Abstract: Structures and methods are provided for attaining high step-up and high step-down DC-to-DC power conversion using switched-capacitors. The DC-DC converters are comprised of a modular configuration of capacitors and switches and attain step-up ideal conversion ratios greater than 2N and step-down ideal conversion ratios less than 1/2N, where N is the number of floating capacitors used by the converter. A method is provided for controlling the converters, wherein the control circuit generates a multiphase switching sequence which opens and closes the switches such that the converter cycles through a plurality of topological states. Sample switching sequences are provided to generate a set of attainable ideal conversion ratios for embodiments of the converters using three and four floating capacitors.

Abstract: A structure and method is provided for DC to DC conversion using switched-capacitors. The DC-DC converter uses an optimized configuration of capacitors and switches that maximize the number of attainable ideal conversion ratios for the given number of capacitors. A method is provided for controlling the converter, wherein the control circuitry generates a multiphase switching sequence which turns the switches on and off in a cyclical manner. Sample switching sequences are provided to generate a set of attainable ideal conversion ratios, for up to three floating capacitors. The converter is programmable, modular and capable of dynamically varying its ideal conversion gain. It can be used to both step-up and step-down the input voltage.