Single charge-pump buck-boost for providing independent voltages

• US 8,618,868 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2011
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc. (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: RF Micro Devices Incorporated (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Inventors: Khlat, Nadim, Colles, Joseph Hubert
• Primary Examiner(s): Hiltunen, Thomas J
• Application Number:
  US13/222,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20130043931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• Field of Search: 327/536, 363 59- 60
• US Class Current: 327/536
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/009 having two or more independently controlled outputs for DC-DC converter with intermediate AC H02M3/33561
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/07 using capacitors charged and discharged alternately by semiconductor devices with control electrode , e.g. charge pumps

Abstract

Disclosed is a charge pump having first and second outputs and at least one capacitor. A plurality of switches are coupled to the at least one capacitor for selectively coupling the at least one capacitor between a high voltage node and a low voltage node, and for selectively coupling the at least one capacitor to the first output and the second output. A switch controller is adapted to generate control signals for the plurality of switches to selectively couple the at least one capacitor between the high voltage node and the low voltage node during charging, and to selectively couple the at least one capacitor to the first output and the second output during discharging that output a first voltage pulse from the first output and a second voltage pulse from the second output such that the first voltage pulse and the second voltage pulse are asymmetrical and coincidental.

Claims

1. A charge pump for providing independent voltages, comprising:

a first output;

a second output;

at least one capacitor;

a plurality of switches; and

a switch controller adapted to generate control signals for the plurality of switches to selectively couple the at least one capacitor between a high voltage node and a low voltage node during charging phases, and to selectively couple the at least one capacitor to the first output and the second output during discharging phases that output a first voltage pulse from the first output and a second voltage pulse from the second output such that the first voltage pulse and the second voltage pulse are asymmetrical and coincidental, and wherein the first voltage pulse and the second voltage pulse each reach a voltage level that is about twice the voltage level between the high voltage node and the low voltage node.

2. The charge pump of claim 1 wherein the plurality of switches includes:

a first switch coupled between a first electrode of the at least one capacitor and the high voltage node;

a second switch coupled between the first electrode of the at least one capacitor and the first output;

a third switch coupled between the first electrode of the at least one capacitor and the second output;

a fourth switch coupled between the high voltage node and a second electrode of the at least one capacitor; and

a fifth switch coupled between the second electrode of the at least one capacitor and the low voltage node.

3. The charge pump of claim 1 wherein the switch controller is further adapted to generate the control signals such that the first voltage pulse and the second voltage pulse rise simultaneously, but fall at different times.

4. The charge pump of claim 1 wherein the switch controller is further adapted to generate the control signals such that the first voltage pulse and the second voltage pulse rise at different times, but fall simultaneously.

5. The charge pump of claim 1 wherein a first inductor is coupled to the first output to filter the first voltage pulse, and wherein a second inductor is coupled to the second output to filter the second voltage pulse.

6. The charge pump of claim 5 wherein the first inductor and the second inductor each have an inductance value that ranges from around 1 μ

H to around 3 μ

H.

7. The charge pump of claim 1 wherein the at least one capacitor has a capacitance value that ranges from around 220 nF to around 440 nF.

8. The charge pump of claim 1 wherein the control signals are switch phases that each have a frequency that ranges from around 1 MHz to around 5 MHz.

9. The charge pump of claim 1 being adapted to couple with a charge pump system comprising N charge pumps that operate with N phases.

10. The charge pump of claim 1 wherein the low voltage node is at ground potential.

11. The charge pump of claim 1 wherein the plurality of switches comprises electronic switches that each have a control terminal.

12. The charge pump of claim 11 wherein the electronic switches are field effect transistors (FETs).

13. A mobile terminal comprising:

a first power amplifier having a power input terminal;

a second power amplifier having a power input terminal;

a charge pump for providing independent voltages, comprising;

a first output;

a second output;

at least one capacitor;

a plurality of switches; and

a switch controller adapted to generate control signals for the plurality of switches to selectively couple the at least one capacitor between a high voltage node and a low voltage node during charging phases, and to selectively couple the at least one capacitor to the first output and the second output during discharging phases that output a first voltage pulse from the first output and a second voltage pulse from the second output such that the first voltage pulse and the second voltage pulse are asymmetrical and coincidental, and wherein the first voltage pulse and the second voltage pulse each reach a voltage level that is about twice the voltage level between the high voltage node and the low voltage node.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 13 wherein the plurality of switches includes:

a first switch coupled between a first electrode of the at least one capacitor and the high voltage node;

a second switch coupled between the first electrode of the at least one capacitor and the first output;

a third switch coupled between the first electrode of the at least one capacitor and the second output;

a fourth switch coupled between the high voltage node and a second electrode of the at least one capacitor; and

a fifth switch coupled between the second electrode of the at least one capacitor and the low voltage node.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 13 wherein the switch controller is further adapted to generate the control signals such that the first voltage pulse and the second voltage pulse rise simultaneously, but fall at different times.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 13 wherein the switch controller is further adapted to generate the control signals such that the first voltage pulse and the second voltage pulse rise at different times, but fall simultaneously.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 13 wherein a first inductor is coupled to the first output to filter the first voltage pulse, and wherein a second inductor is coupled to the second output to filter the second voltage pulse.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 17 wherein the first inductor and the second inductor each have an inductance value that ranges from around 1 μ

H to around 3 μ

H.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 13 wherein the at least one capacitor has a capacitance value that ranges from around 220 nF to around 440 nF.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 13 wherein the control signals are switch phases that each have a frequency that ranges from around 1 MHz to around 5 MHz.

21. The mobile terminal of claim 13 wherein the charge pump is adapted to couple with a charge pump system comprising N charge pumps that operate with N phases.

22. The mobile terminal of claim 13 wherein the low voltage node is at ground potential.

23. The mobile terminal of claim 13 wherein the plurality of switches comprises electronic switches that each have a control terminal.

24. The mobile terminal of claim 23 wherein the electronic switches are field effect transistors (FETs).