High-efficiency, switched-capacitor power conversion using a resonant clocking circuit to produce gate drive signals for switching capacitors
First Claim
1. A system for converting between an input voltage and an output voltage, comprising:
- an input coupled to the input voltage;
an output coupled to the output voltage;
a first and a second capacitor, each with a higher potential terminal and a lower potential terminal;
a first set of switching devices which selectively couple the higher potential and lower potential terminals of the first capacitor between the input voltage, the output voltage and a base voltage;
a second set of switching devices; and
a resonant clocking circuit which generates clock signals with substantially non-overlapping clock phases, including a first phase and a second phase, for the first set of switching devices;
wherein the resonant clocking circuit is configured to control the first set of switching devices so that during the first phase the higher potential terminal of the first capacitor is coupled to the input voltage and the lower potential terminal of the first capacitor is coupled to the base voltage, and during the second phase the higher potential terminal of the first capacitor is coupled to the output voltage and the lower potential terminal of the first capacitor is coupled to the input voltage,wherein the resonant clocking circuit is configured to control the second set of switching devices so that during the first phase the higher potential terminal of the second capacitor is coupled to the output voltage and the lower potential terminal of the second capacitor is coupled to the input voltage, and during the second phase the higher potential terminal of the second capacitor is coupled to the input voltage and the lower potential terminal of the second capacitor is coupled to the base voltage.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that efficiently converts between a lower input voltage and a higher output voltage. This system includes an input which receives the input voltage, and an output which provides the output voltage. The system also includes a first capacitor with a higher potential terminal and a lower potential terminal, as well as a first set of switching devices which selectively couple the higher potential and lower potential terminals of the first capacitor between the input voltage, the output voltage and a base voltage. The system additionally includes a resonant clocking circuit which generates clock signals with substantially non-overlapping clock phases, including a first phase and a second phase. This resonant clocking circuit is configured to control the first set of switching devices so that during the first phase, the higher potential terminal of the first capacitor is coupled to the input voltage and the lower potential terminal of the first capacitor is coupled to the base voltage, and during the second phase, the higher potential terminal of the first capacitor is coupled to the output voltage and the lower potential terminal of the first capacitor is coupled to the input voltage.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A system for converting between an input voltage and an output voltage, comprising:
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an input coupled to the input voltage; an output coupled to the output voltage; a first and a second capacitor, each with a higher potential terminal and a lower potential terminal; a first set of switching devices which selectively couple the higher potential and lower potential terminals of the first capacitor between the input voltage, the output voltage and a base voltage; a second set of switching devices; and a resonant clocking circuit which generates clock signals with substantially non-overlapping clock phases, including a first phase and a second phase, for the first set of switching devices; wherein the resonant clocking circuit is configured to control the first set of switching devices so that during the first phase the higher potential terminal of the first capacitor is coupled to the input voltage and the lower potential terminal of the first capacitor is coupled to the base voltage, and during the second phase the higher potential terminal of the first capacitor is coupled to the output voltage and the lower potential terminal of the first capacitor is coupled to the input voltage, wherein the resonant clocking circuit is configured to control the second set of switching devices so that during the first phase the higher potential terminal of the second capacitor is coupled to the output voltage and the lower potential terminal of the second capacitor is coupled to the input voltage, and during the second phase the higher potential terminal of the second capacitor is coupled to the input voltage and the lower potential terminal of the second capacitor is coupled to the base voltage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for converting a voltage, comprising:
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receiving an input voltage through an input; using a resonant clocking circuit to generate clock signals with substantially non-overlapping clock phases, including a first phase and a second phase; applying the clock signals to a first set of switching devices which are configured to selectively couple a higher potential terminal and a lower potential terminal of a first capacitor between the input voltage, an output voltage and a base voltage, so that during the first phase the higher potential terminal of the first capacitor is coupled to the input voltage and the lower potential terminal of the first capacitor is coupled to the base voltage or lower, and during the second phase the higher potential terminal of the first capacitor is coupled to an output voltage and the lower potential terminal of the first capacitor is coupled to the input voltage; applying the clock signals to a second set of switching devices which are configured to selectively couple a higher potential terminal and a lower potential terminal of a second capacitor between the input voltage, an output voltage and the base voltage, so that during the first phase the higher potential terminal of the second capacitor is coupled to the output voltage and the lower potential terminal of the second capacitor is coupled to the input voltage, and during the second phase the higher potential terminal of the second capacitor is coupled to the input voltage and the lower potential terminal of the second capacitor is coupled to the base voltage; and providing the output voltage through an output. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A power supply, comprising:
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a battery that provides an input voltage; an output that provides an output voltage; a first and a second capacitor, each with a higher potential terminal and a lower potential terminal; a first set of switching devices which selectively couple the higher potential and lower potential terminals of the first capacitor between the input voltage, the output voltage and a base voltage; a second set of switching devices; a resonant clocking circuit which generates clock signals with substantially non-overlapping clock phases, including a first phase and a second phase, for the first set of switching devices; wherein the resonant clocking circuit is configured to control the first set of switching devices, so that during the first phase the higher potential terminal of the first capacitor is coupled to the input voltage and the lower potential terminal of the first capacitor is coupled to the base voltage, and during the second phase the higher potential terminal of the first capacitor is coupled to the output voltage and the lower potential terminal of the first capacitor is coupled to the input voltage; and wherein the resonant clocking circuit is configured to control the second set of switching devices, so that during the first phase the higher potential terminal of the second capacitor is coupled to the output voltage and the lower potential terminal of the second capacitor is coupled to the input voltage, and during the second phase the higher potential terminal of the second capacitor is coupled to the input voltage and the lower potential terminal of the second capacitor is coupled to the base voltage. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification