Voltage converter

• US 5,877,948 A
• Filed: 06/23/1997
• Issued: 03/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Dijkmans, Eise C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Rajnikant B.
• Application Number:
  US08/880,377
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 363/60, 363/59, 307/110, 307/296, 307/296.2, 307/296.1, 307/296.8, 327/536, 327/537, 327/589
• US Class Current: 363/60
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/07 using capacitors charged and discharged alternately by semiconductor devices with control electrode , e.g. charge pumps

Abstract

A voltage converter provided with charge pumps in which conventional rectifier diodes are replaced by output transistors. The output transistors at the same time act as voltage stabilizers. This also renders the ripple value of the voltage at the output terminal low when no smoothing capacitor, or a smoothing capacitor with a comparatively low capacitance value, is coupled to the output terminal.

Claims

1. A voltage converter comprising a first supply terminal (1), a second supply terminal (2), an output terminal (3);

a first charge pump comprising a first capacitor (C1) with a first (4) and a second electrode (5), first means for alternately coupling either the first electrode (4) of the first capacitor (C1) to the first supply terminal (1) and the second electrode (5) of the first capacitor (C1) to the second supply terminal (2), or the second electrode (5) of the first capacitor (C1) to the first supply terminal (1);

a second charge pump comprising a second capacitor (C2) with a first electrode (6) and a second electrode (7), second means for alternately coupling, in phase with the first means, of either the first electrode (6) of the second capacitor (C2) to the first supply terminal (1) and the second electrode (7) of the second capacitor (C2) to the second supply terminal (2), or the second electrode (7) of the second capacitor (C2) to the first supply terminal (1); and

a first unidirectional element coupled between the first electrode (4) of the first capacitor (C1) and the output terminal (3), characterized in that the first unidirectional element comprises a first output transistor (TU1) with a control electrode (GU1) which is coupled to the first electrode (6) of the second capacitor (C2), a first main electrode (DU1) coupled to the first electrode (4) of the first capacitor (C1), and a second main electrode (DU1) coupled to the output terminal (3).

2. A voltage converter as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the voltage converter in addition comprises a third charge pump comprising a third capacitor (C3) with a first (8) and a second electrode (9), third means for alternately coupling, in counterphase to the first means, either the first electrode (8) of the third capacitor (C3) to the first supply terminal (1) and the second electrode (9) of the third capacitor (C3) to the second supply terminal (2), or the second electrode (9) of the third capacitor (C3) to the first supply terminal (1);

a fourth charge pump comprising a fourth capacitor (C4) with a first electrode (10) and a second electrode (11), fourth means for alternately coupling, in counterphase to the second means, either the first electrode (10) of the fourth capacitor (C4) to the first supply terminal (1) and the second electrode (11) of the fourth capacitor (C4) to the second supply terminal (2), or the second electrode (11) of the fourth capacitor (C4) to the first supply terminal (1); and

a second output transistor (TU2) with a control electrode (GU2) which is coupled to the first electrode (10) of the fourth capacitor (C4), a first main electrode (DU3) coupled to the first electrode (8) of the third capacitor (C3), and a second main electrode (DU4) coupled to the output terminal (3).

3. A voltage converter as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the voltage converter comprises a first input terminal (12) which is coupled to the second electrode (5) of the first capacitor (C1) and to the second electrode (7) of the second capacitor (C2), a second input terminal (13) which is coupled to the second electrode (9) of the third capacitor (C3) and to the second electrode (11) of the fourth capacitor(C4), a first transistor (T1) with a first main electrode (D1) coupled to the first supply terminal (1), a second main electrode (S1) coupled to the first electrode (4) of the first capacitor (C1), and a control electrode (G1) coupled to the first electrode (10) of the fourth capacitor (C4), a second transistor (T2) with a first main electrode (D2) coupled to the first supply terminal (1), a second main electrode (S2) coupled to the first electrode (6) of the second capacitor (C2), and a control electrode (G2) coupled to the first electrode (10) of the fourth capacitor (C4), a third transistor (T3) with a first main electrode (D3) coupled to the first supply terminal (1), a second main electrode (S3) coupled to the first electrode (8) of the third capacitor (C3), and a control electrode (G3) coupled to the first electrode (6) of the second capacitor (C2), a fourth transistor (T4) with a first main electrode (D4) coupled to the first supply terminal (1), a second main electrode (S4) coupled to the first electrode (10) of the fourth capacitor (C4), and a control electrode (G4) coupled to the first electrode (6) of the second capacitor (C2);

