Patent ID: 9698676
Date: 2017-07-04
CPC Classifications: G11C,H02M

Claim:
1. A circuit, comprising: a charge pump; regulation circuitry connected to receive an output voltage of the charge pump and regulate the output voltage of the charge pump at a first voltage level by varying a frequency of an oscillator signal supplied to the charge pump; a step down regulator connected to receive a control signal and connectable to receive the output voltage of the charge pump and generate therefrom a first one of a plurality of regulator output voltage levels having a value dependent upon a level of the control signal, the step down regulator further connectable to drive a load with the first one of the regulator output voltage levels; and current detection circuitry connectable to the regulation circuitry to determine a number of cycles of the oscillator supplied to the charge pump during an interval of a first duration in order to maintain the output of the charge pump under regulation at the first voltage level while driving the load at the first one of the regulator output voltage levels and, from the determined number of cycles, determine an amount of current being drawn by the load.