Patent · US Active

Self-starting transistor-only full-wave rectifier for on-chip AC-DC conversion

US8964436B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
15References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 16, 2012
Grant dateFeb 24, 2015
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 21, 2033

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02B70/10
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A transistor-based full-wave bridge rectifier is suitable for low A.C. input voltages such as received by a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) device. Voltage drops due to bridge diodes are avoided. Four p-channel transistors are arranged in a bridge across the A.C. inputs to produce an internal power voltage. A comparator receives the A.C. input and controls timing of voltage boost drivers that alternately drive gates of the four p-channel transistors with voltages boosted higher than the peak A.C. voltage. Four diode-connected transistors are connected in parallel with the four p-channel bridge transistors to conduct during initial start-up before the comparator and boost drivers operate. Substrates are connected to the power voltage on the power-voltage half of the bridge and to the A.C. inputs on the ground half of the bridge to fully shut off transistors, preventing reverse current flow. The transistor bridge can be integrated onto system chips.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.