Redundant on-chip high voltage generation

Abstract

An auto-redundant high voltage generating circuitry and a method to generate a high voltage to a low DC current load is provided. The circuitry incudes a digital controller and two charge pump modules each comprising a charge pump. The high voltage is generated by having either one of the two charge pump modules active at a time. Each charge pump module is configured to have its output in a high impedance state whenever the respective charge pump module is inactive, and to provide a status information signal that indicates whether the active charge pump module is functional. The digital controller monitors the active charge pump module's status information signal, and automatically switches to the other charge pump module to produce the high voltage if the status information signal indicates that the currently active charge pump module is not functional.