Rf switch with inter-domain esd protection

Abstract

An electronic device is described. The electronic device comprises a voltage generator including a charge pump configured to provide an output voltage. A comparator is configured to generate a control signal based on comparing a value indicative of an output voltage with a reference voltage. A clock is operable to selectively provide a clock signal to the charge pump. A level shifter is configured to receive the output voltage from the charge pump and to perform level shifting. A semiconductor-on-insulator radio frequency (RF) switch is configured to receive a signal from the level shifter. One or more ESD discharge paths are associated with the level shifter.

I claim: 
     
         1 . An electronic device comprising:
 a voltage generator including a charge pump configured to provide an output voltage;   a comparator configured to generate a control signal based on comparing a value indicative of an output voltage with a reference voltage;   a clock operable to selectively provide a clock signal to the charge pump;   a level shifter configured to receive the output voltage from the charge pump and to perform level shifting;   a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) radio frequency (RF) switch configured to receive a signal from the level shifter; and   one or more ESD discharge paths associated with the level shifter.   
     
     
         2 . The electronic device as claimed in  claim 1 ; wherein the comparator comprises an op-amp. 
     
     
         3 . The electronic device as claimed in  claim 1 ; further comprising
 an RF domain section having a plurality of RF switching elements;   a DC domain section having circuitry configured for driving the RF switching elements; and   at least one primary ESD protection element operably coupled between the RF domain section and DC domain section.   
     
     
         4 . The electronic device as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the at least one primary ESD protection element is provided on a semiconductor substrate containing the RF domain section and the DC domain section. 
     
     
         5 . The electronic device as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the at least one primary ESD protection element is operably coupled between a supply voltage node in the DC domain section and an RF ground reference node in the RF domain section. 
     
     
         6 . The electronic device as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the RF domain section includes one or more RF ground reference nodes each associated with a corresponding transistor connecting two RF nodes. 
     
     
         7 . The electronic device as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the DC domain section comprises one or more secondary ESD protection elements. 
     
     
         8 . The electronic device as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the DC domain section comprises two secondary ESD protection elements. 
     
     
         9 . The electronic device as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein one of the secondary ESD protection elements is operably coupled to an output node of a voltage regulator in the DC domain section. 
     
     
         10 . The electronic device as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the other one of the secondary ESD protection elements is operably coupled to an output node of a negative voltage generator in the DC domain section. 
     
     
         11 . The electronic device as claimed in  claim 3 , further comprising a plurality of RF isolation filters operably coupled between the DC domain section and the RF domain section, the respective RF isolation filters include resistive loads which are scaled relatively to an effective resistive load that occurs between an output node of the RF isolation filter and a terminal of an RF switch element. 
     
     
         12 . The electronic device as claimed in  claim 3 , further comprising at least one RF isolation filter having an ESD protection element, the at least one RF isolation filter being operably coupled between the DC domain section and the RF domain section. 
     
     
         13 . The electronic device as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the at least one RF isolation filter comprises a pair of capacitors and a resistor operably coupled there between, one of the capacitors is associated with the DC domain section and the other capacitor is associated with the RF domain section, the ESD protection element is operably coupled to the resistor. 
     
     
         14 . The electronic device as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the RF domain section comprises at least one stack of transistors, and a clamping element is associated with each transistor. 
     
     
         15 . The electronic device as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the clamping element is operably coupled between a body terminal and a gate terminal of the corresponding transistor. 
     
     
         16 . The electronic device as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the clamping element comprises a transistor. 
     
     
         17 . The electronic device as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the clamping element comprises a MOSFET transistor. 
     
     
         18 . The electronic device as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the clamping element is turned off during normal operation of the RF switch and is turned on in response to experiencing an ESD event. 
     
     
         19 . An electronic device comprising:
 a voltage generator including a charge pump configured to provide an output voltage;   a op-amp configured to generate a control signal based on comparing a value indicative of an output voltage with a reference voltage;   a clock operable to selectively provide a clock signal to the charge pump;   a level shifter configured to receive the output voltage from the charge pump and to perform level shifting;   a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) radio frequency (RF) switch configured to receive a signal from the level shifter; and   a voltage divider operably coupled to an input of the op-amp while the other input of the op-amp is coupled to a reference voltage.   
     
     
         20 . An electronic device as claimed in  claim 19 ; wherein further comprising one or more ESD discharge paths associated with the level shifter.