Back to results
US 7,023,259 B1Granted
High voltage switch with no latch-up hazards
AssigneeCypress Semiconductor Corporation
InventorsPhilip M. Daniell, Grahame K. Reynolds
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention discloses a method and system of generating and delivering a high voltage signal without latch-up hazards and without incurring a voltage drop due to the threshold of the switching element. The utilization of NMOS elements when switching a high voltage signal may remove latch-up hazards. Switching of the high voltage signal may be accomplished without incurring a voltage drop in the signal. With multiple transistors, switching of a high voltage signal in accordance with the present invention may provide an output driven to a destination circuit on each phase wherein clock cycles may be overlapping and non-overlapping.
Claims13
A high voltage delivery system, comprising:
- a high voltage charge pump having outputs, the high voltage charge pump configured to be directly connected to a voltage supply having a first voltage level, the charge pump configured to produce a high voltage signal having a second voltage level that is greater than the first voltage level;
- and
- a high-voltage switch circuit configured to deliver the high voltage signal to a destination circuit, the hi-voltage switch circuit including NMOS transistors having sources, drains and gates, the sources directly connected to each other, the drains directly connected to the voltage supply, and each of the gates directly connected to one of the outputs of the high voltage charge pump, the high-voltage switch capable receiver circuit, the delivery circuit capable of providing a continuous output to said destination circuit unaffected by latch-up hazards.
A high voltage delivery system, comprising:
- a voltage supply;
- means for pumping electric charges alternately between a first side and a second side of a stage pair from the voltage supply to generate a high voltage signal, the stage pair having a first side and a second side;
- and
- means for delivering said high voltage signal to a destination circuit, the delivery means including at least two NMOS transistors, each of the at least two NMOS transistors having a gate that is directly coupled to one of the first or second sides of the stage pair, the delivery means capable of providing a continuous output unaffected by latch-up hazards and capable of providing the high voltage signal to the destination circuit.
1 more element
A circuit, comprising:
- a charge pump circuit, including
- a voltage supply providing an input voltage;
- at least one pair of transistors forming a stage pair, each of said at least one pair of transistors connected to said voltage supply, a gate of each of said at least one pair of transistors being coupled to an opposite side of said stage pair;
- at least two capacitors;
- each of said at least two capacitors being coupled to a side of said stage pair;
- and
- at least two pump stage clocks capable of creating a multiple phase cycle for charging and discharging of each of said at least two capacitors, each of said at least two pump stage clocks being coupled to said each of said at least two capacitors;
- and
- a high voltage delivery circuit including
- a first delivery transistor, said first delivery transistor being connected to a first side of said stage pair and said voltage supply, and
- a second delivery transistor, said second delivery transistor being connected to a second side of said stage pair and said voltage supply, wherein said charge pump circuit is capable of increasing said input voltage from said voltage supply to a higher voltage signal, said high voltage delivery circuit being suitable for applying said higher voltage signal to a destination circuit, said high voltage delivery circuit being unaffected by latch-up hazards and being capable of providing a continuous output.
8 more elements
A voltage delivery system comprising:
- a charge pump circuit having outputs, the charge pump circuit structured to be connected to a voltage source having a first voltage level, the charge pump circuit structured to produce a voltage signal having a second voltage level that is greater than the first voltage level;
- a first NMOS transistor that is directly connected to the voltage source and an output of the charge pump circuit;
- and
- a second NMOS transistor that is directly connected to the voltage source and another output of the charge pump circuit, the second NMOS transistor also directly connected to the first NMOS transistor, the first NMOS transistor and the second NMOS transistor are configured to provide a continuous output to a destination circuit that is unaffected by latch-up hazards.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.