Patent ID: 6236581
Filing Date: 2001-05-22
Classification: G05F,G11C,H02M

Abstract:
A boosted voltage supply comprising:DC voltage supply providing plural voltage levels;a boosting capacitor having first and second terminals; anda switching circuit including a first switch between one level of the voltage supply and the first terminal of the boosting capacitor and a second switch between the first terminal of the boosting capacitor and a capacitive load, the first and second switches being driven by clock signals, the switching circuit alternately connecting the first terminal of the boosting capacitor to the voltage supply and to the capacitive load while alternating the level of the voltage supply connected to the second terminal of the boosting capacitor to pump the voltage on the capacitive load to a boosted voltage level greater than and of the same polarity as the DC voltage supply to provide a boosted voltage supply;at least one of said first and second switches being controlled by a boosted clock signal gated from the boosted voltage supply; andthe boosted clock signal being generated through cross-coupled transistors having their gates pulled low by separate transistors, the cross-coupled transistors being coupled to the boosted voltage supply.