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US 6,927,441 B2Granted
Variable stage charge pump
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorsDomenico Pappalardo, Maurizio Gaibotti, Gaetano Palumbo, Antonino Conte, Stefano Lo Giudice
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A variable charge pump contains several individual simple charge pumps, each with a pumping capacitor and a switching mechanism. Additionally, a switching network is coupled to the individual charge pumps so that the different lines in the charge pump can be connected together in a serial mode or parallel mode (or mixed serial and parallel modes) to match the needs of the output load. The switching network is easily changed to provide the necessary driving capability as the needs of the output load changes.
Claims39
A charge pump capable of having multiple stages, comprising:
- at least two pumping stages, each stage including:
- an input terminal for accepting an input voltage,
- an output terminal for delivering an output voltage, the output voltage different than the input voltage,
- a first pumping capacitor having a first terminal coupled between the input and output terminals and having a second terminal structured to accept a first phase signal, and
- a second pumping capacitor having a first terminal coupled between the input and output terminals and having a second terminal structured to accept a second phase signal, and
- a first switch coupled between the input terminal and the output terminal and structured to disrupt a connection between the input and output terminals when activated by a switching signal;
- a second switch coupled between the input terminal and the output terminal and structured to disrupt a connection between the input and output terminals when activated by a switching signal;
- a third switch coupled between the first terminals of the respective first and second pumping capacitors and structured to disrupt a connection between the first terminals of the capacitors when activated by a switching signal;
- and
- a pair of additional switches configured to separately couple the first and second pumping capacitors to the input and output lines such that for any pumping operation either one of the first and second pumping capacitors may selectively not be used;
- the charge pump further including:
- a switching network structured to couple the pumping stages either in a serial mode or a parallel mode depending on a state of the switching network.
9 more elements
A variable stage charge pump, comprising:
- a plurality of units, each unit including:
- an input terminal and an output terminal;
- a first switch coupled between the input terminal and a first terminal of a first capacitor, a second terminal of the first capacitor for receiving a pumping signal;
- a second switch coupled between the input terminal and a first terminal of a second capacitor, a second terminal of the second capacitor for receiving a second pumping signal;
- a third switch coupled between the first terminals of the first and the second capacitors;
- a fourth switch coupled between the first terminal of the first capacitor and the output terminal;
- and
- a fifth switch coupled between the first terminal of the second capacitor and the output terminal;
- a plurality of phase selecting switches coupled to one of the capacitors in one of the units and structured to be coupled to one of the capacitors in another unit.
6 more elements
A charge pump capable of having multiple stages, comprising:
- at least two pumping stages, each stage including:
- an input terminal for accepting an input voltage,
- an output terminal for delivering an output voltage, the output voltage different than the input voltage,
- a pumping capacitor having a first terminal coupled between the input and output terminals and having a second terminal structured to accept a phase signal, and
- a switched diode coupled between the input terminal and the output terminal and structured to disrupt a connection between the terminals when activated by a switching signal;
- the charge pump further including:
- a switching network coupled between the pumping stages and structured to couple the pumping lines either in a serial mode or a parallel mode depending on a state of the switching network, the switching network comprising:
- a first transistor coupled between the pumping stages;
- a second and a third transistor coupled between one of the pumping stages and a first terminal of an auxiliary capacitor;
- and
- a fourth transistor coupled between the first terminal of the auxiliary capacitor and a reference voltage.
8 more elements
A method of connecting a set of pumping stages that include charge capacitors utilizing a plurality of switches forming a switching network, the method comprising:
- accepting a voltage input signal at an input terminal;
- applying a series of phase signals to the charge capacitors and applying phase signals to the switching network to separately couple any one of the charge capacitors to the input terminal and an output terminal such that for any pumping operation any combination of the charge capacitors may selectively not be used to produce an output voltage at the output terminal, the output voltage different than the input voltage;
- and
- applying signals to the switching network coupled to the pumping stages, the signals for controlling whether the pumping stages should operate in a parallel or serial fashion.
