Driving switches in a dual-phase series-parallel switched-capacitor circuit
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising a circuit and a controller for operating said circuit, wherein said circuit is a dual-phase series-parallel switched capacitor circuit configured to be connected between a source and a load, wherein said circuit comprises first and second charge-transfer paths, gate drivers along said first charge-transfer path, first and second sets of capacitors and first and second sets of transistors, wherein said first set of capacitors and said first set of transistors define a first phase, wherein said second set of capacitors and said second set of transistors define a second phase, wherein a set of capacitors powers said gate drivers, wherein said set of capacitors comprises capacitors that are connected in series on one of said first charge-transfer path and said second charge-transfer path, wherein said controller causes said circuit to transition between first and second states at a specific frequency, wherein in said first state, said first set of capacitors is in parallel with said load and said second set of capacitors is in series in between said source and said load, and wherein, in said second state, said second set of capacitors is in parallel with said load and said first set of capacitors is in series in between said source and said load, whereby said gate drivers derive power from capacitors in both phases.
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Abstract
An apparatus for converting voltage includes terminals coupled to external circuits at corresponding voltages and a switching network having driving circuits and semiconductor switches that interconnect capacitors in successive states to one another and to the terminals. The switches interconnect some capacitors to one another through a series of switches when an activation pattern causes them to be activated. Each driving circuit has power connections, a control input, and a drive output coupled to and controlling at least one switch. A drive output of one of them couples to and drives each switch. Some of the driving circuits are powered via corresponding power connections from at least one of the capacitors such that a voltage across the corresponding power connections is less than a highest of the corresponding voltages. The terminals and the switching network are constituents of a switched capacitor converter.
88 Citations
19 Claims
- 1. An apparatus comprising a circuit and a controller for operating said circuit, wherein said circuit is a dual-phase series-parallel switched capacitor circuit configured to be connected between a source and a load, wherein said circuit comprises first and second charge-transfer paths, gate drivers along said first charge-transfer path, first and second sets of capacitors and first and second sets of transistors, wherein said first set of capacitors and said first set of transistors define a first phase, wherein said second set of capacitors and said second set of transistors define a second phase, wherein a set of capacitors powers said gate drivers, wherein said set of capacitors comprises capacitors that are connected in series on one of said first charge-transfer path and said second charge-transfer path, wherein said controller causes said circuit to transition between first and second states at a specific frequency, wherein in said first state, said first set of capacitors is in parallel with said load and said second set of capacitors is in series in between said source and said load, and wherein, in said second state, said second set of capacitors is in parallel with said load and said first set of capacitors is in series in between said source and said load, whereby said gate drivers derive power from capacitors in both phases.
- 15. An apparatus comprising a circuit and a controller for operating said circuit, wherein said circuit is a dual-phase series-parallel switched capacitor circuit configured to be connected between a source and a load, wherein said circuit comprises gate drivers, first and second sets of capacitors, and first and second sets of transistors, wherein said capacitors from first set of capacitors and transistors from said first set of transistors defines a first phase, wherein capacitors from said second set of capacitors and transistors from said second set of transistors defines a second phase, wherein a capacitor set powers said gate drivers, wherein said capacitor set is from one of said first and second sets of capacitors, wherein said controller causes said circuit to transition between first and second states at a specific frequency, wherein in said first state, said capacitors from said first set of capacitors is are in parallel with said a load and said capacitors from said second set of capacitors are in series between said source and said load, and wherein, in said second state, said capacitors from said second set of capacitors are in parallel with said load and said capacitors from said first set of capacitors are in series between said source and said load, and wherein said gate drivers derive power from capacitors in said capacitor set in both phases.
Specification
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- Resources
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Current AssigneepSemi Corporation (Murata Manufacturing Co Limited)
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Original AssigneepSemi Corporation (Murata Manufacturing Co Limited)
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InventorsGiuliano, David, Szczeszynski, Gregory, Barrett, Jr., Raymond
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Primary Examiner(s)Zhang, Jue
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Assistant Examiner(s)Jackson, Lakaisha
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Application NumberUS15/813,505Publication NumberTime in Patent Office517 DaysField of SearchUS Class CurrentCPC Class CodesH02M 1/088 for the simultaneous contro...H02M 3/07 using capacitors charged an...H02M 3/073 Charge pumps of the Schenke...
