Patent · US Active

Charge pump generator with direct voltage sensor

US9250271B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
15References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 26, 2013
Grant dateFeb 2, 2016
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 6, 2033

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH02M3/07
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Embodiments relate to a direct voltage sensor and a charge pump system for a computer system. A charge pump that supplies switching current for a plurality of transistors includes a capacitor generating a pumped voltage. A comparator generates a pump control signal for turning on and off charging of the pump capacitor based on a difference between a comparison voltage and a reference voltage. A direct voltage sensor receives a feedback signal reflecting the pumped voltage and generates the comparison voltage in response to the feedback signal. The sensor includes a sensor resistor, a current source configured to drive a sensor current through the sensor resistor, and a differential op-amp that drives the sensor current to cause the voltage drop across the sensor resistor to remain constant as the pumped voltage experiences the voltage drop. The charge pump may include two similar direct voltage sensor controlling positive and negative pumped voltages.

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