IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,413,231
Granted Patent B2
US 9,413,231 · App. 14/722,778 · Granted Aug 9, 2016

Charge pump circuit for providing voltages to multiple switch circuits

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,413,231
App. No.
14/722,778
Granted
Aug 9, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A charge pump circuit generates a charge pump voltage that powers a bias circuit. The bias circuit generates a reference current and generates switch currents from the reference current. Gate-source voltages are generated from the switch currents and applied to switching components of switch circuits to connect two nodes. The gate-source voltages can be generated in the bias circuit and provided to the switch circuits. The gate-source voltages can also be generated in the switch circuits.

Claims (33)

1. An electrical circuit comprising:

a charge pump circuit configured to generate a charge pump voltage;

a bias circuit configured to receive the charge pump voltage to generate a reference current; and

a plurality of switch circuits, each switch circuit in the plurality of switch circuits being configured to receive a switch current that is generated from the reference current, to generate a constant gate-source voltage from the switch current, and to apply the gate-source voltage to a first transistor to selectively connect an input node to an output node of a computer interface port,

wherein each switch circuit in the plurality of switch circuits comprises an impedance element configured to receive the switch current to generate the gate-source voltage,

wherein each switch circuit in the plurality of switch circuits further comprises a resistor that is in series with the impedance element and the gate-source voltage comprises voltage drops on the impedance element and the resistor.

2. The electrical circuit of claim 1 , wherein the bias circuit further comprises:

a current source configured to generate the reference current; and

a current mirror configured to mirror the reference current to generate the switch current.

3. The electrical circuit of claim 1 , wherein the charge pump circuit comprises:

a plurality of charge pump cells that generate the charge pump voltage.

4. The electrical circuit of claim 1 , wherein the impedance element comprises a diode.

5. The electrical circuit of 1 , wherein each switch circuit in the plurality of switch circuits comprises:

a second transistor that receives the switch current; and

a voltage translator circuit configured to receive the charge pump voltage and translate the charge pump voltage to a control voltage that drives the second transistor.

6. The electrical circuit of claim 5 , wherein

the impedance element is in series with the second transistor to receive the switch current and develop the gate-source voltage.

7. An electrical circuit comprising:

a charge pump circuit configured to generate a charge pump voltage;

a bias circuit configured to receive the charge pump voltage to generate a reference current; and

a plurality of switch circuits, each switch circuit in the plurality of switch circuits being configured to receive a switch current that is generated from the reference current, to generate a constant gate-source voltage from the switch current, and to apply the gate-source voltage to a first transistor to selectively connect an input node to an output node of a computer interface port,

wherein each switch circuit in the plurality of switch circuits comprises: a second transistor that receives the switch current; and a voltage translator circuit configured to receive the charge pump voltage and translate the charge pump voltage to a control voltage that drives the second transistor.

8. The electrical circuit of claim 7 , wherein the bias circuit further comprises:

a current source configured to generate the reference current; and

a current mirror configured to mirror the reference current to generate the switch current.

9. The electrical circuit of claim 7 , wherein the charge pump circuit comprises:

a plurality of charge pump cells that generate the charge pump voltage.

10. The electrical circuit of claim 7 , wherein each switch circuit in the plurality of switch circuits comprises:

an impedance element configured to receive the switch current to generate the gate-source voltage.

11. The electrical circuit of claim 10 , wherein the impedance element comprises a diode.

12. The electrical circuit of claim 10 , wherein each switch circuit in the plurality of switch circuits further comprises a resistor that is in series with the impedance element and the gate-source voltage comprises voltage drops on the impedance element and the resistor.

13. The electrical circuit of claim 7 , wherein each switch circuit in the plurality of switch circuits further comprises:

an impedance element that is in series with the second transistor to receive the switch current and develop the gate-source voltage.