Patent · US Expired

Low power dissipation series regulator for PCM repeater lines

US4203141A · kind A · utility

5Cited by
9References
3Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 30, 1978
Grant dateMay 13, 1980
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 30, 1998

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH02H3/087
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A current regulator for a pulse code modulated (PCM) transmission line is interposed between a voltage potential and a load (consisting of repeater amplifiers along the PCM transmission line) for limiting the current flow to the load. During normal operation, the regulator provides a relatively low impedance path from the voltage potential to the load through a series pass transistor and a sensing resistor. During an overload condition, which is sensed by the sensing resistor, the series pass transistor is deprived of base drive thereby providing a high impedance path with an accompanying increased voltage drop across the series pass transistor of the series regulator. This voltage drop is used to drive a timer which turns the series pass transistor off and on, with a low on time or duty cycle, in order to minimize power dissipation during the overload condition. After the overload condition has been alleviated, the series pass transistor is turned back on by the timer, and due to the low current flowing to the load, the series pass transistor is again returned to its relatively low impedance conducting condition.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.