1 more element
A charge pump capable of having multiple stages, comprising:
- at least two pumping lines, each line including:
- an input terminal for accepting an input voltage,
- an output terminal for delivering an output voltage, the output voltage different than the input voltage,
- a pumping capacitor having a first terminal coupled between the input and output terminals and having a second terminal structured to accept a phase signal, and
- a switch coupled between the input terminal and the output terminal and structured to disrupt a connection between the terminals when activated by a switching signal;
- the charge pump further comprising:
- a switching network structured to couple the pumping lines either in a serial mode or a parallel mode depending on the state of the switching network;
- a control circuit including an optimal stages finder coupled to the switching network;
- and
- a phase assigner coupled to the optimal stages finder, and comprising a plurality of multiplexing circuits structured to provide configurable phases to adjacent pumping capacitors.
7 more elements
A charge pump capable of having multiple stages, comprising:
- at least two pumping lines, each line including:
- an input terminal for accepting an input voltage,
- an output terminal for delivering an output voltage, the output voltage different than the input voltage,
- a pumping capacitor having a first terminal coupled between the input and output terminals and having a second terminal structured to accept a phase signal, and
- a switched diode coupled between the input terminal and the output terminal and structured to disrupt a connection between the terminals when activated by a switching signal, the switched diode comprising:
- an input terminal and an output terminal;
- a first transistor coupled between the input terminal an output terminal;
- a second transistor coupled between the input terminal and a first node and a first capacitor;
- a third transistor coupled between the input terminal and a first node of a second capacitor;
- a fourth transistor coupled between a control gate of the first transistor and a reference voltage;
- and
- a fifth transistor coupled between the first node of the second transistor and the reference voltage;
- the charge pump further including:
- a switching network coupled between the pumping lines and structured to couple the pumping lines either in a serial mode or a parallel mode depending on a state of the switching network.
11 more elements
A charge pump capable of having multiple stages, comprising:
- at least two pumping lines, each line including:
- an input terminal for accepting an input voltage,
- an output terminal for delivering an output voltage, the output voltage different than the input voltage,
- a first pumping capacitor having a first terminal coupled between the input and output terminals and having a second terminal structured to accept a first phase signal, and
- a second pumping capacitor having a first terminal coupled between the input and output terminals and having a second terminal structured to accept a second phase signal, the first and second phase signals being identical to each other, and
- a first switch coupled between the input terminal and the output terminal and structured to disrupt a connection between the input and output terminals when activated by a switching signal;
- a second switch coupled between the input terminal and the output terminal and structured to disrupt a connection between the input and output terminals when activated by a switching signal;
- a third switch coupled between the first terminals of the respective first and second pumping capacitors and structured to disrupt a connection between the first terminals of the capacitors when activated by a switching signal;
- the charge pump further including:
- a switching network structured to couple the pumping lines either in a serial mode or a parallel mode depending on a state of the switching network.
7 more elements
A charge pump capable of having multiple stages, comprising:
- at least two pumping lines, each line including;
- an input terminal for accepting an input voltage,
- an output terminal for delivering an output voltage, the output voltage different than the input voltage,
- a first pumping capacitor having a first terminal coupled between the input and output terminals and having a second terminal structured to accept a first phase signal, and
- a second pumping capacitor having a first terminal coupled between the input and output terminals and having a second terminal structured to accept a second phase signal, wherein the relationship between the first phase signal and the second phase signal is controllable by software code to achieve a desired output response from the charge pump, and
- a first switch coupled between the input terminal and the output terminal and structured to disrupt a connection between the input and output terminals when activated by a switching signal;
- a second switch coupled between the input terminal and the output terminal and structured to disrupt a connection between the input and output terminals when activated by a switching signal;
- a third switch coupled between the first terminals of the respective first and second pumping capacitors and structured to disrupt a connection between e first terminals of the capacitors when activated by a switching signal;
- the charge pump further including:
- a switching network structured to couple the pumping lines either in a serial mode or a parallel mode depending on a state of the switching network.
7 more elements
A charge pump, comprising:
- at least two pumping stages, each pumping stage comprising at least two charge capacitors;
- and
- a switching network configured to separately couple and uncouple the at least two charge capacitors to input and output lines such that for any pumping operation , any combination of the at least two charge capacitors may not be used, and the switching network further configured to couple the at least two pump stages in a serial or parallel arrangement.
A circuit, comprising:
- at least two pumping lines formed of at least two capacitors each;
- and
- a plurality of switches configured to couple and uncouple each of the at least two capacitors individually to input and output lines to provide configurable phases between each of the at least two capacitors, and the plurality of switches further configured to configure the at least two pumping lines in serial or parallel arrangements.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.