a first switching element (SE1) with a first electrode (14) which is coupled to the first supply terminal (1), a second electrode (15) which is coupled to the second supply terminal (2), and a third electrode (16) which is coupled to the first input terminal (12) for alternately coupling either the first input terminal (12) to the second supply terminal (2) or the first input terminal (12) to the first supply terminal (1); and

a second switching element (SE2) with a first electrode (17) which is coupled to the first supply terminal (1), a second electrode (18) which is coupled to the second supply terminal (2), and a third electrode (19) which is coupled to the second input terminal (13) for alternately coupling, in counterphase to the first switching element (SE1), either the second input terminal (13) to the second supply terminal (2) or the second input terminal (13) to the first supply terminal (1).

4. A voltage converter as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the voltage converter further comprises a first starting diode (DI1) for initial starting of the voltage converter, coupled between the first supply terminal (1) and the first electrode (6) of the second capacitor (C2).

5. A voltage converter as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the voltage converter further comprises a first starting diode (DI1) and a second starting diode (DI2) which are coupled between the first supply terminal (1) and the first electrode (6) of the second capacitor (C2) and between the first supply terminal (1) and the first electrode (10) of the fourth capacitor (C4), respectively, for initial starting of the voltage converter.

6. A voltage converter as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that at least one of the starting diodes (DI1, DI2) is constructed by means of a transistor connected as a diode.

7. A voltage converter as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the capacitors (C1, C2, C3, C4) is constructed by means of a field effect transistor connected as a capacitor.

8. A voltage converter as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the voltage converter further comprises a first starting diode (DI1) for initial starting of the voltage converter, coupled between the first supply terminal (1) and the first electrode (6) of the second capacitor (C2).

9. A voltage converter as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the voltage converter further comprises a first starting diode (DI1) for initial starting of the voltage converter, coupled between the first supply terminal (1) and the first electrode (6) of the second capacitor (C2).

10. A voltage converter as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the voltage converter further comprises a first starting diode (DI1) and a second starting diode (DI2) which are coupled between the first supply terminal (1) and the first electrode (6) of the second capacitor (C2) and between the first supply terminal (1) and the first electrode (10) of the fourth capacitor (C4), respectively, for initial starting of the voltage converter.

11. A voltage converter as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that at least one of the starting diodes (DI1, DI2) is constructed by means of a transistor connected as a diode.

12. A voltage converter as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that at least one of the starting diodes (DI1, DI2) is constructed by means of a transistor connected as a diode.

13. A voltage converter as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that at least one of the starting diodes (DI1, DI2) is constructed by means of a transistor connected as a diode.

14. A voltage converter as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that at least one of the starting diodes (DI1, DI2) is constructed by means of a transistor connected as a diode.

15. A voltage converter as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that at least one of the capacitors (C1, C2, C3, C4) is constructed by means of a field effect transistor connected as a capacitor.

16. A voltage converter as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that at least one of the capacitors (C1, C2, C3, C4) is constructed by means of a field effect transistor connected as a capacitor.

17. A voltage converter as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that at least one of the capacitors (C1, C2, C3, C4) is constructed by means of a field effect transistor connected as a capacitor.

18. A voltage converter as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that at least one of the capacitors (C1, C2, C3, C4) is constructed by means of a field effect transistor connected as a capacitor.

19. A voltage converter as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that at least one of the capacitors (C1, C2, C3, C4) is constructed by means of a field effect transistor connected as a capacitor.

20. A voltage converter as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that at least one of the capacitors (C1, C2, C3, C4) is constructed by means of a field effect transistor connected as a capacitor.