DC-DC converter, semiconductor device and display device

• US 8,816,662 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2011
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Takahashi, Kei, Ito, Yoshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Berhane, Adolf
• Assistant Examiner(s): Quddus, Nusrat
• Application Number:
  US13/109,580
• Publication Number:
  US 20110285372A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• Field of Search: 323281-285, 323/351
• US Class Current: 323/283
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0003 Details of control, feedback or regulation circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/156 with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators

Abstract

An object is to reduce power consumption of a semiconductor device including a DC-DC converter circuit. The semiconductor device includes a DC-DC converter circuit and a microprocessor. The DC-DC converter circuit includes a conversion circuit including an inductor and a transistor, and a control circuit including a comparison circuit and a logic circuit. A hysteresis comparator is used as the comparison circuit. In the control circuit, the comparison circuit compares an output signal of the conversion circuit with a first reference potential or a second reference potential, and the logic circuit performs arithmetic operation between an output signal of the comparison circuit and a clock signal of the microprocessor. In the conversion circuit, the transistor controls current flowing through the inductor in accordance with an output signal of the logic circuit, and the output signal of the conversion circuit is generated in accordance with the current flowing through the inductor.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising a DC-DC converter circuit, the DC-DC converter circuit comprising:

a wiring;

a conversion circuit comprising;

an inductor; and

a transistor comprising a drain terminal and a source terminal, one of which is connected to the inductor;

a hysteresis comparator comprising a first input terminal for a first reference potential, a second input terminal for a second reference potential, and a third input terminal electrically connected to an output terminal of the conversion circuit; and

a logic circuit comprising a first input terminal electrically connected to an output terminal of the hysteresis comparator, a second input terminal electrically connected to the wiring, and an output terminal electrically connected to a gate of the transistor.

4. A semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the wiring is configured to transmit a clock signal.

7. A semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the wiring is electrically connected to a microprocessor.

10. A semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the logic circuit is an AND circuit.

13. A semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the semiconductor device is a display device comprising a second transistor in a pixel, the second transistor comprising an oxide semiconductor layer.

17. A semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising a load electrically connected to an output of the DC-DC converter circuit,

wherein the third input terminal of the hysteresis comparator is electrically connected to the output terminal of the conversion circuit, in accordance with a signal input into the load.

20. A semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein a multiplexer is interposed between the output terminal of the logic circuit and the gate of the transistor.

22. A semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein a multiplexer is interposed between the third input terminal of the hysteresis comparator and the output terminal of the conversion circuit.

24. A semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the hysteresis comparator is configured to compare an output of the conversion circuit with the first reference potential or the second reference potential, and the logic circuit is configured to perform an arithmetic operation between an output of the hysteresis comparator and a clock signal, and

wherein in the conversion circuit, the transistor is configured to control a current flowing through the inductor in accordance with an output of the logic circuit, and the output of the conversion circuit is generated in accordance with the current flowing through the inductor.

27. A semiconductor device according to claim 1,

wherein the hysteresis comparator comprises a first comparator and a second comparator,

wherein the first reference potential is supplied to a non-inverting input terminal of the first comparator,

wherein the second reference potential is supplied to an inverting input terminal of the second comparator, and

wherein the output terminal of the conversion circuit is electrically connected to an inverting input terminal of the first comparator and a non-inverting input terminal of the second comparator.

2. A display device comprising:

a driver circuit; and

a DC-DC converter circuit electrically connected to the driver circuit and comprising;

a wiring;

a conversion circuit comprising;

an inductor; and

a transistor comprising a drain terminal and a source terminal, one of which is connected to the inductor;

a hysteresis comparator comprising a first input terminal for a first reference potential, a second input terminal for a second reference potential, and a third input terminal electrically connected to an output terminal of the conversion circuit; and

a logic circuit comprising a first input terminal electrically connected to an output terminal of the hysteresis comparator, a second input terminal electrically connected to the wiring, and an output terminal electrically connected to a gate of the transistor.

5. A display device according to claim 2,

wherein the wiring is configured to transmit a clock signal.

