Abstract:
The present invention provides a voltage booster circuit for effectively supplying a boosted voltage of a stable level despite of small area. The voltage booster circuit of the present invention includes: an oscillator for generating a basic pulse signal; a phase divider for dividing a frequency of the basic pulse signal to output a plurality of pulse signals having predetermined phase difference; a first to a fourth charge pumps for outputting a boosted voltage in response to a correspondent pulse signal among the plurality of pulse signals; and a drive controller for controlling the oscillator to maintain the boosted voltage to have a desired level.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a design technology for a semiconductor device; and, more particularly, to a voltage booster circuit having good pumping drivability as well as small occupation area in a circuit layout.  
       DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART  
       [0002]     In general, a voltage booster circuit outputs a boosted voltage higher than an external voltage by charge-pumping of the external voltage.  
         [0003]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram setting forth a conventional voltage booster circuit.  
         [0004]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the conventional voltage booster circuit includes an oscillator  10 , a phase divider  20 , a plurality of charge pumps  32 ,  34 ,  36  and  38 , and a drive controller  40 . The oscillator  10  generates a first and a second basic pulse signals BS_OSC 01  and BS_OSC 02 , wherein a phase difference between the first and the second basic pulse signals BS_OSCOl and BS_OSC 02  is 90°. The phase divider  20  divides the first basic pulse signal BS_OSC 01  so as to generate a first pulse signal OSCl of which a phase is 0° and a third pulse signal OSC 3  of which a phase is 180° with respect to the first basic pulse signal BS_OSC 01  In addition, the phase divider  20  generates a second pulse signal OSC 2  of which a phase is 0° and a fourth pulse signal OSC 4  of which a phase is 180° with respect to the second basic pulse signal BS_OSC 02  by dividing the second basic pulse signal BS_OSC 02 . The plurality of charge pumps are provided with a first to a fourth charge pumps  32 ,  34 ,  36  and  38  that generate a boosted voltage Vpp by charge-pumping of an external voltage in response to the first to the fourth pulse signals OSC 1  to OSC 4 . The drive controller  40  controls the oscillator  10  to make the boosted voltage Vpp have a desired level.  
         [0005]      FIG. 2  is a circuit diagram setting forth the oscillator  10  of the conventional voltage booster circuit.  
         [0006]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the oscillator  10  is provided with a NAND gate ND 1 , a first inverter I 1 , a first inverter chain  12 , a second inverter I 2  and a second inverter chain  14 . Herein, the NAND gate ND 1  performs logic NAND operation to a drive control signal EN and an output signal of the second inverter chain  14 . The first inverter I 1  inverts the output signal of the NAND gate ND 1  so as to output the first basic pulse signal BS_OSC 01  The first inverter chain  12  delays and outputs the output signal of the NAND gate ND 1 . The second inverter I 2  inverts the output signal of the first inverter chain  12  so as to output the second basic pulse signal BS_OSC 02 . The second inverter chain  14  delays and outputs the output signal of the first inverter chain  12 .  
         [0007]     For reference, each of the first and the second inverter chains  12  and  14  incorporates therein four inverters connected in series so that each inverter chain  12  and  14  has same delay time.  
         [0008]     Likewise, the oscillator  10  maintains to make the first basic pulse signal BS_OSC 01  and the second basic pulse signal BS_OSC_ 02  have logic low level respectively in virtue of the NAND gate ND 1 , while the drive control signal EN is in logic low level.  
         [0009]     In case that the drive control signal EN becomes in logic high level, the NAND gate ND 1  in the oscillator  10  outputs the first basic pulse signal BS_OSC 01  of logic high level. In this case, the second basic pulse signal BS_OSC_ 02  of logic high level is outputted through the second inverter I 2  after being delayed by a predetermined delay time at the first inverter chain  12 . That is, the second basic pulse signal BS_OSC 02  becomes in logic high level soon after an additional delay corresponding to the predetermined delay time of the first inverter chain  12 . At this time, since the first and the second inverter chains  12  and  14  have same delay time as described already, the second basic pulse signal BS_OSC_ 02  has phase difference of 90° with respect to the first basic pulse signal BS_OSC 01   
         [0010]     Therefore, the oscillator  10  continuously generates the first and the second basic pulse signals BS_OSC 01  and BS_OSC 02  of which periods are four times longer than the predetermined delay time of the first inverter chain  12 , while the drive control signal EN is in logic high level.  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a circuit diagram setting forth a phase divider  20  of the conventional voltage booster circuit as shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0012]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the phase divider  20  is provided with a third inverter I 3  for outputting the third pulse signal OSC 3  by inverting the first basic pulse signal BS_OSC 01 , a fourth inverter I 4  for outputting the first pulse signal OSC 1  by inverting the third pulse signal OSC 3 , a fifth inverter I 5  for outputting the fourth pulse signal OSC 4  by inverting the second basic pulse signal BS_OSC 02  and a sixth inverter I 6  for outputting the second pulse signal OSC 2  by inverting the fourth pulse signal OSC 4 .  
