Electronic apparatus

In a miniature electronic apparatus having an electric load circuit and a boosting power supply for driving the load circuit, the boosting power supply comprising:

• a power source for producing an output power which varies with time;
• a voltage detecting circuit for detecting a voltage of the power source;
• and
• a booster circuit having a boosting factor which is varied based on an output of the voltage detecting circuit.

A miniature electronic apparatus comprising:

• a power source for producing an output power which varies with time;
• a voltage detecting circuit for detecting an output voltage of the power source;
• a booster circuit for boosting the output voltage of the power source and producing a boosted output voltage;
• a load circuit driven by the boosted output voltage;
• and
• an oscillator circuit for generating a clock signal for driving the booster circuit, the clock signal having a frequency which varies depending upon the detected output voltage of the power source.

An electronic apparatus comprising:

• an electronic load;
• a power supply for producing an output voltage;
• and a booster circuit for boosting the output voltage, the boosting circuit including a booster unit comprising an input terminal, an output terminal, a GND terminal, a capacitor, first through fourth switching elements each comprising a MOS transistor having a gate electrode and a first and a second electrode, wherein
• the input terminal is connected to the first electrode of the first switching element and the said electrode of the third switching element, the second electrode of the first switching element is connected to a second electrode of the capacitor and the second electrode of the second switching element, the first electrode of the second switching element is connected to the GND terminal, a first electrode of the capacitor is connected to the first electrode of the third switching element and the second electrode of the fourth switching element, and the first electrode of the fourth switching element is connected to the output terminal, wherein
• the booster unit is receptive of control signals at the gate electrodes of the respective elements so as to alternately repeat an operation of turning on the second switching element and the third switching element while the first and fourth switching elements are off and an operation of turning on the first switching element and the fourth switching element while the second and third switching elements are off, and outputs from the output terminal a boosted voltage obtained by boosting further positively a positive voltage inputted from the input terminal, and wherein
• each of the first to fourth switching elements of the booster unit comprises an N-channel type MOS transistor in which the first electrode is a source electrode and the second electrode is a drain electrode and having a substrate electrode connected to the GND terminal.

An electronic apparatus comprising:

• an electric load;
• a power supply for producing an output voltage;
• and a booster circuit for boosting the output voltage, the booster circuit including a booster unit comprising an input terminal, an output terminal, a GND terminal, a capacitor, first through fourth switching elements each comprising a MOS transistor having a gate electrode and a first and a second electrode, wherein
• the input terminal is connected to the first electrode of the first switching element and the second electrode of the third switching element, the second electrode of the first switching element is connected to the second electrode of the capacitor and the second electrode of the second switching element, the first electrode of the second switching element is connected to the GND terminal, a first electrode of the capacitor is connected to the first electrode of the third switching element and the second electrode of the fourth switching element, the first electrode of the fourth switching element is connected to the output terminal, wherein
• the booster unit is receptive of control signals at the gate electrodes of the respective switching elements so as to alternately repeat an operation of turning on the second switching element and the third switching element while the first and fourth switching elements are off and an operation of turning on the first switching element and the fourth switching element while the second and third switching elements are off, and outputs from the output terminal a boosted voltage obtained by boosting further positively a positive voltage inputted from the input terminal, and wherein
• each of the first to third switching elements of the booster unit comprises an N-channel type MOS transistor in which the first electrode is a source electrode and the second electrode is a drain electrode and having a substrate electrode connected to the GND terminal, and the fourth switching element of the booster unit comprises a P-channel type MOS transistor in which the first electrode is a source electrode and the second electrode is a drain electrode and having a substrate electrode connected to the source electrode.

