Programmable charge pump

• US 5,760,637 A
• Filed: 12/11/1995
• Issued: 06/02/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Exar Corporation (Maxlinear Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Sipex Corporation
• Inventors: Wong, Henry, Chow, Raymond W. B., Chan, Paul S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Callahan, Timothy P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TON, MY TRANG
• Application Number:
  US08/570,558
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 327/534, 327/535, 327/536, 327/537, 327/554, 327/390, 327/337, 327/148, 327/157, 327/589, 363/60, 363/63, 307/110, 331/23, 331/25, 331/47
• US Class Current: 327/536
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/07 using capacitors charged and discharged alternately by semiconductor devices with control electrode , e.g. charge pumps

Abstract

A programmable charge pump produces a selected one of a plurality of bipolar output voltages in response to a pump select input signal. Transistor switches in the charge pump are controlled by logic circuitry so as to provide the selected bipolar output voltages. The charge pump may include a power management circuit to optimize power consumption by varying the clock frequency based on the current being drawn by the load. The charge pump may be fabricated as an integrated circuit which supports a plurality of interface standards requiring different bipolar supply voltages.

Claims

1. A programmable charge pump comprising:

a first reference input port;

a second reference input port;

a first output port;

a second output port;

a plurality of charge capacitors;

a plurality of storage capacitors, each of said plurality of storage capacitors comprising

a first terminal electrically coupled to a respective one of said first and second output ports; and

a second terminal electrically coupled to a respective one of said first and second reference input ports; and

a plurality of switches, each of said plurality of switches having a control terminal, said plurality of switches selectively coupling ones of said plurality of charge capacitors to said first reference input port, said second reference input port and to other respective charge capacitors in said plurality of charge capacitors, said plurality of switches further selectively coupling said first terminal of each of plurality of storage capacitors to at least a respective one of said plurality of charge capacitors;

wherein said plurality of switches provides a respective one of a plurality of possible bipolar output voltages at said first and second output ports in response to a respective control signal applied to the control terminal of each of said plurality of switches.

2. The programmable charge pump of claim 1 further comprising:

a selection signal input port; and

pump configuration circuitry electrically coupled to said selection signal input port and to the control terminal of each of said plurality of switches, said pump configuration circuitry providing the respective control signals to said plurality of switches in response to a selection signal received on said selection signal input port.

3. The programmable charge pump of claim 2 wherein said plurality of charge capacitors includes first and second charge capacitors (C1, C2), and said plurality of storage capacitors includes first and second storage capacitors (C3, C4).

4. The programmable charge pump of claim 3 wherein said first reference input port receives a supply voltage (V_CC) and said second reference input port is electrically coupling to ground (GND).

5. The programmable charge pump of claim 4 wherein said pump configuration circuitry controls said plurality of switches in a first phase to charge C3 with C1 and to charge C2 between V_CC and GND, and further controls said plurality of switches in a second phase to charge C3 with C2 and to charge C1 between V_CC and GND.

6. The programmable charge pump of claim 5 wherein said pump configuration circuitry controls said plurality of switches according to a modified four phase timing clock control in which the first and second phases are repeated.

7. The programmable charge pump of claim 6 wherein one of the plurality of possible bipolar output voltages is ±

5 Volts.

8. The programmable charge pump of claim 4 wherein said pump configuration circuitry controls said plurality of switches in a first phase to employ C1 to charge C2, in a second phase to charge C1 between V_CC and GND while employing C2 to charge C3, in a third phase to employ C1 to charge C2, and in a fourth phase to charge C1 between V_CC and GND while employing C2 to charge C4.

9. The programmable charge pump of claim 8 wherein said pump configuration circuitry controls said plurality of switches in the four phases according to a four phase timing clock control.

