Patent ID: 6850111

Claim:
A charge pump circuit for providing an output voltage greater than a supply voltage, the charge pump circuit comprising: a first diode; a circuit node; a terminal for acquiring an input voltage; a first charge storage device coupled, via said first diode to said terminal for acquiring the input voltage, said first charge storage device also coupled to said circuit node; a terminal for acquiring the supply potential; a terminal for acquiring a reference-ground potential; a second diode; a terminal for providing an output voltage; a second charge storage device coupled to said terminal for acquiring the supply potential, said second charge storage device coupled, via said second diode, to said first charge storage device, said second charge storage device connected to said terminal for providing the output voltage; a first anti-saturation circuit including a first switching device coupled to said terminal for acquiring the supply potential and to said circuit node, said first switching device including a bipolar transistor; a second anti-saturation circuit including a second switching device connected to said terminal for acquiring a reference-ground potential and to said circuit node, said second switching device including a bipolar transistor; and a drive circuit configured for acquiring the high-frequency signal for alternately switching on said bipolar transistor of said first anti-saturation circuit and said bipolar transistor of said second anti-saturation circuit; said bipolar transistor of said first anti-saturation circuit constructed as a switching amplifier having a control input connected to said drive circuit; said bipolar transistor of said second anti-saturation circuit constructed as a switching amplifier having a control input connected to said drive circuit; a terminal for acquiring a high-frequency signal for controlling said first switching device and said second switching device; said first switching device coupled to said terminal for acquiring the high-frequency signal for controlling said first switching device and said second switching device; and said second switching device coupled to said terminal for acquiring the high-frequency signal for controlling said first switching device and said second switching device; and a high-voltage protection device for protecting against high voltages, said high-voltage protection device having a control input for acquiring an auxiliary voltage, and said high-voltage protection device connecting said drive circuit to said terminal for acquiring the supply voltage.