         [0013]     As the first and the second basic pulse signal BS_OSC 01  and BS_OSC 02  are inverted through the third inverter I 3  and the fifth inverter I 5  respectively, the phase divider  20  generates the third pulse signal OSC 3  that has phase difference of 180° with respect to the first basic pulse signal BS_OSC 01 , and the fourth pulse signal OSC 4  that has phase difference of 180° with respect to the second basic pulse signal BS_OSC 02 .  
         [0014]     In addition, since the third and the fourth pulse signals OSC 3  and OSC 4  are inverted through the fourth and the sixth inverters I 4  and I 6  respectively, the first and the second pulse signals OSC 1  and OSC 2  have phase difference of 0° with respect to the first and the second basic pulse signals BS_OSC 01  and BS_OSC 02  respectively.  
         [0015]     For reference, each of the first to the fourth pulse signals OSC 1  to OSC 4  has a period in tens of nanometers generally.  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is a timing diagram setting forth an operation of the conventional voltage booster circuit.  
         [0017]     To begin with, the oscillator  10  maintains the first and the second basic pulse signals BS_OSC 01  and BS_OSC 02  to be in logic low level while the drive control signal EN is in logic low level. Therefore, the first to the fourth pulse signals OSC 1  to OSC 4  outputted from the phase divider  20  do not have pulse so that the first to the fourth charge pumps  32 ,  34 ,  36  and  38  are not operated.  
         [0018]     However, when the drive control signal EN becomes in logic high level, the oscillator  10  generates the first and the second basic pulse signals BS_OSC 01  and BS_OSC 02  having periods of four times longer than the predetermined delay time of the first inverter chain  12 . At this time, the second basic pulse signal BS_OSC 02  has phase difference of 90° with respect to the first basic pulse signal BS_OSC 02 .  
         [0019]     Thereafter, the phase divider  20  receives the first and the second basic pulse signals BS_O 0 SC 01  and BS_OSC 02  so as to generate the first to the fourth pulse signals having a phase difference of 0 or 180° with respect to the first and the second basic pulse signal BS_OSC 01  and BS_OSC 02 . Thus, the first to the fourth charge pumps  32 ,  34 ,  36  and  38 , are enabled during an activation period of a correspondent pulse signal so as to generate the boosted voltage Vpp by pumping the applied external voltage Vext.  
         [0020]     Afterwards, the drive controller  40  outputs the drive control signal EN of logic high level on and on if the boosted voltage Vpp does not have a desired level. Accordingly, the drive controller  40  makes the charge pumps  32 ,  34 ,  36  and  38  operated continuously because the first and the second basic pulse signals BS_OSC 01  and BS_OSC 02  are continuously generated while the drive control signal EN is in logic high level. Provided that the level of the boosted voltage Vpp reaches to the desired level, the drive controller  40  outputs the drive control signal EN of logic low level. Therefore, the oscillator  10  stops being operated so as to deactivate the charge pumps  32 ,  34 ,  36  and  38 .  
         [0021]     Meanwhile, the conventional voltage booster circuit shows poor drivability efficiency because it is difficult to maintain the pulse signal to have duty ratio of 50% and further, it is also difficult to generate a plurality of pulse signals having same phase difference from one another.  
