Method of efficiently performing fractional voltage conversion and system comprising efficient fractional voltage converter circuitry
First Claim
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1. A system comprising:
- a capacitive voltage converter accepting input of a digital control signal for selection of a desired voltage level and outputting said desired voltage level, wherein said desired voltage level is selected from a plurality of voltage levels including non-integer fractional multiples of a supply voltage level used by said capacitive voltage converter;
wherein the capacitive voltage converter comprises;
a plurality of capacitors; and
switching circuitry for selectively connecting to the plurality of capacitors, wherein said switching circuitry comprises a plurality of controllable switches, wherein the plurality of controllable switches includes at least a first switch having a higher relative voltage characteristic and a second switch having a lower relative voltage characteristic;
wherein the capacitive voltage converter controls the switching circuitry to generate the desired voltage level according to the digital control signal, wherein the capacitive voltage converter selects between the first and second switches for output switching in relation to a magnitude of the desired voltage level.
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Abstract
Embodiments provide a capacitive voltage multiplier for efficiently producing multiples, including fractional multiples, of a power supply voltage use high, medium and low voltage field effect transistors for switching terminals of various capacitors into and out of connection with power supply or ground voltages in charge mode and with an output or other capacitor terminals for series connection in pump mode. A single non-overlapping clock is level-shifted up to the maximum voltage level required for switching to produce a desired output, then level shifted back down to lower levels with delay added as necessary according to embodiments.
157 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a capacitive voltage converter accepting input of a digital control signal for selection of a desired voltage level and outputting said desired voltage level, wherein said desired voltage level is selected from a plurality of voltage levels including non-integer fractional multiples of a supply voltage level used by said capacitive voltage converter;
wherein the capacitive voltage converter comprises;a plurality of capacitors; and switching circuitry for selectively connecting to the plurality of capacitors, wherein said switching circuitry comprises a plurality of controllable switches, wherein the plurality of controllable switches includes at least a first switch having a higher relative voltage characteristic and a second switch having a lower relative voltage characteristic; wherein the capacitive voltage converter controls the switching circuitry to generate the desired voltage level according to the digital control signal, wherein the capacitive voltage converter selects between the first and second switches for output switching in relation to a magnitude of the desired voltage level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method comprising:
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providing a control signal for selecting a desired voltage level from a plurality of voltage levels that include non-integer multiples of a supply voltage level used in generating said desired voltage level; and switching, under control of said control signal, a plurality of capacitors to generate said desired voltage level; wherein the switching utilizes a plurality of controllable switches where the plurality of controllable switches includes at least a first switch having a higher relative voltage characteristic and a second switch having a lower relative voltage characteristic; wherein the switching controls the plurality of switches to generate the desired voltage level according to the control signal by selecting between the first and second switches for output switching in relation to a magnitude of the desired voltage level. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system comprising:
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a capacitive voltage converter accepting input of a digital control signal for selection of a desired voltage level and outputting said desired voltage level, wherein said desired voltage level is selected from a plurality of voltage levels including non-integer fractional multiples of a supply voltage level used by said capacitive voltage converter;
wherein the capacitive voltage converter comprises;a plurality of capacitors; and switching circuitry for selectively connecting to the plurality of capacitors, wherein said switching circuitry comprises a plurality of controllable switches, wherein the plurality of controllable switches includes at least a first switch having a higher relative voltage characteristic and a second switch having a lower relative voltage characteristic; clock conversion circuitry for converting a received clock into respective level-shifted clocks for application to the plurality of controllable switches, wherein the clock conversion circuitry up-shifts the received clock to a maximum level for generation of a level-shifted clock for application to the first switch and, then, down-shifts from the maximum level for generation of a level-shifted clock for application to the second switch. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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Specification