Self-calibrating driver for charging a capacitive load to a desired voltage

• US 8,035,401 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2007
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monterey Research, LLC (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Wright, David, Muriby, Jason, Hancioglu, Erhan
• Primary Examiner(s): NATALINI, JEFF WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US11/768,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20080258740A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,568 Days
• Field of Search: 324/678
• US Class Current: 324/678
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/687 the devices being field-effect transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/0016 by using a control or a clock signal, e.g. in order to apply power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/00369 Modifications for compensating variations of temperature, supply voltage or other physical parameters

Abstract

A self-calibration system includes a variable current source to generate a default source current for charging a capacitive load, and a load charge calibrator to detect a voltage associated with the capacitive load when charged by the default source current, and to generate a current control feedback according to the detected voltage and a desired charged voltage of the capacitive load, the current control feedback to indicate to the variable current source a charge current capable of charging the capacitive load to the desired charged voltage.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a variable current source configured to generate a default source current for charging a capacitive load;

a load charge calibrator configured to detect a voltage associated with the capacitive load when charged by the default source current, and configured to generate a current control feedback, wherein the current control feedback causes the variable current source to output a charge current capable of charging the capacitive load to a predetermined charged voltage of the capacitive load during a preset charging time, and wherein a level of the charge current is based on the detected voltage and the predetermined charged voltage, and wherein the preset charging time indicates a length of time that the variable current source is configured to deliver the charge current to the capacitive load; and

a calibration controller configured to indicate the predetermined charged voltage of the capacitive load to the load charge calibrator for use in calibrating the variable current source to charge the capacitive load to the predetermined charged voltage.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the variable current source is operable to charge the capacitive load to the predetermined charged voltage with the charge current responsive to the current control feedback.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the load charge calibrator comprises:

a voltage detector to detect the voltage associated with the capacitive load when charged by the default source current and to convert the detected voltage into a digital representation; and

a current controller for comparing the digital representation of the detected voltage with a digital representation of the predetermined charged voltage of the capacitive load and generate the current control feedback responsive to the comparison.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the current controller divides the digital representation of the detected voltage by a digital representation of the predetermined charged voltage of the capacitive load to generate the current control feedback.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the default source current is a minimum amount of current the variable current source is capable of generating.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a buffer to receive current from the variable current source for charging the capacitive load; and

the calibration controller to direct the buffer to charge the capacitive load for the preset charging time.

7. The device of claim 6, further comprising:

a first switch coupled between the load charge calibrator and the capacitive load, wherein the calibration controller activates the first switch allowing the load charge calibrator to detect the voltage associated with the charged capacitive load; and

a second switch coupled between ground and the capacitive load, wherein the calibration controller activates the second switch to discharge the capacitive load.

8. A method comprising:

generating a default source current for charging a capacitive load, wherein a variable current source generates the default source current;

indicating a predetermined charged voltage of the capacitive load for calibrating the variable current source to charge the capacitive load to the predetermined charged voltage;

charging the capacitive load with the default source current for a length of time indicated by a preset charging time;

detecting a voltage associated with the charged capacitive load; and

generating a current control feedback according to the detected voltage and the predetermined charged voltage of the capacitive load, wherein the current control feedback causes the variable current source to output a charge current capable of charging the capacitive load to the predetermined charged voltage during the preset charging time, wherein a level of the charge current is based on the detected voltage and the desired charged voltage.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

charging the capacitive load to the predetermined charged voltage according to the current control feedback.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

converting the detected voltage into a digital representation;

comparing the digital representation of the detected voltage with a digital representation of the predetermined charged voltage of the capacitive load; and

generating the current control feedback responsive to the comparison.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising dividing the digital representation of the detected voltage by a digital representation of the predetermined charged voltage of the capacitive load to generate the current control feedback.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

buffering current from the variable current source for charging the capacitive load;

directing the buffer to charge the capacitive load for the preset charging time.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

activating a first switch allowing the load charge calibrator to detect the voltage associated with the charged capacitive load; and

activating a second switch to discharge the capacitive load.

14. A system comprising:

means for generating a default source current for charging a capacitive load;

means for charging the capacitive load with the default source current

means for detecting a voltage associated with the charged capacitive load;

means for generating a current control feedback, wherein the current control feedback causes the means for generating current to output a charge current capable of charging the capacitive load to a predetermined charged voltage of the capacitive load for a length of time indicated by a preset charging time, and wherein a level of the charge current is based on the detected voltage and the desired charged voltage; and

means for indicating the predetermined charged voltage of the capacitive load to the means for generating current for use in generating the current control feedback.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising means for charging the capacitive load to the predetermined charged voltage according to the current control feedback.

16. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

means for converting the detected voltage into a digital representation;

means for comparing the digital representation of the detected voltage with a digital representation of the predetermined charged voltage of the capacitive load; and

means for generating the current control feedback responsive to the comparison.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

means for dividing the digital representation of the detected voltage by a digital representation of the predetermined charged voltage of the capacitive load to generate the current control feedback.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the default source current is a minimum amount of current the means for generating current is capable of generating.

19. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

means for buffering current from means for generating current;

means for directing the means for buffering to charge the capacitive load for the preset charging time.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

means for activating a first switch allowing the load charge calibrator to detect the voltage associated with the charged capacitive load; and

means for activating a second switch to discharge the capacitive load.