Patent ID: 7355468

Claim:
A voltage generator circuit providing an output voltage that is higher than an input voltage, the voltage generator circuit comprising: an input terminal receiving the input voltage; an output terminal providing the output voltage; a pre-charge element coupled between the input terminal and the output terminal; and a capacitance circuit coupled to the input terminal and to the output terminal, the capacitance circuit comprising: a first capacitance; a first capacitance current pass element coupled between the output terminal and a first node of the first capacitance; a second capacitance; a second capacitance current pass element being connected between the output terminal and a first node of the second capacitance; a third capacitance, a first node of which being coupled to the output terminal; and a current pass and pre-charge element controller provided such that in a pre-charge phase, the current pass elements and the pre-charge element are closed, and in a voltage shifting phase, the pre-charge element is opened, wherein the capacitance current pass elements are controlled such that they are sequentially opened such that charge on the capacitances is transferred to a predetermined capacitance of the capacitance circuit, which then provides the output voltage, wherein, before a capacitance current pass element is opened, a respective capacitance, the first node of which is coupled to the capacitance current pass element to be opened, is provided with a boost voltage at its second node.