10. The programmable charge pump of claim 9 wherein one of the plurality of possible bipolar output voltages is ±

10 Volts.

11. The programmable charge pump of claim 9 further comprising:

timing control circuitry in electrical communication with said plurality of switches, said timing control circuitry providing the four phase timing clock control; and

a power management circuit in electrical communication with said timing control circuitry, said power management circuit being operative to increase charge pump operating frequency in response to a decrease in one or more output voltages at said first and second output ports below a first predetermined voltage, and operative to decrease the charge pump operating frequency in response to an increase in one or more of the output voltages at said first and second output ports above a second predetermined voltage.

12. A programmable charge pump comprising:

a first reference input port;

a second reference input port;

a first output port;

a second output port;

a first charge capacitor having a relatively positive terminal (C1+) and a relatively negative terminal (C1-);

a second charge capacitor having a relatively positive terminal (C2+) and a relatively negative terminal (C2-);

a first storage capacitor having a relatively positive terminal (C3+) electrically coupled to said second reference input port and a relatively negative terminal (C3-) electrically coupled to said second output port;

a second storage capacitor having a relatively negative terminal (C4-) electrically coupled to said first reference input port and a relatively positive terminal (C4+) electrically coupled to said first output port;

a plurality of switches, each of said plurality of switches having a control terminal, said plurality of switches selectively coupling C4+ to said second charge capacitor, selectively coupling C3- to one of said first and second charge capacitors, and selectively coupling said first and second charge capacitors to said first reference input port, said second reference input port and to each other;

wherein said plurality of switches is adapted to operate in said first and second modes as determined by a respective control signal applied to the control terminal of each of said plurality of switches to provide a respective one of first and second bipolar output voltages at said first and second output ports.

13. The programmable charge pump of claim 12 further comprising:

a selection signal input port; and

pump configuration circuitry electrically coupled to said selection signal input port and to each of said plurality of switches, said pump configuration circuitry providing the respective control signals to said plurality of switches in response to a selection signal received on said selection signal input port.

14. The programmable charge pump of claim 13 wherein said plurality of switches and said pump configuration circuitry are located on a single integrated circuit.

15. The programmable charge pump of claim 14 wherein said first and second charge capacitors and said first and second storage capacitors are external to said integrated circuit.

16. The programmable charge pump of claim 13 wherein said first reference input port receives a supply voltage (V_CC) and said second reference input port is electrically coupled to ground (GND).

17. The programmable charge pump of claim 16 wherein the first mode is ±

5 Volt operation.

18. The programmable charge pump of claim 17 wherein the ±

5 Volt mode includes first and second phases, the first phase including electrically coupling C1+ to GND, electrically coupling C1- to C3-, electrically coupling C2+ to V_CC, electrically coupling C2- to GND, and electrically coupling C3+ to GND;

the second phase including electrically coupling C1+ to V_CC, electrically coupling C1- to GND, electrically coupling C2- to C3-, and electrically coupling C3+ to GND.

19. The programmable charge pump of claim 16 wherein the second mode is ±

10 Volt operation.

20. The programmable charge pump of claim 19 wherein the ±

10 Volt mode includes first, second, third and fourth phases, the first phase including electrically coupling C1+ to GND, electrically coupling C1- to C2-, and electrically coupling C2+ to V_CC ;

the second phase including electrically coupling C1+ to V_CC, electrically coupling C1- to GND, electrically coupling C2+ to GND , electrically coupling C2- to C3-, and electrically coupling C3+ to GND;

the third phase including electrically coupling C1+ to GND, electrically coupling C1- to C2-, and electrically coupling C2+ to V_CC ; and

the fourth phase including electrically coupling C1+ to V_CC, electrically coupling C1- to GND, electrically coupling C2+ C4+, and electrically coupling C2- to GND.

21. The programmable charge pump of claim 20 further comprising:

timing control circuitry in electrical communication with said plurality of switches, said timing control circuitry providing four phase time clock control; and

a power management circuit in electrical communication with said timing control circuitry, said power management circuit being operative to increase charge pump operating frequency in response to a decrease in one or more output voltages at said first and second output ports below a first predetermined voltage, and operative to decrease the charge pump operating frequency in response to an increase in one or more of the output voltages at said first and second output port above a second predetermined voltage.

