On chip power supply
AssigneeIntegrated Discrete Devices, LLC
InventorRichard A. Metzler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A technique, for drawing power from the external signal circuit to power on-chip elements for an integrated circuit diode (ICD), utilizes an integrated diode and capacitor. The capacitor is charged by the external applied voltage during the time the ICD blocks the external current flow. The charged capacitor then acts as a battery to power the on-chip circuits to provide active control for the ICD function. This ICD could be provided as a two terminal discrete diode, or integrated onto a larger IC. This same technique can be utilized for a “self powered” MOSFET IC (ICM), utilizing a low power logic signal to trigger an internal circuit which would provide a much larger gate drive than the logic signal could provide. This could also be provided as discrete three terminal components, or integrated into a larger IC.
Claims47
An integrated circuit having an on chip power supply coupled to a field effect transistor having a source, a drain and a gate, the power supply comprising:
- a charge storage device and a current directing device;
- a first terminal of the charge storage device being connected to the source of the field effect transistor, a second terminal of the charge storage device being connected to a cathode of the current directing device, and an anode of the current directing device being connected to the drain of the transistor.
An integrated circuit comprising:
- a capacitor;
- a diode;
- a field effect transistor having first and second terminals and a control terminal;
- the capacitor and the diode being connected in series between the first and second terminals of the transistor;
- a control circuit coupled to the capacitor and to the control terminal;
- the charge in the capacitor being used to power the control circuit controlling the voltage on the control terminal of the transistor.
A circuit comprising:
- an integrated circuit including a charge storage device, a current directing device, a field effect transistor having a body, a source, a drain and a gate, and a control circuit, the charge storage device and the current directing device being connected in series between the source and drain terminals of the transistor, a charge on the charge storage device being coupled to and acting as the power supply for the control circuit, the control circuit having an output coupled to the gate of the field effect transistor, the control circuit turning the transistor on when the voltage between the source and drain is of a first polarity, and off when the voltage between the source and drain is of a second polarity, the current directing device having a polarity to charge the charge storage device when the voltage between the source and drain is of a second polarity.
A circuit comprising:
- an integrated circuit including:
- a capacitor;
- a diode;
- an n-channel field effect transistor having a source, a drain, a gate and a body connected to the drain;
- and,
- a control circuit;
- the capacitor and the diode being connected in series between the source and drain with the diode being conductive to charge the capacitor when the source is at a higher voltage than the drain, the capacitor being coupled to and acting as the power supply for the control circuit, the control circuit having an output coupled to the gate of the field effect transistor, the control circuit turning the transistor on when the voltage on the drain is higher than the voltage on the source, and off when the voltage on the source is higher than the voltage on the drain.
A circuit comprising:
- an integrated circuit including:
- a capacitor;
- a diode;
- a field effect transistor having a source, a drain, a gate and a body connected to the source;
- and, a control circuit;
- the capacitor and the diode being connected in series between the source and drain with the diode being conductive to charge the capacitor when the transistor is turned off, the capacitor being coupled to and acting as the power supply for the control circuit, the control circuit having a gate control input and providing an output coupled to the gate of the field effect transistor to provide an enhanced gate control signal to the field effect transistor responsive to the gate control input.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.