An electronic apparatus comprising:

• an electric load;
• a power supply for producing an output voltage;
• and a booster circuit for boosting the output voltage, the booster circuit including a booster unit comprising an input terminal, an output terminal, a GND terminal, a capacitor, first through fourth switching elements each comprising a MOS transistor having a gate electrode and a first and a second electrode, wherein
• the input terminal is connected to the first electrode of the first switching element and the second electrode of the third switching element, the second electrode of the first switching element is connected to a second electrode of the capacitor and the second electrode of the second switching element, the first electrode of the second switching element is connected to the GND terminal, a first electrode of the capacitor is connected to the first electrode of the third switching element and the second electrode of the fourth switching element, the first electrode of the fourth switching element is connected to the output terminal, wherein
• the booster unit is receptive of control signals at the gate electrodes of the respective switching elements so as to alternately repeat an operation of turning on the second switching element and the third switching element while the first and fourth switching elements are off and an operation of turning on the first switching element and the fourth switching element while the second and third switching elements are off, and outputs from the output terminal a boosted voltage obtained by boosting further positively a positive voltage inputted from the input terminal, and wherein
• each of the first, third, and fourth switching elements of the booster unit comprises a P-channel type MOS transistor in which the first electrode is a source electrode and the second electrode is a drain electrode and having a substrate electrode connected to the source electrode, and the second switching element of the booster unit comprises an N-channel type MOS transistor in which the first electrode is a source electrode and the second electrode is a drain electrode and having a substrate electrode connected to the GND terminal.

An electronic apparatus comprising:

• an electric load;
• a power supply for producing an output voltage;
• and a booster circuit for boosting the output voltage, the booster circuit including a booster unit comprising an input terminal, an output terminal, a GND terminal, a capacitor, first through fourth switching elements each comprising a MOS transistor having a gate electrode and a first and a second electrode, wherein
• the input terminal is connected to the first electrode of the first switching element, the second electrode of the first switching element is connected to a second electrode of the capacitor and the second electrode of the second switching element, the said first electrode of the second switching element is connected to the GND terminal, a first electrode of the capacitor is connected to the first electrode of the third switching element and the second electrode of the fourth switching element, and the first electrode of the fourth switching element is connected to the output terminal, wherein
• the booster unit is receptive of control signals at the gate electrodes of the respective switching elements so as to alternately repeat an operation of turning on the second switching element and the third switching element while the first switching element is off and an operation of turning on the first switching element while the second and third switching elements are off, and outputs from the output terminal a boosted voltage obtained by boosting further positively a positive voltage inputted from the input terminal, and wherein
• each of the first to third switching elements of the booster unit comprises an N-channel type MOS transistor in which the first electrode is a source electrode and the second electrode is a drain electrode and having a substrate electrode connected to the GND terminal.

An electronic apparatus comprising:

• an electric load;
• a power supply for producing an output voltage;
• and a booster circuit for boosting the output voltage, the booster circuit including a booster unit comprising an input terminal, an output terminal, a GND terminal, a capacitor, first through fourth switching elements each comprising a MOS transistor having a gate electrode and a first and a second electrode, wherein
• the input terminal is connected to the first electrode of the first switching element, the second electrode of the first switching element is connected to a second electrode of the capacitor and the second electrode of the second switching element, the first electrode of the second switching element is connected to the GND terminal, a first electrode of the capacitor is connected to the first electrode of the third switching element and the second electrode of the fourth switching element, and the first electrode of the fourth switching element is connected to the output terminal, wherein
• the booster unit is receptive of control signals at the gate electrodes of the respective switching elements so as to alternately repeat an operation of turning on the second switching element and the third switching element while the first switching element is off and an operation of turning on the first switching element while the second and third switching elements are off, and outputs from the output terminal a boosted voltage obtained by boosting further positively a positive voltage inputted from the input terminal, and wherein
• the first switching element of the booster unit comprises a P-channel type MOS transistor in which the second electrode is a source electrode and the first electrode is a drain electrode and having a substrate electrode connected to the source electrode, and the second and third switching elements of the booster unit each comprise an N-channel type MOS transistor in which the first electrode is a source electrode and the second electrode is a drain electrode and having a substrate electrode connected to the GND terminal.

