CHARGE PUMP CIRCUIT AND METHOD FOR GENERATING A SUPPLY VOLTAGE

• US 20130300495A1
• Filed: 05/10/2013
• Published: 11/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ams AG (Ams-Osram AG)
• Original Assignee: ams AG (Ams-Osram AG)
• Inventors: SCHATZBERGER, Gregor
• Granted Patent: US 8,860,498 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 327/536
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0045 Converters combining the concepts of switch-mode regulation and linear regulation, e.g. linear pre-regulator to switching converter, linear and switching converter in parallel, same converter or same transistor operating either in linear or switching mode
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/007 Plural converter units in cascade push-pull DC/DC converters with pre-regulator H02M3/3374; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC stage including a high frequency transformer H02M7/4807; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC conversion stage generating periodically varying voltages H02M7/4826
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/07 using capacitors charged and discharged alternately by semiconductor devices with control electrode , e.g. charge pumps

Abstract

A charge pump circuit (11) comprises a first stage (31) and at least a second stage (32), each having a capacitor (130, 230) and a current source (100, 200). The charge pump circuit (11) is configured such that, in a first phase (A) of operation, the capacitor (130) of the first stage (31) is switched in series to the current source (100) of the first stage (31) and the capacitor (230) of the second stage (32) is switched in series to the current source (200) of the second stage (32) and that, in a second phase (B) of operation, the capacitor (130) of the first stage (31) and the capacitor (230) of the second stage (32) are switched in series for providing a supply voltage (VHF) at an output (15) of the charge pump circuit (11). A comparator signal (SCOM) is generated by comparing a voltage at an electrode of one of the capacitors (130, 230) of the first and the at least second stage (31, 32) with a reference voltage (VR). The first and the second phase (A, B) are set depending on the comparator signal (SCOM).

Claims

1. A charge pump circuit, comprising:

a first stage and an at least second stage, each having a capacitor and a current source; and

a comparator having

a first input which is coupled to an electrode of one of the capacitors of the first and the at least second stage,

a second input for receiving a reference voltage, and

an output for generating a comparator signal,

wherein the charge pump circuit is configured such that, in a first phase of operation, the capacitor of the first stage is switched in series to the current source of the first stage for charging the capacitor of the first stage and the capacitor of the second stage is switched in series to the current source of the second stage for charging the capacitor of the second stage and that, in a second phase of operation, the capacitor of the first stage and the capacitor of the second stage are switched in series for providing a supply voltage at an output of the charge pump circuit, and

wherein the first and the second phase are set depending on the comparator signal.

2. The charge pump circuit according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second phase are set based on the comparator signal only, without using a signal from an external clock source.

3. The charge pump circuit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first and the at least second stage each comprise:

a first switch arranged between the current source of the respective stage and a first electrode of the capacitor of the respective stage and set in a closed state in the first phase and in an open state in the second phase; and

a second switch arranged between the first electrode of the capacitor of the respective stage and an output of the respective stage and set in an open state in the first phase and in a closed state in the second phase.

4. The charge pump circuit according to claim 3, wherein an output of the comparator is coupled to a respective control terminal of the first and the second switch.

5. The charge pump circuit according to claim 4, comprising a waveform generator which couples the output of the comparator to the control terminal of the first and the second switch.

6. The charge pump circuit according to claim 5, wherein the waveform generator is implemented to trigger the transition from the first phase to the second phase depending on the comparator signal and to trigger the transition from the second phase to the first phase depending on the comparator signal.

7. The charge pump circuit according to claim 3, wherein the first and the at least second stage each comprising a source switch that couples a node between the current source and the first switch to a reference potential terminal and is set in an open state in the first phase and in a closed state in the second phase.

8. The charge pump circuit according to claim 3, wherein at least one stage of the first and the at least second stage comprises a further switch that couples a second electrode of the capacitor to a reference potential terminal and is set in a closed state in the first phase and in an open state in the second phase.

9. The charge pump circuit according to claim 3, wherein the first and the at least second stage each comprise an additional switch that couples the first electrode of the capacitor of the respective stage to a reference potential terminal and is set in a closed state in a first sub-phase of the first phase and in an open state in a second sub-phase of the first phase and in the second phase.

10. The charge pump circuit according to claim 1, wherein the charge pump circuit operates self-timed and self-adapting such that its frequency of operation depends on an output current.

11. The charge pump circuit according to claim 1, further comprising a reference voltage circuit for generating the reference voltage based on a bandgap voltage and a signal from a ramp rate control oscillator, wherein control signals for the first and the second phase are derived from the comparator signal only without further using the signal from the ramp rate control oscillator.

12. A method for generating a supply voltage with a charge pump circuit having a first stage and an at least second stage, which each comprises a capacitor and a current source, the method comprising:

in a first phase of operation, switching the capacitor of the first stage in series to the current source of the first stage for charging the capacitor of the first stage and switching the capacitor of the second stage in series to the current source of the second stage for charging the capacitor of the second stage;

in a second phase of operation, providing a supply voltage at an output by switching the capacitor of the first stage and the capacitor of the second stage in series;

generating a comparator signal by comparing a voltage at an electrode of one of the capacitors of the first and the at least second stage with a reference voltage; and

setting the first and the second phase on the basis of the comparator signal.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the currents of the current sources flow to a reference potential terminal during the second phase.

14. The method according to claim 12 or 13, wherein a feedback voltage is tapped across the capacitor of one of the first and the at least second stage and is used to control a duration of at least one phase of a group comprising the first and the second phase.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the capacitors are discharged during a first sub-phase of the first phase.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein the current sources are controlled such that the currents provided by the current sources rise with rising temperature.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein the first and the at least second stage each comprise:

a first switch arranged between the current source of the respective stage and a first electrode of the capacitor of the respective stage; and

a second switch arranged between the first electrode of the capacitor of the respective stage and an output of the respective stage,

the method further comprising;

setting the first switch to a closed state in the first phase and to an open state in the second phase; and

setting the second switch to an open state in the first phase and to a closed state in the second phase.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein control signals for the first and the second switch are derived from the comparator signal.