# US 2018/0323704 A1 · Apparatuses and methods for charge pump regulation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0323704 A1 - Document ID: US20180323704A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/019,372 - Filed: 2018-06-26 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-07-10 - Assignees: Micron Technology, Inc. - Applicants: Micron Technology, Inc. - Inventors: Feng Pan; Michele Piccardi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180323704A1 ## CPC - H02M 3/07: using capacitors charged and discharged alternately by semiconductor devices with control electrode {, e.g. charge pumps} - G11C 5/145: {Applications of charge pumps; Boosted voltage circuits; Clamp circuits therefor (G11C5/141 takes precedence)} - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) - G11C: STATIC STORES (semiconductor memory devices H10B) ## Abstract Certain embodiments of the present invention include an apparatus comprising a charge pump, configured to provide an output voltage at an output node of the charge pump, and a charge pump regulator circuit coupled to the charge pump. One such charge pump regulator circuit is configured to control the charge pump to increase the output voltage during a first period of time. Such a charge pump regulator circuit can also cause a node of a circuit coupled to the output node of the charge pump to reach a target voltage level during a second time period. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: a charge pump configured to provide an output voltage at an output node of the charge pump; and a charge pump regulator circuit coupled to the charge pump, the charge pump regulator circuit configured to output a regulator output signal, measure a time period beginning when the output node of the charge pump reaches a target voltage level, and change a logical value of the regulator output signal until a voltage at a node of a load circuit reaches the target voltage level during the time period. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the charge pump regulator circuit is further configured to, before the beginning of the time period, control the charge pump to increase the output voltage at the output node of the charge pump until the output voltage of the charge pump reaches the target voltage level. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the charge pump regulator circuit further includes a resistor and a capacitor coupled in parallel to form a parallel RC circuit; and a comparator coupled to the parallel RC circuit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the charge pump regulator circuit includes an edge detector circuit; and a timing circuit, and wherein the edge detector circuit is configured to, before the beginning of the time period, detect a change in the regulator output signal, and provide an output signal to the timing circuit responsive to the detected change in the regulator output signal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the charge pump regulator circuit includes a timing circuit configured to apply a new scaling factor by which an output voltage level of charge pump is reduced until the time period elapses. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the charge pump regulator circuit further includes a parallel RC circuit configured to control a voltage level of a feedback signal provided by the parallel RC circuit; and wherein the charge pump regulator circuit further includes an edge detector circuit configured to control the parallel RC circuit to reduce the voltage level of the feedback signal for the time period responsive to a detected change in the regulator output signal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the charge pump regulator circuit further includes a parallel RC circuit configured to control a voltage level of a feedback signal for the time period based on the output voltage at the output node of the charge pump. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the charge pump regulator circuit further includes a parallel RC circuit; an edge detector circuit; and a comparator coupled between the parallel RC circuit and the edge detector circuit, and wherein the comparator is configured to provide the regulator output signal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the charge pump regulator circuit further includes a comparator; a timing circuit; and an edge detector circuit coupled between the comparator and the timing circuit, and wherein the timing circuit is configured to determine a new scaling factor to apply to the output voltage of the charge pump for the time period to reduce a voltage level of a feedback signal input by the comparator. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the time period is a statically or dynamically determined time period. ### Claim 11 A method comprising: receiving an increasing output voltage of a charge pump configured to provide a target voltage level to a load circuit; comparing a feedback voltage based, at least in part, on the increasing output voltage to a reference voltage; and when a level of the feedback voltage is determined to be equal to or greater than a level of the reference voltage, lowering, until a time period elapses, the feedback voltage to a level less than a level of a reference voltage. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein a node of the load circuit reaches the target voltage level during the time period. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: activating a charge pump regulator circuit coupled to the charge pump until the time period elapses. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the feedback voltage is maintained at the level less than the level of the reference voltage until the time period elapses. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein, when the time period elapses, the feedback voltage increases back to the level of the reference voltage. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: changing a logical value of a regulator output signal when the feedback voltage is lowered to the level less than the level of the reference voltage. ### Claim 17 A method comprising: increasing an output voltage of a charge pump until the output voltage of the charge pump reaches a target voltage level; and when the output voltage of the charge pump reaches the target voltage level, controlling the output voltage to remain at the target voltage level for a period of time until a voltage at a target node of a load circuit reaches the target voltage level. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising: comparing a voltage level of a feedback signal and a voltage level of a reference signal, wherein the voltage level of the feedback signal is based, at least in part, on the output voltage of the charge pump; and reducing the voltage level of the feedback signal so that the voltage level of the feedback signal is less than the voltage level of the reference signal until the period of time elapses. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising: raising a voltage of a reference signal until the voltage at the target node of the load circuit reaches the target voltage level, wherein the charge pump remains activate during the period of time when the voltage of the reference signal is raised. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising: raising a voltage level of a reference signal for the period of time, wherein the period of time is statically or dynamically determined.