Novel charge pump

A device for providing a switching function, the device comprising:

• a switch transistor including a gate terminal, a drain terminal, a source terminal, and a substrate terminal;
• and
• a bias circuit coupled to the switch transistor and configured to provide a substrate voltage to the substrate terminal;
• wherein the bias circuit is further configured to:
• receive a drain voltage from the drain terminal;
• receive a source voltage from the source terminal;
• process information associated the drain voltage and the source voltage;
• select one voltage from the drain voltage and the source voltage, the selected voltage being equal to or higher than both the drain voltage and the source voltage;
• and
• output the selected voltage as the substrate voltage to the substrate terminal.

A method of making a charge pump circuit, the method comprising:

• providing a first voltage supply circuit, the first voltage supply circuit being configured to provide a first supply voltage in response to a first and second input signals;
• providing a first capacitor;
• coupling a first terminal of the first capacitor to the first voltage supply circuit;
• providing a first switch circuit, the first switch circuit being configured to provide a third supply voltage to a second terminal of the first capacitor in response to a first control signal, the first switch circuit including an input terminal, an output terminal, and a substrate terminal wherein the substrate terminal is biased to a higher one of a voltage at the output terminal and a voltage at the input terminal;
• providing a second switch circuit, the second switch circuit including an input terminal, an output terminal, and a substrate terminal wherein the substrate terminal is biased to a higher one of a voltage at the output terminal and a voltage at the input terminal;
• coupling the second switch circuit to the second terminal of the first capacitor;
• adding a second capacitor coupled to the second switch circuit, the second switch circuit being configured to supply a voltage at the second terminal of the first capacitor to the second capacitor in response to a second control signal;
• and
• providing an output terminal coupled to the second capacitor to provide an output voltage, the output voltage being higher than the first supply voltage, the output voltage being also higher than the second supply voltage.

A method for providing an output voltage higher than a supply voltage, the method comprising:

• providing an input voltage;
• providing a first capacitor, the first capacitor including a first terminal and a second terminal;
• providing a second capacitor;
• and
• charging the second capacitor until an output voltage of the second capacitor reaches a predetermined voltage, the predetermined voltage being higher than the supply voltage, wherein charging the second capacitor comprises:
• charging the first capacitor to raise a voltage at the second terminal of the first capacitor to the supply voltage;
• decoupling the first capacitor from the supply voltage;
• raising a voltage at the first terminal of the first capacitor to the input voltage and causing a voltage at the second terminal of the first capacitor to reach a voltage that is substantially a sum of the supply voltage and the input voltage;
• transferring charges from the first capacitor to the second capacitor;
• and
• decoupling the second capacitor from the first capacitor.