         [0022]     In detail, the pulse signals OSC 1  to OSC 4  cannot maintain duty ratio of 50% because duty ratio of the basic pulse signals BS_OSC 01  and BS_OSC 02  for generating the pulse signals OSC 1  to OSC  4  are varied with PVT variance. In other words, the pulse signals OSC 1  to OSC 4  are obtained from two basic pulse signals, i.e., the basic pulse signals BS_OSC 01  and BS_OSC 02 , whereby the pulse signals OSC 1  to OSC 4  have same duty ratio with those of the basic pulse signals BS_OSC 01  and BS_OSC 02 . However, since the basic pulse signals BS_OSC 01  and BS_OSC 02  are generated at the oscillator  10  incorporating therein the inverter chain which is severely influenced by a level of a drive voltage, temperature of a peripheral region, a process condition and so forth, it is difficult to maintain duty ratio of 50% uniformly.  
         [0023]     Furthermore, in order to maximize the drivability efficiency, each charge pump should be operated at its own predetermined time within one period. However, according to the conventional voltage booster circuit, it is difficult to generate the plurality of pulse signals having same phase difference from one another.  
         [0024]     As described above, since the pulse signals are obtained from two basic pulse signals after being delayed and inverted, phase difference between the basic pulse signals should be controlled in considering the phase difference between the pulse signals corresponding to the number of the charge pump. However, it is difficult to generate the basic pulse signals and the pulse signals in considering the adequate phase difference therebetween corresponding to the number of the charge pump. Moreover, the phase difference between the pulse signals, which are generated from two basic pulse signals, is scarcely uniform.  
         [0025]     In addition, it should be necessary to increase a required area in a circuit layout in order to supply the boosted voltage Vpp of a stable level according to the conventional voltage booster circuit. That is, since a driving time of the charge pumps  32 ,  34 ,  36  and  38  should be elongated for providing the boosted voltage Vpp of stable level, each period of the first to the fourth pulse signals OSC 1  to OSC 4  should be elongated. Therefore, it is also necessary to elongate the first and the second basic pulse signals BS_OSC 01  and BS_OSC 02  for generating the elongated first to the fourth pulse signals OSC 1  to OSC 4 . As a result, the number of the inverter in the oscillator  10  should be increased, which causes to increase a required area in the circuit layout in the long run.  
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0026]     It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a voltage booster circuit for effectively supplying a boosted voltage of stable level despite of a small occupation area in a circuit layout.  
         [0027]     In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a voltage booster circuit including: an oscillator for generating a basic pulse signal; a phase divider for dividing a frequency of the basic pulse signal to output a plurality of pulse signals having predetermined phase difference; a first to a fourth charge pumps for outputting a boosted voltage in response to a correspondent pulse signal among the plurality of pulse signals; and a drive controller for controlling the oscillator to maintain the boosted voltage to have a desired level.  
         [0028]     In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a voltage booster circuit including: an oscillator for generating a basic pulse signal; a phase divider for generating a pulse signal by dividing a frequency of the basic pulse signal; a charge pump for outputting a boosted voltage in response to the pulse signal; and a drive controller for controlling the oscillator to maintain the boosted voltage to have a desired level. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0029]     The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred. embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0030]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram setting forth a conventional voltage booster circuit;  
         [0031]      FIG. 2  is a circuit diagram representing the oscillator of the conventional voltage booster circuit;  
         [0032]      FIG. 3  is a circuit diagram describing a phase divider of the conventional voltage booster circuit;  
         [0033]      FIG. 4  is a timing diagram explaining an operation of the conventional voltage booster circuit;  
         [0034]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram depicting a voltage booster circuit in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0035]      FIG. 6  is a circuit diagram showing the oscillator of the voltage booster circuit in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0036]      FIG. 7  is a circuit diagram illustrating the phase divider of the voltage booster circuit in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0037]      FIG. 8  is a circuit diagram indicating the first frequency divider of the phase divider in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0038]      FIG. 9  is a circuit diagram expressing the first charge pump of the voltage booster circuit in accordance with the present invention; and  
         [0039]      FIG. 10  is a timing diagram accounting for an operation of the voltage booster circuit in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION  
       [0040]     The present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown.  
         [0041]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram setting forth a voltage booster circuit in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0042]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the inventive voltage booster circuit includes an oscillator  100 , a phase divider  200 , a first to a fourth charge pumps  320 ,  340 ,  360  and  380 , and a drive controller  400 . Herein, the oscillator  100  generates a basic pulse signal BS_OSC 0 . The phase divider  200  divides frequency of the basic pulse signal BS_OSC 0  so as to output a first to a fourth pulse signals OSC 1  to OSC 4  having each phase difference of 90° therebetween. The first to the fourth charge pumps  320 ,  340 ,  360  and  380  output a boosted voltage Vpp in response to the first to the fourth pulse signals OSC 1  to OSC 4  respectively. The drive controller  400  controls operation of the oscillator  100  in order to maintain the outputted boosted voltage Vpp to have a desired level.  
