Patent · US Active

Start-up circuit and method thereof

US8531851B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by
5References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMay 31, 2011
Grant dateSep 10, 2013
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 7, 2032

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH02M1/0025
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Methods and circuits related to power regulator start-up are disclosed. In one embodiment, a start-up circuit can include: (i) a delay circuit having a resistor and a capacitor, where the capacitor is coupled between ground and a common node; and (ii) a control chip that receives a reference voltage, and includes an input pin coupled to an input source, an output pin supplying power for a device, and a multiplexed pin coupled to the resistor at the common node to receive an enable signal. The start-up circuit outputs an electrical signal at the output pin based on a comparison of a voltage at the multiplexed pin against the reference voltage, and after a delay time determined by the capacitor and the reference voltage. The voltage at the multiplexed pin can increase continuously with a rising slope determined by input current flowing through the multiplexed pin during a start-up process.

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