Solar cell device having a charge pump
View Patent ↗A solar cell device includes a solar cell section configured to output a first voltage upon receiving light. A charge pump circuit includes a first charge pump. The first charge pump includes a first terminal and a second terminal. The first terminal is configured to receive the first voltage from the solar cell section, and the second terminal is configured to output a second voltage that is higher than the first voltage. An output section is configured to receive an output voltage output by the charge pump circuit. The charge pump circuit is formed on a single semiconductor substrate.
1. A solar cell device, comprising:
a solar cell section configured to output a first voltage upon receiving light;
a charge pump circuit including a first charge pump and a second charge pump, the first charge pump including a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal being configured to receive the first voltage from the solar cell section and the second terminal being configured to output a second voltage that is higher than the first voltage, the second charge pump being configured to receive the second voltage from the second terminal of the first charge pump and output a voltage;
an auxiliary component coupled to the first and second charge pumps to provide a first bias voltage to the first and second charge pumps, wherein the first bias voltage is higher than the second voltage; and
an output section configured to receive an output voltage output by the charge pump circuit,
wherein the charge pump circuit is configured to be powered by the solar cell section, the charge pump circuit being a low power integrated circuit.
2. The solar cell device of claim 1 ,
wherein the charge pump circuit is not connected to any external power source, and wherein the charge pump circuit is formed on a single semiconductor substrate.
3. The solar cell device of claim 1 , wherein the solar cell section is a single solar cell.
4. The solar cell device of claim 3 , wherein the solar cell section outputs about 1 volt or less.
5. The solar cell device of claim 1 , wherein the solar cell section includes no more than 5 cells in series.
6. The solar cell device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sense component coupled to the second charge pump and an output of the charge pump circuit and configured to provide a feedback signal to the second charge pump.
7. The solar cell device of claim 1 , wherein the solar cell section is formed on a single semiconductor substrate.
8. The solar cell device of claim 1 . wherein the charge pump circuit is formed on a single semiconductor substrate.
9. The solar cell device of claim 8 , wherein the solar cell device and the charge pump circuit are formed in the same semiconductor substrate.
10. The solar cell device of claim 1 , further comprising:
an auxiliary solar cell section coupled to the charge pump circuit to provide a second bias voltage to turn on the charge pump circuit, the second bias voltage being higher than the first voltage output by the solar cell section.
11. The solar cell device of claim 10 , wherein the auxiliary solar cell section is formed on a single semiconductor substrate.
12. The solar cell device of claim 11 , wherein the auxiliary solar cell section includes a plurality of solar cells connected in series.
13. The solar cell device of claim 10 , wherein the auxiliary solar cell section is formed on a single semiconductor substrate and includes a plurality of solar cells connected in series.
14. The solar cell device of claim 10 , wherein A solar cell device is a portable electronic device configured to be operable using electrical power generated by the solar cell section.
15. The solar cell device of claim 1 , wherein the first charge pump ceases operation in response to the first bias voltage received from the auxiliary component.