         [0043]     In accordance with the present invention, since the pulse signals OSC 1  to OSC 4  for driving the charge pumps  320 ,  340 ,  360  and  380  are generated through the phase divider  200  incorporating therein frequency dividers, it is sufficient for the oscillator  100  to generate only one basic pulse signal BS_OSC 0 . This will be more fully described with reference to following drawings.  
         [0044]      FIG. 6  is a circuit diagram setting forth the oscillator  100  of the voltage booster circuit in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0045]     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the oscillator  100  is provided with a NAND gate ND 2 , an inverter I 7  and an inverter chain  120 . Herein, the NAND gate ND 2  receives a drive control signal EN and a feedback signal as input signals. The inverter I 7  inverts the output signal of the NAND gate ND 2  so as to output the basic pulse signal BS_OSC 0 . The inverter chain  120  outputs the feedback signal after delaying and inverting the basic pulse signal BS_OSC 0 .  
         [0046]     In comparison of the inventive oscillator  100  with the conventional one which is shown in  FIG. 2 , the inventive oscillator  100  has inverters less than the conventional one. Thus, it is understood that the basic pulse signal BS_OSC 0  has relatively short period. Accordingly, a required area for the oscillator  100  becomes smaller than the conventional oscillator.  
         [0047]      FIG. 7  is a circuit diagram setting forth the phase divider  200  of the voltage booster circuit in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0048]     Referring to  FIG. 7 , the phase divider  200  is provided with a first divider  220 , an inverter I 8 , a second divider  240 , an inverter I 9 . The first divider  220  divides a frequency of the basic pulse signal BS_OSC 0  by two so as to output a first pulse signal OSC 1 . The inverter I 8  inverts the first pulse signal OSC 1  and then outputs a third pulse signal OSC 3 . The second divider  240  divides a frequency of an inverted basic pulse signal by two so as to output a second pulse signal OSC 2 . The inverter I 9  inverts the second pulse signal OSC 2  to thereby output a fourth pulse signal OSC 4 .  
         [0049]     In accordance with the inventive phase divider  200 , since the basic pulse signal BS_OSC 0  is divided through the first and the second dividers  220  and  240 , it is possible to generate the first to the fourth pulse signals OSC 1  to OSC 4  having accurate duty ratio of 50%. In addition, since the first to the fourth pulse signals OSC 1  to OSC 4  are generated from only one basic pulse signal BS_OSC 0 , the phase difference between the pulse signals is exactly 90°, which is different from the conventional one.  
         [0050]     Furthermore, the phase divider  200  divides the frequency of the basic pulse signal BS_OSC 0  by a desired period through the first and the second dividers  220  and  240 , it is unnecessary for the basic pulse signal BS_OSC 0  to have a specific period so that it is possible to reduce the occupation area of the oscillator  100 .  
         [0051]      FIG. 8  is a circuit diagram setting forth the first divider  220  of the phase divider  200  in accordance with the present invention. Herein, since the second divider  240  also has same configuration with the first divider  220 , detail descriptions are mainly focused on the first divider  220 .  
         [0052]     Referring to  FIG. 8 , the first divider  220  has a first transfer gate TG 1 , a first latch  222 , a second transfer gate TG 2  and a second latch  224 . The first transfer gate TG 1  transfers an inverted output signal thereof when an input signal IN is in logic low level. The first latch  222  is used for latching the output signal of the first transfer gate TG 1 . The second transfer gate TG 2  transfers the output signal of the first latch  222  when the input signal IN is in logic high level. The second latch  224  latches the output signal of the transfer gate TG 2  so as to output an output signal OUT.  
         [0053]     Each divider  220  and  240  is configured with the first and the second transfer gates TGl and TG 2  which transfer data according to a logic level of the input signal IN. The first and the second dividers  220  and  240  render the level of the output signal OUT be changed once during one period of the input signal IN. As a result, the output signal OUT of each divider  220  and  240  has a period two times longer than the period of the input signal IN.  
