Patent · US Active

Charge pump generator with direct voltage sensor

US9341655B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by
17References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 30, 2014
Grant dateMay 17, 2016
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 30, 2034

Classification

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

Abstract

A method for operating 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.