Efficient charge pump apparatus
First Claim
1. A charge pump, comprising:
- a charge pump input capable of receiving a high frequency signal;
a plurality of stages parallel connected to said charge pump input, each stage having a first capacitor connected between said charge pump input and a central node, a first diode having an anode coupled said central node and a cathode coupled to a second node, a second diode having an anode coupled to said second node in a prior stage and a cathode coupled to said central node, a second capacitor connected between said second node and ground, a third diode having an anode connected to said central node and a cathode coupled to ground; and
a charge pump output coupled to said second node in a last stage of said plurality of stages.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A charge pump is configured to convert a high frequency signal to a substantially direct current (DC) voltage. The charge pump includes an input capable of receiving the high frequency signal, and a plurality of stages parallel connected to the charge pump input. Charge from the high frequency signal is accumulated in the plurality of stages during a first half cycle of the high frequency signal, and is passed from a nth stage of the plurality of stages to a (n+1)th stage of the plurality of stages during a second half cycle of said high frequency signal, the (n+1)th stage being closer to the charge pump output than the nth stage. The accumulated charge increases as it moves through the plurality of stages to the charge pump output to produce a DC output voltage that is sufficiently stable to be utilized as a power supply. In embodiments of the invention, the charge pump is configured on a radio frequency (RF) identification (ID) tag, and the DC voltage provides the power supply for the RF ID tag. The DC output voltage is regulated by removing charge from the stages if a threshold voltage is exceeded, which has the effect of reducing the efficiency of the charge pump. In embodiments of the invention, the charge pump is implemented using one or more MOSFET diodes. The MOSFET diodes can be configured to have a dynamically adjustable threshold voltage, thereby facilitating operation of the charge pump in a low power environment.
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Citations
58 Claims
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1. A charge pump, comprising:
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a charge pump input capable of receiving a high frequency signal;
a plurality of stages parallel connected to said charge pump input, each stage having a first capacitor connected between said charge pump input and a central node, a first diode having an anode coupled said central node and a cathode coupled to a second node, a second diode having an anode coupled to said second node in a prior stage and a cathode coupled to said central node, a second capacitor connected between said second node and ground, a third diode having an anode connected to said central node and a cathode coupled to ground; and
a charge pump output coupled to said second node in a last stage of said plurality of stages. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 51, 52, 53, 58)
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30. A charge pump, comprising:
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a charge pump input capable of receiving a high frequency signal;
a plurality of stages parallel connected to said charge pump input, each stage including, a first capacitor coupled between said charge pump input and a central node, a first MOSFET diode connected between said central node and a second node, a gate and a drain of said first MOSFET diode coupled to said central node, and a source of said second MOSFET diode coupled to said second node, a second MOSFET diode connected between said second node of a prior adjacent stage and said central node, a drain of said second MOSFET diode coupled to said second node of a prior adjacent stage, and a source of said second MOSFET diode coupled to said central node, a second capacitor coupled between said second node and ground, a MOSFET device having a drain connected to said central node and source connected to ground; and
a charge pump output coupled to said second node in a last stage of said plurality of stages. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 54, 55)
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56. A chare pump, comprising:
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a charge pump input capable of receiving a high frequency signal;
a first stage, including a first capacitor connected between said charge pump input and a central node of said first stage, a first diode having an anode coupled said central node and a cathode coupled to a second node, a second diode having an anode coupled to ground and a cathode coupled to said central node, a second capacitor connected between said second node and ground, a third diode having an anode connected to said central node and a cathode coupled to ground;
a second stage, including a third capacitor connected between said charge pump input and a central node of said second stage, a fourth diode having an anode coupled said central node of said second stage and a cathode coupled to a second node of said second stage, a fifth diode having an anode coupled to said second node of said first stage and a cathode coupled to said central node of said second stage, a fourth capacitor connected between said second node of said second stage and ground, a sixth diode having an anode connected to said central node of said second stage and a cathode coupled to ground; and
a charge pump output coupled to said second node of said second stage. - View Dependent Claims (57)
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Specification