Patent ID: 7898319

Claim:
A method for efficiency improvement in charge pump systems for low power applications comprising the steps of: providing a level detector which drives a charge pump and a ring oscillator, providing said ring oscillator which drives said charge pump, providing said charge pump which drives said level detector, with a charge pumping action, identifying leakage current which occurs during a charge pumping action, wherein said leakage current results in a leakage power, providing a charge pump output voltage high target which is detected by said level detector, providing a charge pump output voltage low target which is detected by said level detector, providing a charge pump enable signal which activates said charge pumping action, and identifying a charge pump output voltage, wherein charge pump output power minus said leakage power divided by a charge pump consumed power results from said charge pumping action, is defined as a charge pump efficiency, wherein said charge pump efficiency is varied and controlled by varying said charge pump output voltage high target, wherein said charge pump efficiency is varied and controlled by varying said charge pump output voltage low target, wherein changing said charge pump output voltage high target and said charge pump output voltage low target allows said charge pump to minimize a phase when said leakage current occurs.