Output ripple voltage control for a capacitive dc/dc converter

A switching direct current (DC)-to-DC converter comprising:

• a charge pump circuit including:
• a flying capacitor;
• and
• a switching circuit having an ON resistance (Ron) and configured and arranged to boost an input voltage (Vin) by operating in each of:
• a charging mode (loading) during which charge is provided from the flying capacitor to an output voltage (Vout)of the switching DC-to-DC converter;
• and
• a discharging mode (storing) during which charge is not provided from the flying capacitor to the output voltage (Vout) of the switching DC-to-DC converter;
• a determination circuit configured and arranged to determine a ratio between a discharge rate and a charge rate, each of the discharge rate and the charge rate:
• corresponding to a rate of change for the output voltage (Vout)of the switching DC-to-DC converter, and
• corresponding to the discharging mode (storing) and the charging mode (loading), respectively;
• and
• an ON resistance circuit module configured and arranged to adjust the ON resistance (Ron) of the charging mode (loading) and to change the determined ratio to a target ratio
• wherein the ratio between the charge rate and the discharge rate is set to respond to detecting the output voltage of the switching DC-to-DC converter has exceeded, by more than a predetermined amount, m mode that disables the charging mode.