Oscillator and charge pump circuit using the same

• US 7,397,315 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2005
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Renesas Technology Corporation (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Inventors: Morishita, Fukashi, Kishida, Masanobu
• Primary Examiner(s): KINKEAD, ARNOLD M
• Application Number:
  US11/311,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20060132247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 331/16, 331/185, 331/74, 331/57
• US Class Current: 331/57
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/063 in field-effect transistor switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 3/0315 Ring oscillators

Abstract

The present invention provides a current-limited oscillator capable of performing stable operation even when it is driven with a low power-supply voltage, and a charge pump circuit using the oscillator. A current-limited oscillator has a delay section that includes a plurality of series-connected inverters to delay an output pulse on the basis of a current limiting level indication signal, and the oscillator further includes at least one first transistor that limits a first current between the inverters and a high potential power supply and at least one second transistor that limits a second current between the inverters and a low potential power supply, wherein at least one of the plurality of inverters is configured as a first inverter that is connected with the first transistor and is not connected with the second transistor, and at least another of the plurality of inverters is configured as a second inverter that is not connected with the first transistor and is connected with the second transistor.

Claims

1. A current-limited oscillator, comprising:

a delay section that includes a plurality of series-connected inverters to delay an output pulse on the basis of a current limiting level indication signal;

at least one first transistor that limits a first current between said inverters and a high potential power supply; and

at least one second transistor that limits a second current between said inverters and a low potential power supply,

wherein at least one of said plurality of inverters is configured as a first inverter that is connected with said first transistor and is not connected with said second transistor, and at least another of said plurality of inverters is configured as a second inverter that is not connected with said first transistor and is connected with said second transistor,

said plurality of inverters are divided into a first block that delays rising portions of said output pulse and a second block that delays falling portions of said output pulse, and

said first block and said second block each include one or more of said inverters, and said inverters in each block are connected in an order of said first inverter, said second inverter, and said first inverter.

2. The oscillator according to claim 1, further comprising an inverter that is configured as said first inverter and connected to said second block.

6. The oscillator according to claim 1, wherein, in each of said first block and said second block, said first transistor connected to a first one of said first inverters, at least, has a transistor size that is two times or more larger than a transistor size of said inverters.

3. A current-limited oscillator, comprising:

a delay section that includes a plurality of series-connected inverters to delay an output pulse on the basis of a current limiting level indication signal;

at least one first transistor that limits a first current between said inverters and a high potential power supply; and

at least one second transistor that limits a second current between said inverters and a low potential power supply,

wherein at least one of said plurality of inverters is configured as a first inverter that is connected with said first transistor and is not connected with said second transistor, and at least another of said plurality of inverters is configured as a second inverter that is not connected with said first transistor and is connected with said second transistor,

said plurality of inverters are divided into a first block that delays falling portions of said output pulse and a second block that delays rising portions of said output pulse, and

said first block and said second block each include one or more of said inverters, and said inverters in each block are connected in an order of said second inverter, said first inverter, and said second inverter.

7. The oscillator according to claim 3, wherein, in each of said first block and said second block, said second transistor connected to a first one of said second inverters, at least, has a transistor size that is two times or more larger than a transistor size of said inverters.

4. A current-limited oscillator, comprising:

a delay section that includes a plurality of series-connected inverters to delay an output pulse on the basis of a current limiting level indication signal;

at least one first transistor that limits a first current between said inverters and a high potential power supply; and

at least one second transistor that limits a second current between said inverters and a low potential power supply,

wherein at least one of said plurality of inverters is configured as a first inverter that is connected with said first transistor and is not connected with said second transistor, and at least another of said plurality of inverters is configured as a second inverter that is not connected with said first transistor and is connected with said second transistor, and

wherein, among said plurality of inverters, said first inverter is an inverter that immediately follows an inverter whose said second current is not limited and that receives a low potential.

5. A current-limited oscillator, comprising:

a delay section that includes a plurality of series-connected inverters to delay an output pulse on the basis of a current limiting level indication signal;

at least one first transistor that limits a first current between said inverters and a high potential power supply; and

at least one second transistor that limits a second current between said inverters and a low potential power supply,

wherein at least one of said plurality of inverters is configured as a first inverter that is connected with said first transistor and is not connected with said second transistor, and at least another of said plurality of inverters is configured as a second inverter that is not connected with said first transistor and is connected with said second transistor, and

wherein, among said plurality of inverters, said second inverter is an inverter that immediately follows an inverter whose said first current is not limited and that receives a high potential.

8. A charge pump circuit comprising:

a constant-current generating circuit that outputs a current limiting level indication signal;

an oscillator comprising a delay section that includes a plurality of series-connected inverters to delay an output pulse on the basis of said current limiting level indication signal, at least one first transistor that limits a first current between said inverters and a high potential power supply, and at least one second transistor that limits a second current between said inverters and a low potential power supply, wherein at least one of said plurality of inverters is configured as a first inverter that is connected with said first transistor and is not connected with said second transistor, and at least another of said plurality of inverters is configured as a second inverter that is not connected with said first transistor and is connected with said second transistor; and

a voltage generating circuit that generates an output potential based on an output of said oscillator,

said charge pump circuit further comprising a voltage dropping circuit that predeterminedly drops an output voltage of an external power supply to generate an output voltage of an internal power supply, wherein said voltage dropping circuit supplies an output voltage of said internal power supply at least to said constant-current generating circuit and said oscillator.

9. The charge pump circuit according to claim 8, further comprising a level shifter that shifts a level of the output of said oscillator to allow the output of said oscillator that is supplied with the output voltage of said internal power supply to be inputted to said voltage generating circuit that is supplied with an output voltage of said external power supply.