Shared pump structure that can dynamically adjust its phase ratio and control method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12525878-B2
Application number	US-202418736527-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 6, 2024
Priority date	Jun 6, 2024
Publication date	Jan 13, 2026
Grant date	Jan 13, 2026

Abstract

A shared charge pump partly disposed on an integrated circuit provides a first output voltage and a second output voltage to a coupled device, and includes: a plurality of switches coupled to a first input voltage and a second voltage, wherein the switches are individually opened and closed according to control logic; and a capacitor disposed outside the IC for storing charge according to the first input voltage and the second input voltage during a first phase, discharging to generate the first output voltage during a second phase, and discharging to generate the second output voltage during a third phase. The shared charge pump enters the first phase, the second phase and the third phase via control of the plurality of switches, and a sequence of the phases can be dynamically switched according to a level of the first output voltage and the second output voltage determined at the capacitor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A shared charge pump partly disposed on an integrated circuit (IC) for providing a first output voltage and a second output voltage to a coupled device, the shared charge pump comprising:
a plurality of switches coupled to a first input voltage and a second voltage, wherein the plurality of switches are individually opened and closed according to control logic; and a capacitor disposed outside the IC for storing charge according to the first input voltage and the second input voltage during a first phase, discharging to generate the first output voltage during a second phase, and discharging to generate the second output voltage during a third phase; wherein the shared charge pump enters the first phase, the second phase and the third phase via control of the plurality of switches, and a sequence of the phases can be dynamically switched according to a level of the first output voltage and a level of the second output voltage determined at the capacitor.

2 . The shared charge pump of claim 1 , wherein the level of the first output voltage is compared with a first threshold and a level of the second output voltage is compared with a second threshold, wherein the first threshold corresponds to a required voltage gate high value of an external coupled device, and the second threshold corresponds to a required voltage gate low value of the external coupled device.

3 . The shared charge pump of claim 2 , wherein a priority of the first output voltage and the second output voltage is determined according to whether a difference between the first output voltage and the first threshold is greater or less than a difference between the second output voltage and the second threshold, wherein when a difference between the first output voltage and the first threshold is greater than a difference between the second output voltage and the second threshold, the second output voltage has priority, and when a difference between the first output voltage and the first threshold is less than a difference between the second output voltage and the second threshold, the first output voltage has priority.

4 . The shared charge pump of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first clamping mechanism coupled to the first input voltage; and a second clamping mechanism coupled to the second input voltage; wherein when the shared charge pump enters the second phase for outputting the first output voltage, the second clamping mechanism selectively clamps the second input voltage, and when the shared charge pump enters the third phase for outputting the second output voltage, the first clamping mechanism selectively clamps the first input voltage.

5 . The shared charge pump of claim 4 , wherein when it is determined during the second phase that the first output voltage is insufficient, the first clamping mechanism operates to make the output of the first clamping mechanism equal to the first input voltage, and when it is determined during the third phase that the second output voltage is insufficient, the second clamping mechanism operates to make the output of the second clamping mechanism equal to the second input voltage.

6 . The shared charge pump of claim 4 , wherein during the first phase, the first clamping mechanism operates to make the output of the first clamping mechanism equal to the first input voltage, and the second clamping mechanism operates to make the output of the second clamping mechanism equal to the second input voltage.

7 . The shared charge pump of claim 3 , wherein for a first set number of consecutive clock cycles within a predetermined number of consecutive clock cycles, the shared charge pump enters the first phase.

8 . The shared charge pump of claim 7 , wherein after the first set number of consecutive clock cycles, the shared charge pump compares the level of the first output voltage with the first threshold and the level of the second output voltage with the second threshold.

9 . The shared charge pump of claim 8 , wherein when the first output voltage has priority, the shared charge pump uses the comparison between the first output voltage and the first threshold level to determine if the level of the first output voltage is sufficient, and when the second output voltage has priority, the shared charge pump uses the comparison between the second output voltage and the second threshold level to determine if the level of the second output voltage is sufficient.

10 . The shared charge pump of claim 9 , wherein when the first output voltage is sufficient, the shared charge pump enters the second phase for a second set number of consecutive clock cycles and then re-enters the first phase for the first set number of consecutive clock cycles, and when the first output voltage is not sufficient, the shared charge pump enters the second phase for a third set number of consecutive clock cycles being twice the second set number of consecutive clock cycles.

11 . The shared charge pump of claim 9 , wherein when the second output voltage is sufficient, the shared charge pump enters the third phase for a second set number of consecutive clock cycles and then re-enters the first phase for the first set number of consecutive clock cycles, and when the second output voltage is not sufficient, the shared charge pump enters the third phase for a third set number of consecutive clock cycles being twice the second set number of consecutive clock cycles.

12 . The shared charge pump of claim 1 , further comprising utilizing a mapping table to plot a temperature of the shared charge pump with a level of the first output voltage and a level of the second output voltage, wherein the level of the first output voltage and a level of the second output voltage determined at the capacitor are further calibrated by inputting a current temperature of the shared charge pump to the mapping table.

13 . The shared charge pump of claim 1 , wherein a length of each of the first phase, the second phase and the third phase is adjustable.

14 . A method for generating a first output voltage and a second output voltage using a shared charge pump partly disposed on an integrated circuit (IC) and providing the first output voltage and the second output voltage to an external coupled device comprises:
coupling a plurality of switches to a first input voltage and a second voltage; using control logic for individually opening and closing the plurality of switches; storing charge on a capacitor disposed outside the IC according to the first input voltage and the second input voltage during a first phase entered via the control logic; discharging the capacitor to generate the first output voltage during a second phase entered via the control logic; and discharging the capacitor to generate the second output voltage during a third phase entered via the control logic; wherein a sequence of the phases can be dynamically switched, and comprises: determining a level of the first output voltage and a level of the second output voltage at the capacitor.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of determining a level of the first output voltage and a level of the second output voltage at the capacitor comprises:
comparing a level of the first output voltage with a first threshold and a level; and comparing a level of the second output voltage is compared with a second threshold; wherein the first threshold corresponds to a required voltage gate high value of the external coupled device, and the second threshold corresponds to a required voltage gate low value of the external coupled device.

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Assignees

• Novatek Microelectronics Corp

Inventors

• Wang Chia-Wei

Classifications

• G11C5/145 Primary

  Applications of charge pumps; Boosted voltage circuits; Clamp circuits therefor (G11C5/141 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02M3/07 Primary

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