Apparatus and methods for multi-mode charge pumps

• US 10,483,843 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2017
• Issued: 11/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Crandall, Jonathan Christian, Fisher, Robert Michael, Mayberry, Curtis Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Talukder, MD K
• Application Number:
  US15/646,411
• Publication Number:
  US 20170310213A1
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/07 using capacitors charged and discharged alternately by semiconductor devices with control electrode , e.g. charge pumps

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for multi-mode charge pumps are disclosed herein. In certain configurations, a multi-mode charge pump includes an output terminal, a mode control circuit that operates the multi-mode charge pump in a selected mode, a first switched capacitor, a capacitor charging circuit, and a plurality of switches. The capacitor charging circuit connects a first end of the first switched capacitor to a charging voltage in a first phase of a clock signal, and connects the first end of the first switched capacitor to a reference voltage in a second phase of the clock signal. The charging voltage has a voltage level that changes based on the selected mode. The plurality of switches connect a second end of the first switched capacitor to the reference voltage in the first phase, and connect the second end of the first switched capacitor to the output terminal in the second phase.

Claims

1. A multi-mode charge pump comprising:

a charge pump output terminal configured to provide a charge pump output voltage that is less than a reference voltage;

a mode control circuit configured to operate the multi-mode charge pump in a selected mode chosen from a plurality of modes including a first mode and a second mode;

a first switched capacitor;

a charge pump filter electrically connected to the charge pump output terminal and having a filter resistance that changes based on the selected mode;

a capacitor charging circuit configured to connect a first end of the first switched capacitor to a charging voltage in a first phase of a clock signal, and to connect the first end of the first switched capacitor to the reference voltage in a second phase of the clock signal, the capacitor charging circuit including a plurality of supply selection switches configured to control the charging voltage with a first supply voltage in the first mode and with a second supply voltage in the second mode; and

a plurality of switches configured to connect a second end of the first switched capacitor to the reference voltage in the first phase, and to connect the second end of the first switched capacitor to the charge pump output terminal in the second phase.

2. The multi-mode charge pump of claim 1 wherein the charge pump filter includes a capacitor electrically connected between the charge pump output terminal and the reference voltage.

3. The multi-mode charge pump of claim 2 wherein an amount of filtering provided by the charge pump filter changes based on the selected mode.

4. The multi-mode charge pump of claim 1 wherein the charge pump filter includes a resistor and a bypass switch in parallel with the resistor and operable to bypass the resistor in the first mode.

5. The multi-mode charge pump of claim 1 further comprising a second switched capacitor, the capacitor charging circuit further configured to connect a first end of the second switched capacitor to the reference voltage in the first phase, and to connect the first end of the second switched capacitor to the charging voltage in the second phase.

6. The multi-mode charge pump of claim 5 wherein the plurality of switches are further configured to connect a second end of the second switched capacitor to the charge pump output terminal in the first phase, and to connect the second end of the second switched capacitor to the reference voltage in the second phase.

7. The multi-mode charge pump of claim 1 further comprising a clock generation circuit configured to change an oscillation frequency of the clock signal based on the selected mode.

8. The multi-mode charge pump of claim 1 wherein the plurality of modes includes at least three modes.

9. The multi-mode charge pump of claim 1 wherein the plurality of modes control a trade-off between a settling time of the charge pump output voltage and an amount of ripple of the charge pump output voltage.

10. A packaged module comprising:

a package substrate; and

a die attached to the package substrate and including a multi-mode charge pump configured to generate a charge pump output voltage at a charge pump output terminal, the charge pump output voltage less than a reference voltage, the multi-mode charge pump including a mode control circuit configured to operate the multi-mode charge pump in a selected mode chosen from a plurality of modes including a first mode and a second mode, a first switched capacitor, a charge pump filter electrically connected to the charge pump output terminal and having a filter resistance that changes based on the selected mode, and a capacitor charging circuit configured to connect a first end of the first switched capacitor to a charging voltage in a first phase of a clock signal, and to connect the first end of the first switched capacitor to the reference voltage in a second phase of the clock signal, the capacitor charging circuit including a plurality of supply selection switches configured to control the charging voltage with a first supply voltage in the first mode and with a second supply voltage in the second mode, the multi-mode charge pump further including a plurality of switches configured to connect a second end of the first switched capacitor to the reference voltage in the first phase, and to connect the second end of the first switched capacitor to the charge pump output terminal in the second phase.

11. The packaged module of claim 10 wherein the charge pump filter includes a capacitor electrically connected between the output voltage terminal and the reference voltage.

12. The packaged module of claim 11 wherein an amount of filtering provided by the charge pump filter changes based on the selected mode.

13. The packaged module of claim 10 wherein the multi-mode charge pump further includes a second switched capacitor, the capacitor charging circuit further configured to connect a first end of the second switched capacitor to the reference voltage in the first phase, and to connect the first end of the second switched capacitor to the charging voltage in the second phase.

14. The packaged module of claim 13 wherein the plurality of switches are further configured to connect a second end of the second switched capacitor to the charge pump output terminal in the first phase, and to connect the second end of the second switched capacitor to the reference voltage in the second phase.

15. The packaged module of claim 10 wherein the multi-mode charge pump further includes a clock generation circuit configured to change an oscillation frequency of the clock signal based on the selected mode.

16. A wireless device comprising:

an n-type transistor switch;

a switch controller configured to bias a gate of the n-type transistor switch with a charge pump output voltage when the n-type transistor switch operates in an off state, the charge pump output voltage less than a reference voltage; and

a multi-mode charge pump configured to generate the charge pump output voltage at a charge pump output terminal, the multi-mode charge pump including a mode control circuit configured to operate the multi-mode charge pump in a selected mode chosen from a plurality of modes including a first mode and a second mode, a first switched capacitor, a charge pump filter electrically connected to the charge pump output terminal and having a filter resistance that changes based on the selected mode, and a capacitor charging circuit configured to connect a first end of the first switched capacitor to a charging voltage in a first phase of a clock signal, and to connect the first end of the first switched capacitor to the reference voltage in a second phase of the clock signal, the capacitor charging circuit including a plurality of supply selection switches configured to control the charging voltage with a first supply voltage in the first mode and with a second supply voltage in the second mode, the multi-mode charge pump further including a plurality of switches configured to connect a second end of the first switched capacitor to the reference voltage in the first phase, and to connect the second end of the first switched capacitor to the charge pump output terminal in the second phase.

17. The wireless device of claim 16 wherein an amount of filtering of the charge pump filter changes based on the selected mode.

18. The wireless device of claim 16 wherein the multi-mode charge pump further includes a second switched capacitor, the capacitor charging circuit further configured to connect a first end of the second switched capacitor to the reference voltage in the first phase, and to connect the first end of the second switched capacitor to the charging voltage in the second phase.

19. The wireless device of claim 18 wherein the plurality of switches are further configured to connect a second end of the second switched capacitor to the charge pump output terminal in the first phase, and to connect the second end of the second switched capacitor to the reference voltage in the second phase.

20. The wireless device of claim 16 wherein the multi-mode charge pump further includes a clock generation circuit configured to change an oscillation frequency of the clock signal based on the selected mode.