CHARGE PUMP CIRCUIT

• US 20090184753A1
• Filed: 01/15/2009
• Published: 07/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Utsunomiya, Fumiyasu, Kawashima, Nan
• Application Number:
  US12/354,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20090184753A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 327/536
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0045 Converters combining the concepts of switch-mode regulation and linear regulation, e.g. linear pre-regulator to switching converter, linear and switching converter in parallel, same converter or same transistor operating either in linear or switching mode
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/32 Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/073 Charge pumps of the Schenkel-type

Abstract

Provided is a charge pump circuit capable of shortening a settling time. When a boosted voltage (Vout) becomes high to be equal to or larger than an overshoot voltage, a transistor (T1) is turned on and an output terminal of the charge pump circuit is discharged. Accordingly, it is easy to reduce the boosted voltage (Vout) after an occurrence of an overshoot, and a period of time in which the boosted voltage (Vout) decreases from a voltage after the occurrence of the overshoot to a desired voltage is shortened, leading to a reduction in a settling time.

Claims

1. A charge pump circuit, comprising:

a booster circuit;

a voltage detection circuit;

an oscillator circuit; and

a discharge circuit,

the booster circuit performing a boosting operation based on a pumping pulse output from the oscillator circuit and outputting a boosted voltage,

the voltage detection circuit operating so that the boosted voltage becomes a desired voltage by controlling the oscillator circuit to operate when the boosted voltage is smaller than the desired voltage and controlling the oscillator circuit to stop operating when the boosted voltage is equal to or larger than the desired voltage,

the oscillator circuit outputting the pumping pulse so that the booster circuit performs the boosting operation when operating, and not outputting the pumping pulse when stopping operating,

the discharge circuit not discharging an output terminal of the charge pump circuit when the boosted voltage is smaller than an overshoot voltage, and discharging the output terminal of the charge pump circuit when the boosted voltage is equal to or larger than the overshoot voltage.

2. A charge pump circuit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a clock driver circuit which is provided between an output terminal of the oscillator circuit and an input terminal of the booster circuit and includes a buffer, for driving the pumping pulse; and

a limiter circuit connected to the clock driver circuit for limiting a peak value of the pumping pulse output from the clock driver circuit after being driven to a predetermined value.

3. A charge pump circuit according to claim 1, wherein:

the voltage detection circuit includes;

a first voltage divider circuit for dividing the boosted voltage and outputting a first divided voltage;

a first reference voltage circuit for outputting a first reference voltage; and

a first comparison circuit for comparing the first divided voltage with the first reference voltage to operate so that the first divided voltage matches the first reference voltage and the boosted voltage becomes the desired voltage by controlling the oscillator circuit to operate when the first divided voltage is smaller than the first reference voltage and the boosted voltage is smaller than the desired voltage and controlling the oscillator circuit to stop operating when the first divided voltage is equal to or larger than the first reference voltage and the boosted voltage is equal to or larger than the desired voltage; and

the discharge circuit includes;

a transistor;

a second voltage divider circuit for dividing the boosted voltage and outputting a second divided voltage;

a second reference voltage circuit for outputting a second reference voltage; and

a second comparison circuit for comparing the second divided voltage with the second reference voltage, controlling the transistor to be turned off when the second divided voltage is smaller than the second reference voltage and the boosted voltage is smaller than the overshoot voltage, and controlling the transistor to be turned on when the second divided voltage is equal to or larger than the second reference voltage and the boosted voltage is equal to or larger than the overshoot voltage.

4. A charge pump circuit according to claim 3, further comprising a capacitor provided between the output terminal of the charge pump circuit and an output terminal of the first voltage divider circuit.

5. A charge pump circuit according to claim 3, further comprising a capacitor provided between an output terminal of the second voltage divider circuit and a ground terminal.

6. A charge pump circuit according to claim 1, wherein:

the voltage detection circuit includes;

a voltage divider circuit for dividing the boosted voltage and outputting a first divided voltage and a second divided voltage;

a first reference voltage circuit for outputting a first reference voltage; and

a first comparison circuit for comparing the first divided voltage with the first reference voltage to operate so that the first divided voltage matches the first reference voltage and the boosted voltage becomes the desired voltage by controlling the oscillator circuit to operate when the first divided voltage is smaller than the first reference voltage and the boosted voltage is smaller than the desired voltage and controlling the oscillator circuit to stop operating when the first divided voltage is equal to or larger than the first reference voltage and the boosted voltage is equal to or larger than the desired voltage; and

the discharge circuit includes;

a transistor;

the same voltage divided circuit;

a second reference voltage circuit for outputting a second reference voltage; and

a second comparison circuit for comparing the second divided voltage with the second reference voltage, controlling the transistor to be turned off when the second divided voltage is smaller than the second reference voltage and the boosted voltage is smaller than the overshoot voltage, and controlling the transistor to be turned on when the second divided voltage is equal to or larger than the second reference voltage and the boosted voltage is equal to or larger than the overshoot voltage.

7. A charge pump circuit according to claim 6, further comprising a capacitor provided between the output terminal of the charge pump circuit and a first output terminal of the voltage divider circuit.

8. A charge pump circuit according to claim 6, further comprising a capacitor provided between a second output terminal of the voltage divider circuit and a ground terminal.