         [0054]     Meanwhile, since the first and the second dividers  220  and  240  receive the basic pulse signal BS_OSC 0  as the input signal IN, it is understood that the period of the output signal OUT is also two times longer than that of the basic pulse signal BS_OSC 0 .  
         [0055]      FIG. 9  is a circuit diagram setting forth the first charge pump  320  of the voltage booster circuit in accordance with the present invention. Herein, each of the charge pumps  320 ,  340 ,  360  and  380  has same configuration so that descriptions will be restricted to the first charge pump  320  for the sake of convenience.  
         [0056]     The first charge pump  320  is provided with a first capacitor C 1  for receiving the first pulse signal OSC 1 , a second capacitor C 2  for receiving an inverted first pulse signal and a differential amplifier  322  where charges stored at the first and the second capacitors Cl and C 2  are applied as a differential input.  
         [0057]      FIG. 10  is a timing diagram setting forth an operation of the voltage booster circuit in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0058]     To begin with, in case that the drive control signal EN is in logic low level, the oscillator  100  outputs the basic pulse signal BS_OSC 0  of logic low level. On the other hand, if the drive control signal EN becomes in logic high level, the oscillator  100  outputs the basic pulse signal BS_OSC 0  of which the period is two times longer than the delay time of its inverter chain  120 .  
         [0059]     Thereafter, the phase divider  200  divides the frequency of the basic pulse signal BS_OSC 0  by two, which is applied through the first and the second dividers  220  and  240 . Therefore, the phase divider  200  outputs the first to the fourth pulse signals OSC 1  to OSC 4  in which the phase difference between the Nth pulse signal and the N+1th pulse signal is 90°. That is, the phase difference between the first and the second pulse signals OSC 1  and OSC 2  is 90° and so forth.  
         [0060]     Accordingly, the first to the fourth charge pumps  320 ,  340 ,  360  and  380  generates the boosted voltage Vpp according to the logic level of the correspondent pulse signal.  
         [0061]     In addition, the drive controller  400  maintains the drive control signal EN to be in logic high level provided that the boosted voltage Vpp does not reach to a desired level, whereby the oscillator  100  continuously generates the basic pulse signal BS_OSC 0 . Meanwhile, if the level of the boosted voltage Vpp becomes the desired level, the drive controller  400  maintains the drive control signal EN to be in logic low level so that the oscillator  100  is turned off and the charge pumps  320 ,  340 ,  360  and  380  are disabled.  
         [0062]     Likewise, in accordance with the voltage booster circuit of the present invention, since the phase divider  200  incorporates therein frequency dividers, i.e., the first and the second dividers  220  and  240 , it is possible to control the period of the pulse signal through the frequency dividers  220  and  240  regardless of whether the basic pulse signal BS_OSC 0  has a specific period required for the charge pumps  320 ,  340 ,  360  and  380  or not. Therefore, the basic pulse signal BS_OSC 0  may have short period so that the required area of the oscillator  100  in the circuit layout can be reduced in comparison with the prior art.  
         [0063]     Furthermore, since the phase divider  200  is provided with the frequency dividers, the pulse signals OSC 1  to OSC 4  outputted from the first and the second dividers  220  and  240  have duty ratio of 50%. In addition, since the pulse signals are generated from only one basic pulse signal BS_OSC 0 , the phase difference between the pulse signals can be uniform.  
         [0064]     Accordingly, the voltage booster circuit of the present invention having the divider can be implemented within only small area in comparison with the prior art. Moreover, the present invention provides another advantageous merit that it is possible to control the phase difference between the pulse signals and duty ratio in order that the inventive voltage booster circuit may have optimized drivability.  
         [0065]     Meanwhile, since the boosted voltage Vpp is generated through four charge pumps  320 ,  340 ,  360  and  380 , it is possible to generate the first to the fourth pulse signals in which the phase difference is exactly 90° from one another, for maintaining uniform intervals thereamong. Herein, in case that the number of the charge pump is varied unlike the embodiment of the present invention, the phase difference between the pulse signals may be also varied so that the number of the divider and division ratio may be varied with various conditions.  
         [0066]     The present application contains subject matter related to Korean patent application No. 2005-27391, filed in the Korean Patent Office on Mar. 31, 2005, the entire contents of which being incorporated herein by reference.  
         [0067]     While the present invention has been described with respect to the particular embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.