Charge Pump Protection Circuit for High Voltage Transistor Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Transistors in miniaturized charge pumps break down when connected to external high voltage generating circuits, due to voltage levels exceeding their withstand voltage.
Innovation Solution
A charge pump system incorporating a series resistor unit with resistors connected in series and parallel to boosting units, which includes a switch unit and controlling unit to manage voltage drops and protect transistors from excessive voltage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If an external high voltage generating circuit is connected to the output terminal of a miniaturized charge pump, then high output voltage can be generated, but transistors in the charge pump break down due to voltage exceeding their withstand voltage
Solution Approach 1:
A protection circuit is introduced as an intermediary component between the charge pump and the high voltage generating circuit. This protection circuit includes a first transistor connected in parallel with the charge pump output, which activates when voltage exceeds a threshold level to shunt excess voltage to ground, thereby protecting the charge pump transistors from breakdown while allowing the high voltage generating circuit to operate
Solution Approach 2:
The protection circuit changes the electrical parameters (voltage levels) at the charge pump output by detecting when voltage exceeds a safe threshold and dynamically adjusting the circuit state to clamp the voltage within safe operating limits, enabling both high voltage generation and transistor protection
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively prevents transistor breakdown by managing voltage drops, allowing normal operation of the charge pump even when a high voltage generating circuit is connected, with minimal impact on output voltage levels.
Implementation Method 1
a series resistor unit disposed between the output terminal and a ground and including a plurality of resistors connected to each other in series
Data Source
AI summary
A charge pump system may include a charge pump including a plurality of boosting units boosting an input voltage input to an input terminal multiple times depending on clock signals and outputting the boosted voltage to an output terminal; and a charge pump protection circuit including a series resistor unit disposed between the output terminal and a ground and including a plurality of resistors connected to each other in series. A portion of the plurality of resistors are disposed in parallel to a portion of the plurality of boosting units.