Voltage system and operating method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10250132-B2
Application number	US-201715619056-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 9, 2017
Priority date	Jun 9, 2017
Publication date	Apr 2, 2019
Grant date	Apr 2, 2019

Abstract

A voltage system and a method of operating a voltage system are provided. The voltage system includes an oscillator and a pump device. The oscillator is configured to provide an oscillation signal exhibiting a first frequency when a voltage level of a supply voltage is greater than a reference voltage level, and to provide the oscillation signal exhibiting a second frequency greater than the first frequency when the voltage level of the supply voltage is less than the reference voltage level. The pump device is configured to provide the supply voltage, based on a frequency of the oscillation signal provided by the oscillator, by performing a charging operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A voltage system, comprising:
an oscillator configured to provide an oscillation signal exhibiting a first frequency when a voltage level of a supply voltage is greater than a reference voltage level, and to provide the oscillation signal exhibiting a second frequency greater than the first frequency when the voltage level of the supply voltage is less than the reference voltage level; and
a pump device configured to provide the supply voltage, based on a frequency of the oscillation signal provided by the oscillator, by performing a charging operation;
the reference voltage level being a second reference voltage level, wherein the oscillator is deactivated when the voltage level of the supply voltage is greater than a first reference voltage level greater than the second reference voltage level;
wherein the oscillator provides the oscillation signal exhibiting the first frequency when the voltage level of the supply voltage is less than the first reference voltage level and greater than the second reference voltage level.

2. The voltage system of claim 1 , wherein the frequency of the oscillation signal and the reference voltage level have a negative correlation.

3. The voltage system of claim 1 , wherein duty cycle of the pump device and the reference voltage level have a negative correlation.

4. The voltage system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensing device configured to compare the voltage level of the supply voltage to the reference voltage level;
wherein the oscillator is configured to provide the oscillation signal exhibiting the second frequency when the comparison result from the sensing device indicates that the voltage level of the supply voltage is less than the reference voltage level.

5. The voltage system of claim 4 , wherein the oscillator is configured to receive the comparison result from the sensing device.

6. A voltage system, comprising:
an oscillator configured to provide an oscillation signal exhibiting a first frequency when a voltage level of a supply voltage is greater than a reference voltage level, and to provide the oscillation signal exhibiting a second frequency greater than the first frequency when the voltage level of the supply voltage is less than the reference voltage level;
a pump device configured to provide the supply voltage, based on a frequency of the oscillation signal provided by the oscillator, by performing a charging operation; and
a sensing device configured to compare the voltage level of the supply voltage to the reference voltage level;
wherein the oscillator is configured to provide the oscillation signal exhibiting the second frequency when the comparison result from the sensing device indicates that the voltage level of the supply voltage is less than the reference voltage level;
wherein the sensing device is a second sensing device and the reference voltage level is a second reference voltage level, the voltage system further comprising:
a first sensing device configured to compare the voltage level of the supply voltage to a first reference voltage level greater than the second reference voltage level;
the oscillator configured to provide the oscillation signal exhibiting the first frequency when the sensing result from the first sensing device indicates that the voltage level of the supply voltage is less than the first reference voltage level and the comparison result from the second sensing device indicates that the voltage level of the supply voltage is greater than the second reference voltage level.

7. The voltage system of claim 6 , wherein the oscillator is configured to receive the comparison result from the first sensing device.

8. A voltage system, comprising:
a first oscillator, which has one fixed frequency, configured to provide an oscillation signal exhibiting a first frequency when a voltage level of a supply voltage is greater than a reference voltage level;
a second oscillator, which has one fixed frequency and is independent of the first oscillator, configured to provide an oscillation signal exhibiting a second frequency greater than the first frequency when the voltage level of the supply voltage is less than the reference voltage level;
a pump device configured to provide the supply voltage, based on a frequency of an oscillation signal received, by performing a charging operation; and
a sensing device configured to compare the voltage level of the supply voltage to the reference voltage level;
wherein the second oscillator is configured to provide the oscillation signal exhibiting the second frequency when the comparison result from the sensing device indicates that the voltage level of the supply voltage is less than the reference voltage level;
wherein the sensing device is a second sensing device and the reference voltage level is a second reference voltage level, the voltage system further comprising:
a first sensing device configured to compare the voltage level of the supply voltage to a first reference voltage level greater than the second reference voltage level;
wherein the first oscillator is configured to provide the oscillation signal exhibiting the first frequency when the sensing result from the first sensing device indicates that the voltage level of the supply voltage is less than the first reference voltage level and the comparison result from the second sensing device indicates that the voltage level of the supply voltage is greater than the second reference voltage level.

9. The voltage system of claim 8 , wherein the frequency of the oscillation signal received and the reference voltage level have a negative correlation.

10. The voltage system of claim 8 , wherein duty cycle of the pump device and the reference voltage level have a negative correlation.

11. The voltage system of claim 8 , wherein the second oscillator is deactivated when the voltage level of the supply voltage is greater than the reference voltage level.

12. The voltage system of claim 11 , wherein the first oscillator is deactivated when the voltage level of the supply voltage is less than the reference voltage level.

13. The voltage system of claim 8 , wherein the second oscillator is configured to receive the comparison result from the sensing device.

14. The voltage system of claim 8 , wherein the first oscillator is configured to receive the comparison result from the first sensing device.

Assignees

• Nanya Technology Corp

Inventors

• Chang Chuan-Jen
• Hsu Ting-Shuo

Classifications

• H02M3/07 Primary

  using capacitors charged and discharged alternately by semiconductor devices with control electrode {, e.g. charge pumps} · CPC title

• H03K3/0315

  Ring oscillators · CPC title

• H03B5/08

  with frequency-determining element comprising lumped inductance and capacitance · CPC title

• H03B2201/02

  Varying the frequency of the oscillations by electronic means · CPC title

• H03L7/0995

  the oscillator comprising a ring oscillator · CPC title