IP Library Granted Patent US 7,417,491
Granted Patent B2
US 7,417,491 · App. 11/643,831 · Granted Aug 26, 2008

Constant current output charge pump

Assignee: California Micro Devices Corp.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,417,491
App. No.
11/643,831
Granted
Aug 26, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

A constant current output charge pump includes a switch module configured to compare a reference voltage with a load voltage and output a switch signal, a voltage margin control module configured to compare a first voltage and a second voltage with an output voltage and output a voltage margin control signal, a clock control module, a charge pump module, a current control module and a load module. The clock control module is configured to capture the switch signal and the voltage margin control signal and output a first clock signal and a second clock signal according to a system to the charge pump module for charging the input voltage.

Claims (24)

1. A constant current output charge pump comprising:

a switch module configured to compare a reference voltage with a load voltage, and output a switch signal;

a voltage margin control module configured to compare a first voltage and a second voltage with an output voltage, and output a voltage margin control signal;

a clock control module configured to capture the switch signal by the switch module and the voltage margin control signal by the voltage margin control module and output a first clock signal and a second clock signal based on a system clock;

a charge pump module configured to capture the first clock signal and the second clock signal outputted by the clock control module so as to boost an input voltage for outputting the output voltage;

a current control module configured to capture the output voltage outputted by the charge pump module so as to adjust current for outputting the load voltage; and

a load module having an anode which is electrically connected to the load voltage of the current control module, and a cathode which is electrically connected to a ground level.

2. The constant current output charge pump as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the switch module outputs the switch signal when the reference voltage is higher than the load voltage.

3. The constant current output charge pump as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the voltage margin control module outputs the voltage margin control signal when the output voltage received is lower than the second voltage, continues to output the voltage margin control signal as the output voltage lies in between the first voltage and the second voltage, and terminates outputting the voltage margin control signal as the output voltage is higher than the first voltage, which is higher than the second voltage.

4. The constant current output charge pump as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the clock control module outputs the first clock signal and the second clock signal as the switch module outputs the switch signal while the voltage margin control module outputs the voltage margin control signal, the first clock signal and the second clock signal being complementary clock signals corresponding to the system clock.

5. The constant current output charge pump as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the charge pump module includes co-driven first and third switches and co-driven second and fourth switches, the first and third switches being controlled to be turned on or off by the first clock signal, the second and fourth switches being controlled to be turned on or off by the second clock signal, so that a first capacitor is charged to the input voltage as the first and third switches are turned on simultaneously while the second and fourth switches are simultaneously turned off, then by turning off the first and third switches simultaneously while turning on the second and fourth switches simultaneously, a second capacitor is also instantaneously charged to the input voltage, making the output voltage twice as much as the input voltage.

6. The constant current output charge pump as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the current control module is a current regulator.

7. A constant current output charge pump comprising:

a switch module configured to compare a reference voltage with a load voltage, and output a switch signal;

a voltage margin control module configured to compare a first voltage and a second voltage with an output voltage, and output a voltage margin control signal;

a clock control module configured to capture the switch signal by the switch module and the voltage margin control signal by the voltage margin control module and output a first clock signal and a second clock signal based on a system clock;

a charge pump module configured to capture the first clock signal and the second clock signal outputted by the clock control module so as to boost an input voltage for outputting the output voltage;

a load module having an anode, which is electrically connected to the output voltage of the charge pump module, and a cathode for outputting the load voltage; and

a current control module connected to the cathode of the load module to adjust current of the load voltage.

8. The constant current output charge pump as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the switch module outputs the switch signal when the reference voltage is higher than the load voltage.

9. The constant current output charge pump as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the voltage margin control module outputs the voltage margin control signal when the output voltage received is lower than the second voltage, continues to output the voltage margin control signal as the output voltage lies in between the first voltage and the second voltage, and terminates outputting the voltage margin control signal as the output voltage is higher than the first voltage, which is higher than the second voltage.

10. The constant current output charge pump as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the clock control module outputs the first clock signal and the second clock signal as the switch module outputs the switch signal while the voltage margin control module outputs the voltage margin control signal, the first clock signal and the second clock signal being complementary clock signals corresponding to the system clock.

11. The constant current output charge pump as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the charge pump module includes co-driven first and third switches and co-driven second and fourth switches, the first and third switches being controlled to be turned on or off by the first clock signal, the second and fourth switches being controlled to be turned on or off by the second clock signal, so that a first capacitor is charged to the input voltage as the first and third switch are turned on simultaneously while the second and fourth switches are simultaneously turned off, then by turning off the first and third switches simultaneously while turning on the second and fourth switches simultaneously, a second capacitor is also instantaneously charged to the input voltage, making the output voltage twice as much as the input voltage.

12. The constant current output charge pump as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the current control module is a current regulator.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 2, 2008
From: CALIFORNIA MICRO DEVICES CORPORATION
To: ANALOG DEVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 021617/0683 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 22, 2006
From: WU, JEAN-SHIN; NEGRU, SORIN LAURENTIU
To: CALIFORNIA MICRO DEVICES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 018735/0069 →
Priority Claims (1)
TW 95102181 A · Jan 20, 2006 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20070170980A1 · Jul 26, 2007