Patent ID: 8670280
Filing Date: 2014-03-11
Classification: G11C,H01L,H02M

Abstract:
1. A charge pump circuit comprising: a step-up capacitor comprising a first capacitance and a second capacitance coupled in series with each other; a capacitance driver operable to generate a step-up voltage by driving the step-up capacitor; and a protection circuit coupled to a series coupling node of the first capacitance and the second capacitance, wherein, when the step-up voltage is not generated, the protection circuit is set in a conductive state and discharges a stored charge at the series coupling node of the first capacitance and the second capacitance, and when the step-up voltage is generated, the protection circuit is maintained in a non-conductive state, wherein the protection circuit comprises a diode coupled to the series coupling node of the first capacitance and the second capacitance, wherein the charge pump circuit further comprises a control circuit operable to control potential of a cathode of the diode, and wherein, when the step-up voltage is not generated, the control circuit controls the cathode of the diode to a low level, and when the step-up voltage is generated, the control circuit controls the cathode of the diode to a high level.