Patent ID: 8625366

Claim:
A negative high voltage generator, comprising: a charge providing unit configured to periodically output a predetermined amount of positive charges received from a supply voltage; and a voltage conversion unit configured to store the positive charges and to discharge the stored positive charges to a ground voltage to generate a negative high voltage having a magnitude larger than a magnitude of the supply voltage, wherein the voltage conversion unit comprises: a first switch unit configured to turn on in response to a first control signal to transfer the positive charges; a coupling capacitor having a first electrode and a second electrode, the coupling capacitor being configured to store the positive charges received from the first switch unit at the first electrode and to provide the negative high voltage at the second electrode; a second switch unit configured to turn on in response to a second control signal to discharge the stored positive charges from the first electrode of the coupling capacitor to the ground voltage; and a third switch unit configured to turn on in response to a third control signal to connect the second electrode of the coupling capacitor to the ground voltage.