8. A display device according to claim 2,

wherein the wiring is electrically connected to a microprocessor.

11. A display device according to claim 2,

wherein the logic circuit is an AND circuit.

14. A display device according to claim 2, further comprising a second transistor in a pixel, the second transistor comprising an oxide semiconductor layer.

18. A display device according to claim 2,

wherein the third input terminal of the hysteresis comparator is electrically connected to the output terminal of the conversion circuit, in accordance with a signal input into the driver circuit.

21. A display device according to claim 2,

wherein a multiplexer is interposed between the output terminal of the logic circuit and the gate of the transistor.

23. A display device according to claim 2,

wherein a multiplexer is interposed between the third input terminal of the hysteresis comparator and the output terminal of the conversion circuit.

25. A display device according to claim 2,

wherein the hysteresis comparator is configured to compare an output of the conversion circuit with the first reference potential or the second reference potential, and the logic circuit is configured to perform an arithmetic operation between an output of the hysteresis comparator and a clock signal,

wherein in the conversion circuit, the transistor is configured to control a current flowing through the inductor in accordance with an output of the logic circuit, and the output of the conversion circuit is generated in accordance with the current flowing through the inductor, and

wherein a pixel of a display portion is configured to be driven in accordance with the output of the conversion circuit.

28. A display device according to claim 2,

wherein the hysteresis comparator comprises a first comparator and a second comparator,

wherein the first reference potential is supplied to a non-inverting input terminal of the first comparator,

wherein the second reference potential is supplied to an inverting input terminal of the second comparator, and

wherein the output terminal of the conversion circuit is electrically connected to an inverting input terminal of the first comparator and a non-inverting input terminal of the second comparator.

3. A semiconductor device comprising a DC-DC converter circuit, the DC-DC converter circuit comprising:

a wiring;

a conversion circuit comprising;

an inductor; and

a transistor comprising a drain terminal and a source terminal, one of which is connected to the inductor;

an amplification circuit electrically connected to an output terminal of the conversion circuit;

a first multiplexer comprising a first input terminal electrically connected to the output terminal of the conversion circuit and a second input terminal electrically connected to an output terminal of the amplification circuit;

a hysteresis comparator comprising a first input terminal for a first reference potential, a second input terminal for a second reference potential, and a third input terminal electrically connected to an output terminal of the first multiplexer;

a logic circuit comprising a first input terminal electrically connected to an output terminal of the hysteresis comparator, a second input terminal electrically connected to the wiring; and

a second multiplexer comprising a first input terminal electrically connected to an output terminal of the logic circuit, a second input terminal electrically connected to an output terminal of the hysteresis comparator, and an output terminal electrically connected to a gate of the transistor.

6. A semiconductor device according to claim 3,

wherein the wiring is configured to transmit a clock signal.

9. A semiconductor device according to claim 3,

wherein the wiring is electrically connected to a microprocessor.

12. A semiconductor device according to claim 3,

wherein the logic circuit is an AND circuit.

15. A semiconductor device according to claim 3,

wherein the semiconductor device is a display device and further comprises a driver circuit electrically connected to the DC-DC converter circuit.

16. A semiconductor device according to claim 15, further comprising a second transistor in a pixel, the second transistor comprising an oxide semiconductor layer.

19. A semiconductor device according to claim 3,

wherein a third input terminal of the first multiplexer and a third input terminal of the second multiplexer are connected to a control wiring.

26. A semiconductor device according to claim 3,

wherein the semiconductor device is configured to perform one of a first operation and a second operation, in which in the first operation, the hysteresis comparator compares an output of the conversion circuit with the first reference potential or the second reference potential, and the logic circuit performs an arithmetic operation between an output of the hysteresis comparator and a clock signal, and in the second operation, the amplification circuit amplifies a difference between the output of the conversion circuit and a third reference potential and the hysteresis comparator compares an output of the amplification circuit with a triangle wave signal;

and

wherein in the conversion circuit, the transistor is configured to control a current flowing through the inductor in accordance with an output of the logic circuit through the first operation or an output of the hysteresis comparator through the second operation, and the output of the conversion circuit is generated in accordance with the current flowing through the inductor.