An electronic apparatus comprising:

• an electric load;
• a power supply for producing an output voltage;
• and a booster circuit for boosting the output voltage, the booster circuit including a booster unit comprising first and second input terminals, an output terminal, a GND terminal, a capacitor, a plurality of switching elements each comprising a MOS transistor having a gate electrode and a first and a second electrode, wherein
• the first input terminal is connected to the first electrode of a first switching element, the second electrode of the first switching element is connected to a first electrode of the capacitor and the output terminal, a second electrode of the capacitor is connected to the second input terminal, wherein
• the booster unit is receptive of control signals at the gate electrodes of the respective switching elements so as to alternately repeat an operation of inputting a voltage below a predetermined value to the second input terminal while the switching element is on and an operation of inputting a voltage above the predetermined value while the switching element is off, and outputs from the output terminal a boosted voltage obtained by boosting further positively a positive voltage inputted from the first input terminal each time a voltage above the predetermined value is inputted to the second input terminal, and wherein
• the respective switching elements of the booster unit each comprise an N-channel type MOS transistor in which the first electrode is a drain electrode and the second electrode is a source electrode and having a substrate electrode connected to the GND terminal.

An electronic apparatus comprising:

• an electric load;
• a power supply for producing an output voltage;
• and a booster circuit for boosting the output voltage, the booster circuit including a booster unit comprising first and second input terminals, an output terminal, a GND terminal, a capacitor, a plurality of switching elements each comprising a MOS transistor having a gate electrode and a first and a second electrode, wherein
• the first input terminal is connected to the first electrode of the first switching element, the second electrode of the first switching element is connected to a first electrode of the capacitor and the output terminal, a second electrode of the capacitor is connected to the second input terminal, wherein
• the booster unit is respective of control signals at the gate electrodes of the respective switching elements so as to alternately repeat an operation of inputting a voltage below a predetermined value to the second input terminal while the switching element is on and an operation of inputting a voltage above the predetermined value while the switching element is off, and outputs from the output terminal a boosted voltage obtained by boosting further positively a positive voltage inputted from the first input terminal each time a voltage above the predetermined value is inputted to the second input terminal, and wherein
• the respective switching elements of the booster unit each comprise a P-channel type MOS transistor in which the first electrode is a drain electrode and the second electrode is a source electrode and having a substrate electrode connected to the source electrode.

An electronic apparatus comprising:

• an electric load;
• a power supply for producing an output voltage;
• and a booster circuit for boosting the output voltage, the booster circuit including a booster unit comprising an input terminal, an output terminal, a GND terminal, a capacitor, first through fourth switching elements each comprising a MOS transistor having a gate electrode and a first and a second electrode, wherein
• the input terminal is connected to the first electrode of the first switching element and the second electrode of the third switching element, the second electrode of the first switching element is connected to a second electrode of the capacitor and the second electrode of the second switching element, the first electrode of the second switching element is connected to the GND terminal, a first electrode of the capacitor is connected to the first electrode of the third switching element and the second electrode of the fourth switching element, and the first electrode of the fourth switching element is connected to an output terminal, wherein
• the booster unit is receptive of control signals at the gate electrodes of the respective switching elements so as to alternately repeat an operation of turning on the second switching element and the third switching element while the first and fourth switching elements are off and an operation of turning on the first switching element and the fourth switching element while the second and third switching elements are off, and outputs from the output terminal a boosted voltage obtained by boosting further negatively a negative voltage inputted from the input terminal, and wherein
• each of the first to fourth switching elements of the booster unit comprises a P-channel type MOS transistor in which the first electrode is a source electrode and the second electrode is a drain electrode and having a substrate electrode connected to the GND terminal.

