# US 2018/0323706 A1 · Charge pump stability control > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0323706 A1 - Document ID: US20180323706A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/037,362 - Filed: 2018-07-17 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Earliest claimed: 2014-03-14 - Assignees: pSemi Corporation - Applicants: pSemi Corporation - Inventors: Aichen Low; Gregory Szczeszynski; David Giuliano - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180323706A1 ## CPC - H02M 3/07: using capacitors charged and discharged alternately by semiconductor devices with control electrode {, e.g. charge pumps} - H02M 3/073: {Charge pumps of the Schenkel-type} - Y02B 70/10: Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes - 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) - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS ## Abstract An apparatus for power conversion includes a switching network that controls interconnections between pump capacitors in a capacitor network that has a terminal coupled to a current source, and a charge-management subsystem. In operation, the switching network causes the capacitor network to execute charge-pump operating cycles during each of which the capacitor network adopts different configurations in response to different configurations of the switching network. At the start of a first charge-pump operating cycle, each pump capacitor assumes a corresponding initial state. The charge-management subsystem restores each pump capacitor to the initial state by the start of a second charge-pump operating cycle that follows the first charge-pump operating cycle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising a switching network and a controller that, when said switching network is connected to plural capacitors, causes said switching network to form a first capacitor-arrangement and to later form a second capacitor-arrangement, wherein said first and second arrangements are constituent arrangements of a cycle of capacitor-arrangements, wherein said capacitors comprise a first capacitor that has a first charge at a start of a first cycle and a second charge at a start of a second cycle that follows said first cycle, said second charge being equal to said first charge. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said controller controls how long said first and second arrangements are to last. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first and second capacitor-arrangements are arrangements of a cascade multiplier. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein between said first and second arrangements there exists an arrangement in which said pump capacitors are disconnected from each other. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said second cycle begins immediately after said first cycle ends. ### Claim 6 A method comprising connecting a switching network to a plurality of capacitors, causing said switching network to execute a first cycle and a second cycle that follows said first cycle, wherein causing said switching network to execute said first cycle comprises causing a first capacitor from said plurality of capacitors to begin said first cycle holding a first charge, causing said switching network to arrange said capacitors into a first capacitor-arrangement, and, after having done so, causing said switching network to arrange said capacitors into a second capacitor-arrangement, wherein causing said switching network to execute said second cycle comprises causing said first capacitor to begin said second cycle holding a second charge, said second charge equaling said first charge. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising beginning said second cycle immediately after said first cycle ends. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising disconnecting all of said capacitors from each other between causing said switching network to arrange said capacitors into said first capacitor-arrangement and causing said switching network to arrange said capacitors into a second capacitor-arrangement. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6. wherein causing said switching network to arrange said capacitors into said first capacitor-arrangement and causing said switching network to arrange said capacitors into a second capacitor-arrangement comprise forming first and second arrangements for a cascade multiplier. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising causing said switching network and said capacitors to define a circuit having first and second terminals, and wherein causing said switching network to arrange said capacitors into said first capacitor-arrangement and causing said switching network to arrange said capacitors into a second capacitor-arrangement comprises causing a first voltage at said first terminal to transition into a second voltage at said second terminal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising causing said controller to control how long each of said first and second capacitor arrangements is maintained. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein causing said first capacitor to begin said second cycle holding a second charge comprising selecting said second charge to be equal to zero. ### Claim 13 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein causing said switching network to arrange said capacitors into said second capacitor-arrangement comprises discharging said capacitors. ### Claim 14 An apparatus for rearranging capacitors, said apparatus comprising a controller and a switching network that connects to said capacitors, said controller being configured to cause said switching network to execute cycles, each of which comprises arrangements of capacitors, wherein said plurality of capacitors comprises a first capacitor that begins a first cycle holding a first value of charge, wherein, during said first cycle, charge redistribution occurs between said first capacitor and at least one other capacitor in said plurality of capacitors, and wherein, as a result of said charge redistribution, said first capacitor begins a second cycle holding a second value of charge equal to said first value of charge. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said controller is configured to control said second cycle based at least in part on performance of said switching network during at least said first cycle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said controller is configured to control a duration of said second cycle based at least in part on performance of said switching network during at least said first cycle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said first capacitor begins said first cycle holding a first charge that is equal to zero. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein following said charge redistribution, said first capacitor is discharged. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said controller causes said switching network to, after having caused said switching network to disconnect all of said capacitors to be disconnected from each other, to reconnect only some of said capacitors to each other. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said controller is configured to inhibit both charge accretion and charge depletion in at least one capacitor during said first and second cycles.