Parallel Charge Pump Units for RF Voltage Generation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing RF switching circuits in mobile devices face challenges in reducing noise and output impedance, particularly when generating negative voltages, which affects the performance of RF switches and antenna tuners, and requires complex and costly RF hardware components.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a circuit with parallel charge pump units operating on different clock phases, allowing for selective activation and deactivation to reduce noise and output impedance, and using a voltage generator with cascaded charge pumps to generate higher or lower voltages efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single charge pump unit is used to generate voltages, then the circuit structure is simple, but the output impedance is high and spurious signals are generated
Solution Approach 1:
The charge pump is divided into multiple parallel charge pump units (first, second, third units) that operate simultaneously. Each unit contributes to the total output current, thereby reducing the output impedance and minimizing spurious signals through current summation with different phase characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple charge pump units are combined in parallel configuration where their output currents are summed at the output node. This merging of multiple current sources achieves lower output impedance and reduced spurious signals while maintaining the voltage generation function.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If multiple charge pump units operate simultaneously, then noise and spurious signals are reduced, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control circuit dynamically adjusts the operation of individual charge pump units based on real-time detection of output voltage levels. When the output voltage approaches the target level, certain charge pump units are deactivated to reduce power consumption, while maintaining low noise operation by keeping other units active.
Solution Approach 2:
A feedback mechanism detects the output voltage level and controls the activation/deactivation of charge pump units accordingly. This closed-loop control ensures that charge pump units are only active when needed to maintain the target voltage, optimizing the balance between noise reduction and power consumption.
3Productivity
If voltage generation speed is increased, then the efficiency improves, but noise and spurious signals increase
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the charge pump into multiple units operating in parallel, the system achieves fast voltage generation through combined current delivery while reducing spurious signals. The segmentation allows current summation that cancels out individual unit noise components.
Solution Approach 2:
The parallel charge pump units serve multiple functions simultaneously: they provide fast voltage generation response, reduce output impedance, minimize spurious signals, and enable dynamic power management. This multi-functionality resolves the trade-off between speed and noise.
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
This approach reduces spurious signals, lowers output impedance, and enhances the speed and efficiency of voltage generation, improving RF switch performance while reducing power consumption and hardware complexity.
Implementation Method 1
a charge pump may be a DC-to-DC converter that may use capacitors as energy storage elements to convert the input voltage into a higher voltage or a lower voltage
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are non-limiting examples of voltage generators that use multiple charge pumps coupled in series to generate a targeted voltage. The charge pumps implement multiple charge pump units that reduce the introduction of noise into a circuit in which they are implemented. The charge pumps units work in parallel on different clock phases to reduce spurious noise. This is in contrast to using a single charge pump with a relatively large flying capacitor or a plurality of charge pumps in series. This can, for example, reduce spurious signals or spurs that arise due at least in part to the characteristics of the clock signal. The disclosed technologies may be particularly advantageous for SOI-based components and circuits.