An electronic apparatus comprising:

• an electric load;
• a power supply for producing an output voltage;
• and a booster circuit for boosting the output voltage, the booster circuit including a booster unit comprising an input terminal, an output terminal, a GND terminal, a capacitor, first through fourth switching elements each comprising a MOS transistor having a gate electrode and a first and a second electrode, wherein
• the input terminal is connected to the first electrode of the first switching element and the second electrode of the third switching element, the second electrode of the first switching element is connected to a second electrode of the capacitor and the second electrode of the second switching element, the first electrode of the second switching element is connected to the GND terminal, a first electrode of the capacitor is connected to the first electrode of the third switching element and the second electrode of the fourth switching element, the first electrode of the fourth switching element is connected to the output terminal, wherein
• the booster unit is receptive of control signals at the gate electrodes of the respective switching elements so as to alternately repeat an operation of turning on the second switching element and the third switching element while the first and fourth switching elements are off and an operation of turning on the first switching element and the fourth switching element while the second and third switching elements are off, and outputs from the output terminal a boosted voltage obtained by boosting further negatively a negative voltage inputted from the input terminal, and wherein
• each of the first to third switching elements of the booster unit comprises a P-channel type MOS transistor in which the first electrode is a source electrode and the second electrode is a drain electrode and having a substrate electrode connected to the GND terminal, and the fourth switching element of the booster unit comprises an N-channel type MOS transistor in which the first electrode is a source electrode and the second electrode is a drain electrode and having the substrate electrode connected to the source electrode.

An electronic apparatus comprising:

• an electrode load;
• a power supply for producing an output voltage;
• and a booster circuit for boosting the output voltage, the booster circuit including a booster unit comprising an input terminal, an output terminal, a GND terminal, a capacitor, first through fourth switching elements each comprising a MOS transistor having a gate electrode and a first and a second electrode, wherein
• the input terminal is connected to the first electrode of the first switching element and the second electrode of the third switching element, the second electrode of the first switching element is connected to a second electrode of the capacitor and the second electrode of the second switching element, the first electrode of the second switching element is connected to the GND terminal, a first electrode of the capacitor is connected to the first electrode of the third switching element and the second electrode of the fourth switching element, and the first electrode of the fourth switching element is connected to the output terminal, wherein
• the booster unit is receptive of control signals at the gate electrodes of the respective switching elements so as to alternately repeat an operation of turning on the second switching element and the third switching element while the first and fourth switching elements are off and an operation of turning on the first switching element and the fourth switching element while the second and third switching elements are off, and outputs from the output terminal a boosted voltage obtained by boosting further negatively a negative voltage inputted from the input terminal, and wherein
• each of the first, third, and fourth switching elements of the booster unit comprise an N-channel type MOS transistor in which the first electrode is a source electrode and the second electrode is a drain electrode and having a substrate electrode connected to the source electrode, and the second switching element of the booster unit comprises a P-channel type MOS transistor in which the first electrode is a source electrode and the second electrode is a drain electrode and having a substrate electrode connected to the GND terminal.

An electronic apparatus comprising:

• an electric load;
• a power supply for producing an output voltage;
• and a booster circuit for boosting the output voltage, the booster circuit including a booster unit comprising an input terminal, an output terminal, a GND terminal, a capacitor, first through fourth switching elements each comprising a MOS transistor having a gate electrode and a first and a second electrode, wherein
• the input terminal is connected to the first electrode of the first switching element, the second electrode of the first switching element is connected to a second electrode of the capacitor and the second electrode of the second switching element, the first electrode of the second switching element is connected to the GND terminal, a first electrode of the capacitor is connected to the first electrode of the third switching element and the second electrode of the fourth switching element, the first electrode of the fourth switching element is connected to the output terminal, wherein
• the booster unit is receptive of control signals at the gate electrodes of the respective switching elements so as to alternately repeat an operation of turning on the second switching element and the third switching element while the first switching element is off and an operation of turning on the first switching element while the second and third switching elements are off, and outputs from the output terminal a boosted voltage obtained by boosting further negatively a negative voltage inputted from the input terminal, and wherein
• each of the first to third switching elements of the booster unit comprises a P-channel type MOS transistor in which the first electrode is a source electrode and the second electrode is a drain electrode and having a substrate electrode connected to the GND terminal.

