Patent ID: 6111468
Filing Date: 2000-08-29
Classification: H03L

Abstract:
A charge pump comprising:a charge/discharge circuit for performing a charge operation in response to a first pulse signal, performing a discharge operation in response to a second pulse signal, and outputting an output signal having a voltage based on the charge operation and the discharge operation from an output terminal;a detection circuit, connected to the charge/discharge circuit, for detecting a status of the charge operation and the discharge operation and generating a control signal representing a detection result; andan adjusting circuit, connected to the detection circuit and the charge/discharge circuit, for adjusting the charge operation and the discharge operation such that a charge amount and a discharge amount per unit time become substantially equal to each other, wherein the detection circuit detects whether the voltage of the output signal is increased close to a voltage of a high-potential voltage supply or decreased close to a voltage of a low-potential voltage supply; andthe adjusting circuit adjusts the charge operation and the discharge operation to reduce a discharge operation when the voltage of the output signal is increased close to the voltage of the high-potential voltage supply and to reduce a charge operation when the voltage of the output signal is decreased close to the voltage of the low-potential voltage supply.