Digitally programmable high voltage charge pump
AssigneeSilicon Laboratories Inc.
InventorsBrian G. Drost, Aaron J. Caffee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of operating a programmable charge pump includes configuring each of a plurality of cascaded charge pump stages to be in a first set of charge pump stages or in a second set of charge pump stages based on an indicator of a target output voltage level. The first set of charge pump stages is configured to level-shift a first voltage level to a second voltage level. Each charge pump stage of the second set of charge pump stages has a disabled pump circuit portion. The second set of charge pump stages is configured to pass a version of the second voltage level to an output node of the programmable charge pump.
Claims27
A method of operating a programmable charge pump comprising:
- configuring each of a plurality of cascaded charge pump stages to be in a first set of charge pump stages or in a second set of charge pump stages based on an indicator of a target output voltage level, the first set of charge pump stages being configured to level-shift a first voltage level to a second voltage level, each charge pump stage of the second set of charge pump stages having a disabled pump circuit portion, the second set of charge pump stages being configured to pass a version of the second voltage level to an output node of the programmable charge pump;
- and
- adjusting a pump voltage of an individual charge pump stage of the first set of charge pump stages based on a feedback signal generated by a plurality of cascaded switched-capacitor stages in response to a voltage level on the output node and an indicator of a target output voltage level, the pump voltage being a difference between an input voltage level of the individual charge pump stage and an output voltage level of the individual charge pump stage.
(canceled)
A method of operating a programmable charge pump comprising:
- configuring each of a plurality of cascaded charge pump stages to be in a first set of charge pump stages or in a second set of charge pump stages based on an indicator of a target output voltage level, the first set of charge pump stages being configured to level-shift a first voltage level to a second voltage level, each charge pump stage of the second set of charge pump stages having a disabled pump circuit portion, the second set of charge pump stages being configured to pass a version of the second voltage level to an output node of the programmable charge pump;
- and
- operating each of the plurality of charge pump stages based on a corresponding first control signal, corresponding second control signal, and corresponding third control signal,
- wherein for each charge pump stage of the first set of charge pump stages the operating comprises level-shifting a first voltage level of a signal on an input node of the charge pump stage to a second voltage level on an output node of the charge pump stage in response to the corresponding first and second control signals, and the corresponding third control signal oscillating between a third voltage and a fourth voltage, and
- wherein for each charge pump stage of the second set of charge pump stages, the operating comprises providing a version of the first voltage level of a signal on an input node of the charge pump stage to the output node of the charge pump stage in response to the corresponding third control signal being a fixed signal.
An apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of cascaded charge pump stages;
- and
- a control circuit operable to configure each of a plurality of the cascaded charge pump stages to be in one of a first set of charge pump stages or a second set of charge pump stages based on an indicator of a target output voltage level, each charge pump stage in the first set of charge pump stages being configured to level-shift a first voltage level to a second voltage level, each charge pump stage in the second set of charge pump stages having a disabled pump circuit portion and the second set of charge pump stages being configured to pass a version of the second voltage level to an output node,
- wherein the second set of charge pump stages are configured as switched-capacitor resistors.
The apparatus, as recited in claim 20, wherein the second set of charge pump stages are configured as short circuits.
The apparatus, as recited in claim 20, wherein the second set of charge pump stages are configured as switched-capacitor resistors.
The apparatus, as recited in claim 20, wherein the second voltage level is the first voltage level boosted by n times the pump voltage and n is the number of charge pump stages in the first set of charge pump stages.
An apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of cascaded charge pump stages;
- a control circuit operable to configure each of a plurality of the cascaded charge pump stages to be in one of a first set of charge pump stages or a second set of charge pump stages based on an indicator of a target output voltage level, each charge pump stage in the first set of charge pump stages being configured to level-shift a first voltage level to a second voltage level, each charge pump stage in the second set of charge pump stages having a disabled pump circuit portion and the second set of charge pump stages being configured to pass a version of the second voltage level to an output node, and
- a plurality of cascaded switched-capacitor stages configured to generate a feedback signal,
- wherein the control circuit is further operable to configure each of the plurality of cascaded switched-capacitor stages to be in a third set of switched-capacitor stages or in a fourth set of switched-capacitor stages based on the indicator of the target output voltage level, individual switched-capacitor stages of the third set of switched-capacitor stages corresponding to respective charge pump stages of the first set of charge pump stages and being configured to voltage divide a version of the voltage level on the output node using the third set of switched-capacitor stages, individual switched-capacitor stages of the fourth set of switched-capacitor stages corresponding to respective charge pump stages of the second set of charge pump stages and being configured as short circuits to pass the voltage level on the output node to the third set of switched-capacitor stages.
A method of operating a charge pump comprising:
- operating a charge pump stage in a mode of operation selected from a plurality of modes of operation based on a first control signal, a second control signal, and a third control signal, the plurality of modes including a first mode and a second mode,
- wherein in the first mode, the operating includes level-shifting a first voltage level of a signal on an input node to a second voltage level on an output node in response to the first and second control signals being clock signals having a first amplitude and a first phase relationship, and the third control signal being a first clock signal oscillating between a third voltage and a fourth voltage, and
- wherein in the second mode, the operating includes providing a version of the first voltage level to the output node in response to the first and second control signals having a second phase relationship, and the third control signal being a fixed signal.
The method, as recited in claim 27, wherein the plurality of modes includes a third mode, and wherein in the third mode, the operating includes transferring charge from the input node to the output node at a switching frequency to generate an equivalent resistance in response to the first and second control signals having the first phase relationship and the third control signal being a fixed signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.