Power circuit including inrush current limiter, and integrated circuit including the power circuit
US6150800A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 15, 1999 |
| Grant date | Nov 21, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 15, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S323/908
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A power circuit including means for preventing the generation of an inrush current during the power circuit's initial operation without increasing the size of the power circuit is described. The power circuit comprises an output transistor for supplying a current from a power supply to an output terminal, and a differential amplifier for controlling the current supplied by the output transistor in such a manner as to regulate a voltage at the output terminal based on a preset reference voltage. A limiting transistor is provided as a source follower on a current path at the output stage of the differential amplifier. The gate potential of the output transistor is controlled using the source potential of the limiting transistor. Before the power circuit starts to operate, an operation controller charges a capacitor to control the gate potential of the limiting transistor so that during the initial operation of the power circuit, the capacitor is discharged by using a current source. Accordingly, during the initial operation of the power circuit, the gate potential of the limiting transistor gradually decreases while the gate-source voltage of the output transistor gradually increases…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.