22. A method of providing a selected bipolar voltage with first and second storage capacitors, first and second charge capacitors, a voltage supply, a ground, and switches, the method comprising the steps of:

generating a first bipolar voltage with respect to a first output voltage port and a second output voltage port in response to a first input signal by operating the switches in first and second phases including;

operating the switches in the first phase to cause charging of the first storage capacitor with the first charge capacitor, and charging of the second charge capacitor between the supply and the ground; and

operating the switches in the second phase to cause charging of the first storage capacitor by the second charge capacitor, and charging of the first charge capacitor between the supply and the ground; and

generating a second bipolar voltage with respect to the first output voltage port and the second output voltage port in response to a second input signal by operating the switches in first, second, third and fourth phases including;

operating the switches in the first phase to employ the first charge capacitor to charge the second charge capacitor;

operating the switches in the second phase to cause charging of the first charge capacitor between the supply and the ground, and transferring of charge from the second charge capacitor to the first storage capacitor;

operating the switches in the third phase to employ the first charge capacitor to charge the second charge capacitor; and

operating the switches in the fourth phase to cause charging of the first charge capacitor between the supply and the ground, and employing the second charge capacitor to charge the second storage capacitor.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising the steps of:

increasing a frequency at which the switches transition between phases as one or more output voltages at the first and second output voltage ports decreases below a first predetermined voltage level; and

decreasing the frequency at which the switches transition between the phases as one or more of the output voltages at the first and second output voltage ports increases above a second predetermined voltage level.

24. A charge pump for providing a selected one of a plurality of possible bipolar output voltages from a single supply voltage V_CC, comprising:

a supply voltage input port;

a reference voltage input port;

a first output port;

a second output port;

a plurality of capacitors, a first one of said plurality of capacitors being electrically coupled to said first output port, and a second one of said plurality of capacitors being electrically coupled to said second output port;

a plurality of electronic switches having a conductive state and non-conductive state, each of said plurality of electronic switches having a control terminal, said plurality of switches selectively coupling ones of said plurality of capacitors to said supply voltage input port, said reference voltage input port, and to other respective capacitors in said plurality of capacitors;

a phase generator in electrical communication said plurality of electronic switches, said phase generator providing a plurality of phase signals; and

a switch configuration circuit electrically coupled to the control terminal of each of said plurality of switches, said switch configuration circuit being responsive to a first input signal having at least a first input state and a second input state and the plurality of phase signals to selectively cause selected ones of said plurality of electronic switches to assume the conductive state during selected phases so as to selectively interconnect said supply voltage input port, selected ones of said plurality of capacitors, and said reference voltage input port to provide a first bipolar output voltage at said first and second output ports when the first input signal is in the first input state and to provide a second bipolar output voltage at said first and second output ports when the first input signal is in the second input state, the second bipolar output voltage being different from the first bipolar output voltage.

25. The charge pump of claim 24 wherein the first bipolar output voltage is approximately equal to +V_CC and -V_CC and the second bipolar output voltage is approximately equal to +2V_CC and -2V_CC.

26. The charge pump claim 25 further comprising:

a power management circuit in electrical communication with said phase generator, said power management circuit being operative to increase charge pump operating frequency in response to a decrease in one or more output voltages at said first and second output ports below a first predetermined voltage, and operative to decrease the charge pump operating frequency in response to an increase in one or more of the output voltages at said first and second output ports above a second predetermined voltage.

27. A programmable charge pump for providing one of a plurality of possible bipolar output voltages, comprising:

a plurality of charge capacitors in selective communication with a supply voltage, a first storage capacitor, and a second storage capacitor, wherein said plurality of charge capacitors are employed to generate a first voltage on said first storage capacitor and a second voltage on said second storage capacitor, said first and second storage capacitors thereby providing a respective one of a plurality of possible bipolar output voltages in response to a control signal.