Multi-stage programmable rectifier with efficiency tracking

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9490725-B2
Application number	US-201414212478-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2014
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Nov 8, 2016
Grant date	Nov 8, 2016

Abstract

Examples of multi-stage programmable rectifiers are provided herein. Each rectifier stage can include a first transistor and a switch connected to the first transistor. A threshold voltage of the first transistor can be programmed through selection of one of a plurality of voltages available at the switch. Each rectifier stage can also include a second transistor that can be connected in series with the first transistor. An output capacitor can be connected to the second transistor at an output of the rectifier stage. The plurality of voltages provided at the switch allows the threshold voltage of the first transistor to be adjusted in either a positive or negative position to increase efficiency of the rectifier. A calibration process can be used to identify the position of each switch in the rectifier stages that results in the highest efficiency or rectifier output voltage.

First claim

We claim:

1. A multi-stage programmable rectifier comprising:
a first circuit stage comprising:
a first transistor having a gate and a source, wherein the first circuit stage is configured such that a voltage of the first transistor is programmable;
a second transistor connected between the first transistor and a first circuit stage output;
a first stage output capacitor connected between the first circuit stage output and ground; and
a first stage switch connected to the gate of the first transistor, the first stage switch connecting the first transistor to any one of a plurality of voltages available at the first stage switch, wherein the plurality of voltages available at the first stage switch is provided by at least the source of the first transistor and the first stage output capacitor, and wherein the voltage of the first transistor is programmable via the first stage switch; and

a second circuit stage connected to the first circuit stage, the second circuit stage comprising:
a third transistor connected to the first circuit stage output, the third transistor having a gate and a source, wherein the second circuit stage is configured such that a voltage of the third transistor is programmable;
a fourth transistor connected between the third transistor and a second circuit stage output;
a second stage output capacitor connected between the second circuit stage output and ground; and
a second stage switch connected to the gate of the third transistor, the second stage switch connecting the third transistor to any one of a plurality of voltages available at the second stage switch, wherein the plurality of voltages available at the second stage switch is provided by at least the first stage output capacitor, the second stage output capacitor, and the source of the first transistor, and wherein the voltage of the third transistor is programmable via the second stage switch.

2. The multi-stage programmable rectifier of claim 1 , further comprising one or more additional circuit stages, each of the one or more additional circuit stages having at least two transistors, and each of the one or more additional circuit stages configured such that a voltage of at least one of the two transistors is programmable.

3. The multi-stage programmable rectifier of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first input capacitor connected between an input to the multi-stage programmable rectifier and a connection between the first and second transistors; and
a second input capacitor connected between the input to the multi-stage programmable rectifier and a connection between the third and fourth transistors.

4. The multi-stage programmable rectifier of claim 1 ,
wherein the first, second, third, and fourth transistors are field effect transistors, and wherein the programmable voltages of the first transistor and third transistor are threshold voltages.

5. The multi-stage programmable rectifier of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third circuit stage connected to the second circuit stage, the third circuit stage comprising:
a fifth transistor connected to the second circuit stage output, the fifth transistor having a gate, wherein the third circuit stage is configured such that a voltage of the fifth transistor is programmable;
a sixth transistor connected between the fifth transistor and a third circuit stage output,
a third stage output capacitor connected between the third circuit stage output and ground; and
a third stage switch connected to the gate of the fifth transistor, the third stage switch connecting the fifth transistor to any one of a plurality of voltages available at the third stage switch, wherein the plurality of voltages available at the third stage switch is provided by at least the first stage output capacitor, the second stage output capacitor, and the third stage output capacitor.

6. The multi-stage programmable rectifier of claim 1 , wherein the multi-stage programmable rectifier is integrated into an implantable biosensor.

7. A multi-stage programmable rectifier having a plurality of rectifier stages, each rectifier stage comprising:
a first transistor, the first transistor having a gate and a drain;
a switch connected to the gate of the first transistor, wherein a threshold voltage of the first transistor can be programmed through selection of one of a plurality of voltages available at the switch;
a second transistor connected in series with the first transistor, the second transistor having a source and a gate, wherein the source and the gate of the second transistor are connected to the drain of the first transistor; and
an output capacitor connected to the second transistor at an output of the rectifier stage.

8. The multi-stage programmable rectifier of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of rectifier stages comprises a first stage and a plurality of subsequent stages, wherein the voltages available at the switch in the first stage include ground and the voltage at the output of the first rectifier stage, and wherein the voltages available at the switch in each subsequent stage include the voltage at the output of the stage and a voltage at the output of at least one previous stage.

9. The multi-stage programmable rectifier of claim 8 , wherein in at least some of the subsequent stages, the voltages available at the switch include the output of at least two previous stages.

10. The multi-stage programmable rectifier of claim 7 , wherein the switches of the plurality of rectifier stages are independently controllable.

11. The multi-stage programmable rectifier of claim 7 , wherein the multi-stage programmable rectifier comprises at least ten stages.

12. A multi-stage programmable rectifier having a plurality of rectifier stages, the respective rectifier stages comprising:
a first transistor, the first transistor having a substrate;
a switch connected to the substrate of the first transistor, wherein a threshold voltage of the first transistor can be programmed through selection of one of a plurality of voltages available at the switch;
a second transistor connected in series with the first transistor; and
an output capacitor connected to the second transistor at an output of the rectifier stage.

13. The multi-stage programmable rectifier of claim 12 , wherein the switches of the plurality of rectifier stages are independently controllable.

14. The multi-stage programmable rectifier of claim 12 , wherein the multi-stage programmable rectifier is integrated into an implantable biosensor.

Assignees

• The State Of Oregon Acting By And Through The State Board Of Higher Education On Behalf Of Oregon St
• Univ Oregon State

Inventors

• Xia Lingli
• Chiang Patrick Y
• Cheng Jiao

Classifications

• H02M7/25 Primary

  arranged for operation in series, e.g. for multiplication of voltage · CPC title

• H02M2003/078

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H02M3/078

  with means for reducing the back bias effect, i.e. the effect which causes the threshold voltage of transistors to increase as more stages are added to the converters · CPC title