Patent · US Expired

Current regulator and method

US4808907A · kind A · utility

31Cited by
5References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMay 17, 1988
Grant dateFeb 28, 1989
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 17, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG05F3/22
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An integrated circuit for providing a regulated output current comprises an output transistor for producing the output current, a feedback circuit including a current mirror for sensing the magnitude of the output current and providing a feedback current proportional thereto and a driver circuit for comparing the feedback current to an externally generated current and biasing the output transistor accordingly to regulate the magnitude of the output current to a predetermined value. Preferably, the external current is generated through an external resistor coupled to an input of the driver curcuit and the current mirror wherein the magnitude of the external current is directly proportional to a reference voltage provided on chip and applied to an additional input of the driver circuit the latter of which functions as an operational amplifier.

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