Patent · US Expired

Over-current protection circuit for linear voltage regulators

US6347029B1 · kind B1 · utility

16Cited by
5References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 2, 1999
Grant dateFeb 12, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 2, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG05F1/573
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Current protection circuit has a comparator having a first terminal coupled to a reference voltage, a second terminal coupled to an output node, and an output for providing a control signal based on the inputs. Current protection circuit also has a transistor having a drain electrode coupled to a first predetermined voltage, a gate electrode, and a source electrode coupled to the output node. The transistor includes a current path between the drain electrode and the source electrode for conducting an amount of current that is dependent on the voltage applied to the gate electrode. Current protection circuit also has a fold-back circuit having a first input coupled to the output node for detecting changes in the output voltage, a second input coupled to the output of comparator for receiving the control signal, and a third input for selectively changing the voltage applied to the gate electrode based the control signal and the changes in the output voltage.

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