Current limiting circuit and voltage regulator using the same
US7986499B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 23, 2008 |
| Grant date | Jul 26, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 25, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG05F3/262
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Techniques pertaining to a voltage regulator with a current limiting circuit having low quiescent current are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a current limiting circuit is provided for limiting a current passing through an output pass circuit of a voltage regulator, the current limiting circuit comprises: a current sampling circuit for sampling the current passing through the output pass circuit to obtain a duplicated current being proportional to the current passing through the output pass circuit; a current mirror circuit for producing a mirror current being proportional to the duplicated current with the duplicated current as a reference current; a current to voltage converter for producing a voltage being proportional to the mirror current; and a voltage comparator for comparing the voltage produced by the current to voltage converter with a threshold voltage and turning off the output pass circuit when the voltage produced by the current to voltage converter is larger than or equal to the threshold voltage.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.