US6288951B1 — Method and apparatus for continuously regulating …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 134 words

A method for continuously regulating an output voltage of a charge pump of a non-volatile memory to a target voltage wherein said non-volatile memory comprises a regulator comprising a first regulator sub-circuit and a second regulator sub-circuit, the method comprising the steps of: (a) regulating said output voltage to said target voltage with said first regulator sub-circuit in conjunction with a single reference voltage for a first period of time; (b) disabling said first regulator sub-circuit for a second period of time at the end of said first period of time; and (c) regulating said output voltage to said target voltage, at the end of said second period of time, with said second regulator sub-circuit in conjunction with said reference voltage for a third period of time while said first regulator sub-circuit is disabled.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 134 words

A method for continuously regulating an output voltage of a charge pump of a non-volatile memory to a target voltage wherein said non-volatile memory comprises a regulator comprising a first regulator sub-circuit and a second regulator sub-circuit, the method comprising the steps of: (a) regulating said output voltage to said target voltage with said first regulator sub-circuit in conjunction with a single reference voltage for a first period of time; (b) disabling said first regulator sub-circuit for a second period of time at the end of said first period of time; and (c) regulating said output voltage to said target voltage, at the end of said second period of time, with said second regulator sub-circuit in conjunction with said reference voltage for a third period of time while said first regulator sub-circuit is disabled.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 46 words

The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: (d) disabling said second regulator sub-circuit for a fourth period of time at the end of said third period of time; and (e) repeating steps (a)-(d) at the end of said fourth period of time.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 37 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein said first and second regulator sub-circuits comprise a capacitor divider network, said capacitor divider network comprising a first capacitor electrically coupled to a second capacitor at a voltage divider node.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 63 words

The method of claim 3 , wherein a voltage of said voltage divider node of said first regulator sub-circuit is reset to a value substantially equal to 1.3 V when said second regulator sub-circuit is disabled and said voltage divider node of said second regulator sub-circuit is reset to a value substantially equal to 1.3 V when said first regulator sub-circuit is disabled.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein said target output voltage is substantially equal to 9.5 V.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein said first period of time is equivalent to said second period of time.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 6 , wherein said first and second periods of time are greater than or substantially equal to one millisecond.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein only one of said first and second regulators are enabled at any given time.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein said second period of time is equivalent to said fourth period of time, said second and fourth periods of time being greater than or substantially equal to one nanosecond.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 104 words

A non-volatile memory comprising: a charge pump; and a regulator comprising a first regulator sub-circuit, and a second regulator sub-circuit, at least one of said first and second regulator sub-circuits comprising a capacitor divider network, wherein said first regulator sub-circuit regulates an output voltage of said charge pump at a target output voltage while said second regulator sub-circuit is disabled, said second regulator regulates said output voltage at said target output voltage while said first regulator sub-circuit is disabled, and said capacitor divider network of at least one of said first and second regulator sub-circuits is discharged while its respective regulator sub-circuit is disabled.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 104 words

A non-volatile memory comprising: a charge pump; and a regulator comprising a first regulator sub-circuit, and a second regulator sub-circuit, at least one of said first and second regulator sub-circuits comprising a capacitor divider network, wherein said first regulator sub-circuit regulates an output voltage of said charge pump at a target output voltage while said second regulator sub-circuit is disabled, said second regulator regulates said output voltage at said target output voltage while said first regulator sub-circuit is disabled, and said capacitor divider network of at least one of said first and second regulator sub-circuits is discharged while its respective regulator sub-circuit is disabled.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 96 words

The memory of claim 10 , wherein said first regulator sub-circuit regulates said output voltage of said charge pump at said target output voltage for a first period of time while said second regulator sub-circuit is disabled and, at the end of said first period of time, said first regulator sub-circuit is disabled for a second period of time, said second regulator sub-circuit is enabled, and said second regulator sub-circuit regulates said output voltage of said charge pump at said target output voltage for a third period of time while said second regulator sub-circuit is disabled.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 51 words

The memory of claim 11 , wherein at the end of said third period of time, said second regulator sub-circuit is disabled for a fourth period of time, and at the end of said fourth period of time, said first regulator sub-circuit is again enabled for said first period of time.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 20 words

The memory of claim 10 , wherein said first period of time is equivalent to said third period of time.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 21 words

The memory of claim 13 , wherein said first period of time is greater than or substantially equal to one millisecond.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 21 words

The memory of claim 10 , wherein said first period of time is not equivalent to said third period of time.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 20 words

The memory of claim 10 , wherein said second period of time is equivalent to said fourth period of time.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 21 words

The memory of claim 16 , wherein said second period of time is greater than or substantially equal to 1 nanosecond.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 50 words

The memory of claim 10 , wherein said capacitor divider network comprises a first capacitor coupled to a second capacitor at a voltage divider node, and a voltage at said voltage divider node is substantially equal to 1.3 V when said target output voltage is substantially equal to 9.5 V.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2004-09-10	2005-03-12	2005-09-11	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2008-09-10	2009-03-12	2009-09-11	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2012-09-10	2013-03-12	2013-09-11	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for continuously regulating a charge pump output voltage using a capacitor divider

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