POWER SUPPLY SWITCHING CIRCUIT

• US 20090167410A1
• Filed: 12/23/2008
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ablic Inc. (Minebea Mitsumi, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Uehara, Osamu, Wake, Hiroki, Masuko, Hiroyuki, Utsunomiya, Fumiyasu, Tsuzaki, Toshiyuki, Deguchi, Michiyasu, Yoshikawa, Kiyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,800,433 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 327/427
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/693 Switching arrangements with several input- or output-terminals, e.g. multiplexers, distributors logic circuits H03K19/00; code converters H03M5/00, H03M7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/017545 Coupling arrangements; Impedance matching circuits

Abstract

Provided is a power supply switching circuit capable of efficiently supplying a desired voltage among a plurality of voltages to a load. In the case of a P-type semiconductor substrate, N-type MOS transistors are provided between a load and an AC adapter and between the load and a battery, and hence no parasitic diode exists between the load and the AC adapter or the battery, resulting in no current path due to the parasitic diode. Thus, when the AC adapter and the battery are connected to the power supply switching circuit, the N-type MOS transistor is turned off, whereby the current path between the battery and the load is cut off completely and the N-type MOS transistor is turned on. Accordingly, the battery cannot supply a voltage to the load while only the AC adapter can supply a voltage to the load.

Claims

1. A power supply switching circuit, comprising:

a first power source terminal to which a first power supply is connected;

a second power source terminal to which a second power supply is connected;

a first MOS transistor of a second conductive type which is formed on a semiconductor substrate of a first conductive type, and includes a drain connected to the first power source terminal and a source connected to a load terminal;

a second MOS transistor of the second conductive type which is formed on the semiconductor substrate of the first conductive type, and includes a drain connected to the second power source terminal and a source connected to the load terminal;

a first power supply detection circuit for detecting that the first power supply is connected to the first power source terminal, and delivering a detection signal;

a control circuit for delivering, upon receiving the detection signal, a control signal to a gate of the first MOS transistor and a gate of the second MOS transistor;

a step-up circuit for stepping up one of a voltage of the first power supply and a voltage of the second power supply, to deliver a stepped-up voltage;

a first level shifter which is disposed between the control circuit and the gate of the first MOS transistor and performs a level shift operation on the control signal to the stepped-up voltage; and

a second level shifter which is disposed between the control circuit and the gate of the second MOS transistor and performs a level shift operation on the control signal to the stepped-up voltage.

2. A power supply switching circuit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first rectifier element including an anode connected to the first power source terminal and a cathode connected to an input terminal of the step-up circuit; and

a second rectifier element including an anode connected to the second power source terminal and a cathode connected to the input terminal of the step-up circuit,

wherein the step-up circuit steps up higher one of the voltage of the first power supply and the voltage of the second power supply.

3. A power supply switching circuit according to claim 1, further comprising a comparator for comparing a voltage of the second power source terminal with a voltage of the load terminal,

wherein the comparator detects that the voltage of the load terminal becomes lower than the voltage of the second power source terminal and delivers a signal for turning on the second MOS transistor to the control circuit.

4. A power supply switching circuit according to claim 1, further comprising a pull-down circuit for pulling down the first power source terminal.