US 11,927,635 B2
Determining charge pump efficiency using clock edge counting
Keyur Payak, Santa Clara, CA (US); and Naveen Thomas, Santa Clara, CA (US)
Assigned to SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC, Addison, TX (US)
Filed by SanDisk Technologies LLC, Addison, TX (US)
Filed on Apr. 28, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/731,589.
Prior Publication US 2023/0349972 A1, Nov. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. H03K 17/00 (2006.01); G01R 31/28 (2006.01); G01R 31/317 (2006.01); G01R 31/319 (2006.01); H03K 17/693 (2006.01)
CPC G01R 31/31905 (2013.01) [G01R 31/2879 (2013.01); G01R 31/31727 (2013.01); G01R 31/31924 (2013.01); H03K 17/693 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of determining an efficiency of a charge pump under test (PUT), the method comprising:
providing a first charge pump clock signal to a first charge pump to control a supply of a predetermined output current being drawn by a load connected to the first charge pump;
determining a first number of clock edges of the first charge pump clock signal over a first period of time that the predetermined output current is drawn by the load;
cascading the PUT to the first charge pump;
providing a second charge pump clock signal to the first charge pump after the PUT is cascaded to the first charge pump to control an output current generated by the first charge pump;
determining a second number of clock edges of the second charge pump clock signal over a second period of time having substantially the same duration as the first period of time; and
determining the efficiency of the PUT based on the first number of clock edges and the second number of clock edges.