Capacitor charge sharing charge pump

Abstract

A multiphase charge pump including first and second phase charge pump circuits. Each of the first and second phase charge pump circuits includes a bootstrap capacitor. The bootstrap capacitors are switchingly connected by an equalization circuit that periodically transfers charge from a discharging capacitor to a charging capacitor, thereby reducing the charge that must be externally supplied to charge the charging capacitor.

1 . A method of operating a charge pump, said method comprising: 
 operating a first-phase circuit of said charge pump to produce an output voltage at an output terminal;    operating a second phase circuit of said charge pump to produce an output voltage at said output terminal;    said first and second phase circuit being operated out of phase with one another; and    transferring charge between a driving side of a bootstrap capacitor of said first phase circuit and a driving side of a bootstrap capacitor of said second phase circuit during said operation.    
   
   
       2 - 23 . (canceled)