch at a control terminal;
- providing a boost capacitor coupled to a power supply and said control terminal;
- overdriving the control terminal, using said boost capacitor, to turn the power switch on;
- and
- operating a charge pump to maintain the power switch below saturation level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.