Negative charge pump architecture with self-generated boosted phases
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorsDavide Torrisi, Ignazio Martines
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A negative charge pump circuit includes a cascade connection of a plurality of charge pump stages, each stage including at least a charge capacitance and a pass transistor driven by a corresponding phase signal. An input stage may be coupled to an input reference potential. An output stage may include an output terminal for generating a first pumped voltage. In addition, the charge pump circuit may further include a second output stage connected downstream to the input stage and including a second output terminal for generating a second pumped potential. The architecture may also be implemented in positive charge pump circuits.
Claims24
A negative charge pump circuit comprising:
- a plurality of stages cascade connected to one another and comprising a first input stage, a first output stage, and at least one other stage connected therebetween, the first input stage connected to an input reference voltage, the first output stage including a first terminal on which a first pumped voltage is generated compared to the input reference voltage;
- each stage including at least one pass transistor driven by a corresponding phase signal, a capacitance connected to said at least one pass transistor, and a decoupling capacitor connected to a control terminal of the pass transistor and receiving the phase signal;
- a second output stage connected downstream from said first input stage and including a second terminal on which is generated a second pumped voltage;
- and
- first and second inverters, connected to the second terminal for generating phase signals for the pass transistors of said plurality of stages.
A charge pump circuit comprising:
- a plurality of stages cascade connected to one another and comprising a first input stage, a first output stage, and at least one other stage connected therebetween, the first input stage connected to an input reference voltage, the first output stage including a first terminal on which a first pumped voltage is generated;
- each stage including at least one pass transistor driven by a corresponding phase signal, and a capacitance connected to said at least one pass transistor;
- an additional capacitance connected in parallel with the capacitance of the first input stage;
- a second output stage connected downstream from said first input stage and including a second terminal on which is generated a second pumped voltage;
- and
- first and second inverters, connected to the second terminal, for generating phase signals for the pass transistors of said plurality of stages.
A charge pump circuit comprising:
- a plurality of stages cascade connected to one another and comprising a first input stage, a first output stage, and at least one other stage connected therebetween, the first input stage connected to an input reference voltage, the first output stage including a first terminal on which a first pumped voltage is generated;
- each stage including at least one pass transistor driven by a corresponding phase signal, and a capacitance connected to said at least one pass transistor;
- a second output stage connected downstream from said first input stage and including a second terminal on which is generated a second pumped voltage;
- and
- first and second inverters, connected to the second terminal, for generating phase signals for the pass transistors of said plurality of stages.
A method for providing at least one pumped voltage from a charge pump circuit comprising a plurality of stages cascade connected to one another and comprising a first input stage, a first output stage, and at least one other stage connected therebetween, each stage including at least one pass transistor driven by a corresponding phase signal and a capacitance connected to the at least one pass transistor, the method comprising:
- supplying an input reference voltage to the first input stage and generating a first pumped voltage from the first output stage;
- coupling a second output stage downstream from the first input stage for generating a second pumped voltage;
- and
- generating phase signals for the pass transistors using first and second inverters connected to the second pumped voltage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.