An electronic apparatus comprising:

• an electric load;
• a power supply for producing an output voltage;
• and a booster circuit for boosting the output voltage, the booster circuit including a booster unit comprising an input terminal, an output terminal, a GND terminal, a capacitor, first through fourth switching elements each comprising a MOS transistor having a gate electrode and a first and a second electrode, wherein
• the input terminal is connected to the first electrode of the first switching element, the second electrode of the first switching element is connected to a second electrode of the capacitor and the second electrode of the second switching element, the first electrode of the second switching element is connected to the GND terminal, a first electrode of the capacitor is connected to the first electrode of the third switching element and the second electrode of the fourth switching element, the first electrode of the fourth switching element is connected to the output terminal, wherein
• the booster unit is receptive of control signals at the gate electrodes of the respective switching elements so as to alternately repeat an operation of turning on the second switching element and the third switching element while the first switching element is off and an operation of turning on the first switching element while the second and third switching elements are off, and outputs from the output terminal a boosted voltage obtained by boosting further negatively a negative voltage inputted from the input terminal, and wherein
• the first switching element of the booster unit comprises an N-channel type MOS transistor in which the first electrode is a drain electrode and the second electrode is a source electrode and having a substrate electrode connected to said source electrode, and the second and third switching elements of said booster unit each comprise a P-channel type MOS transistor in which the first electrode is a source electrode and the second electrode is a drain electrode and having the substrate electrode connected to the GND terminal.

An electronic apparatus comprising:

• an electric load;
• a power supply for producing an output voltage;
• and a booster circuit for boosting the output voltage, the booster circuit including a booster unit comprising first and second input terminals, an output terminal, a GND terminal, a capacitor, a plurality of switching elements each comprising a MOS transistor having a gate electrode and a first and a second electrode, wherein
• the first input terminal is connected to the first electrode of a first switching element, the second electrode of the first switching element is connected to a first electrode of the capacitor and the output terminal, a second electrode of the capacitor is connected to the second input terminal, wherein
• the booster unit is receptive of control signals at the gate electrodes of the respective switching elements so as to alternately repeat an operation of inputting a voltage above a predetermined level to the second input terminal while the switching element is on and an operation of inputting a voltage below the predetermined level while the switching element is off, and outputs from the output terminal a boosted voltage obtained by boosting further negatively a negative voltage inputted from the first input terminal each time a voltage below the predetermined level is inputted to the second input terminal, and wherein
• the respective switching elements of the booster unit each comprise a P-channel type MOS transistor in which the first electrode is a source electrode and the second electrode is a drain electrode and having a substrate electrode connected to the GND terminal.

An electronic apparatus comprising:

• an electric load;
• a power supply for producing an output voltage;
• and a booster circuit for boosting the output voltage, the booster circuit including a booster unit comprising first and second input terminals, an output terminal, a GND terminal, a capacitor, a plurality of switching elements each comprising a MOS transistor having a gate electrode and a first and a second electrode, wherein
• the first input terminal is connected to the first electrode of a first switching element, the second electrode of the first switching element is connected to a first electrode of the capacitor and the output terminal, a second electrode of the capacitor is connected to the second input terminal, wherein
• the booster unit is receptive of control signals at the gate electrodes of the respective switching elements so as to alternately repeat an operation of inputting a voltage above a predetermined value to the second input terminal while the switching element is on and an operation of inputting a voltage below the predetermined value while the switching element is off, and outputs from the output terminal a boosted voltage obtained by boosting further negatively a negative voltage inputted from the first input terminal each time a voltage below the predetermined value is inputted to the second input terminal, and wherein
• the respective switching elements of the booster unit each comprise an N-channel type MOS transistor in which the first electrode is a drain electrode and the second electrode is a source electrode and having a substrate electrode connected to the source electrode.

A method of boosting an input voltage comprising the steps of:

• supplying an output voltage of a power supply to drive an oscillator;
• driving a booster circuit with a clock pulse which is generated by the oscillator in response to the output voltage of the power supply;
• and
• supplying a boosted output voltage of the booster circuit to the oscillator, so that the oscillator is initially driven by the output voltage of the power supply to start oscillation and is thereafter driven by the boosted output voltage, whereby the output voltage of the power supply need not be maintained at a level at least as great as a minimum operating voltage of the oscillator in order to maintain operation of a device driven by the boosted voltage.