IP Library Granted Patent US 11,188,106
Granted Patent B2
US 11,188,106 · App. 16/744,027 · Granted Nov 30, 2021

Low-noise high efficiency bias generation circuits and method

Inventors: Tae Youn Kim (Irvine, CA); Robert Mark Englekirk (Littleton, CO)
Assignee: pSemi Corporation
G05F1/56G05F1/468H03F1/303
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,188,106
App. No.
16/744,027
Granted
Nov 30, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus for generating a steady state positive voltage (PVS) signal and a steady state negative voltage (NVS) signal is presented. The apparatus includes a bias signal generation module for generating a steady state reference voltage signal (RVS) based on a varying supply voltage signal (VDD), the RVS having a voltage level less than the PVS. The apparatus further includes a positive signal generation module (PSGM) generating the PVS, the PSGM including a first capacitor, the PSGM employing the first capacitor to generate a portion of the PVS based on the RVS. The apparatus further includes a negative signal generation module (NSGM) generating the NVS, the NSGM including a second capacitor, the NSGM employing the second capacitor to generate a portion of the NVS based on the RVS.

Claims (46)

1. An apparatus for generating a steady state positive voltage signal (PVS), including:

at least one bias signal generation module (BSGM) for generating a stable reference voltage signal (RVS) based on a varying supply voltage signal (VDD), the RVS having a voltage level less than the PVS;

a positive signal generation module (PSGM) generating the PVS, the PSGM including a first capacitor, the PSGM employing the first capacitor to generate a portion of the PVS based on the RVS; and

a switching module (SM) comprising at least one radio frequency (RF) switch, the SM coupled to the PSGM for receiving the PVS,

wherein the PVS is configured to remain substantially stable during a switching event of said RF switch.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the VDD is an output of a power supply module comprising one or more of: a) a battery, b) a capacitor, and c) an energy storage element.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:

a voltage level of the VDD varies in a range of about 2.3 volts to 5.5 volts, and

the voltage level of the RVS is less than the voltage level of VDD.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the voltage level of the RVS is about 1.16 volts.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the BSGM comprises a voltage regulator module (VRM) configured to regulate the VDD to generate a stable internal voltage signal (VDD_INT_SB).

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the VRM regulates the VDD based on a control signal that is based on a difference between the voltage level of the VDD_INT_SB and the voltage level of the RVS.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein a voltage level of the VDD_INT_SB is higher than the voltage level of the RVS.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the voltage level of the VDD_INT_SB is about twice the voltage level of the RVS.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the voltage level of the VDD_INT_SB is about 2.3 volts.

10. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the BSGM further comprises a bandgap reference module (BRM) configured to receive the VDD_INT_SB and generate the RVS.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the BRM comprises a diode element and a resistor element in series connection used to generate the RVS.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , the PSGM generating a positive capacitor control signal (PCCS) based at least partially on the RVS and employing the first capacitor to generate a portion of the PVS at least partially based on the PCCS.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , the BSGM employing a first FET element and a second FET element formed on a common silicon on insulator (SOI) wafer in part to generate the RVS.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the PVS voltage magnitude to the RVS voltage magnitude is about 1.5 to 4.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including:

a negative signal generation module (NSGM) generating a steady state negative voltage signal (NVS), the NSGM including a second capacitor, the NSGM employing the second capacitor to nominally generate a portion of the NVS based on a stable reference voltage signal,

wherein the SM is further coupled to the NSGM for receiving the NVS, and

wherein the NVS is configured to remain substantially stable during the switching event of said RF switch.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is formed in whole on a silicon on insulator (SOI) wafer.

17. A method of generating a switching event by a switching module (SM), including:

generating a steady state voltage signal (SSVS) by:

i) providing a varying supply voltage signal (VDD);

ii) based on the VDD, generating a positive stable reference voltage signal (RVS), the RVS having a voltage magnitude that is less than a voltage magnitude of the SSVS; and

iii) employing a capacitor to generate a portion of the SSVS based on the RVS;

providing the SSVS to the SM; and

generating the switching event by at least one radio frequency (RF) switch of the SM, wherein the SSVS is configured to remain substantially stable during the switching event of the at least one RF switch.

18. The method of claim 17 , further including generating a capacitor control signal (CCS) based at least partially on the RVS and employing the capacitor to generate a portion of the SSVS at least partially based on the CCS.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein a ratio of the SSVS voltage magnitude to the RVS voltage magnitude is about 1.5 to 4.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the generating of the RVS comprises:

regulating the VDD, thereby generating a stable internal voltage signal (VDD_INT_SB); and

generating the RVS based on the VDD_INT_SB.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the regulating of the VDD comprises:

generating a control signal based on a difference between the voltage level of the VDD_INT_SB and the voltage level of the RVS.

22. An apparatus for generating a switching event, including:

at least one bias signal generation module (BSGM) for generating a stable reference voltage signal (RVS) based on a varying supply voltage signal (VDD);

a positive signal generation module (PSGM) for generating a steady state positive voltage signal (PVS), the RVS having a voltage level less than the PVS, the PSGM including a first capacitor, the PSGM employing the first capacitor to generate a portion of the PVS based on the RVS;

a negative signal generation module (NSGM) for generating a steady state negative voltage signal (NVS), the NSGM including a second capacitor, the NSGM employing the second capacitor to nominally generate a portion of the NVS based on the RVS, and

a switching module (SM) comprising at least one radio frequency (RF) switch configured to generate the switching event, the SM coupled to the PSGM and to the NSGM for respectively receiving the PVS and the NVS,

wherein the PVS and the NVS are configured to remain substantially stable during the switching event of the at least one RF switch.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the apparatus is formed in whole on a silicon on insulator (SOI) wafer.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 7, 2024
From: PEREGRINE SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
To: PSEMI CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 066761/0459 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 5, 2024
From: KIM, TAE YOUN; ENGLEKIRK, ROBERT MARK
To: PEREGRINE SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 066657/0023 →
Continuity (8)
Continuation 16143142 · Sep 26, 2018
Continuation 15688597 · Aug 28, 2017
Continuation 15059206 · Mar 2, 2016
Continuation 14462193 · Aug 18, 2014
Continuation 13016875 · Jan 28, 2011
Provisional Application 61371652 · Aug 6, 2010
Provisional Application 61372086 · Aug 9, 2010
Related Publication 20200225688A1 · Jul 16, 2020
Cited By (1)
US 12,242,293