Patent · US Active

Inrush current control circuit and method for utilizing same

US9013851B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
1References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 22, 2010
Grant dateApr 21, 2015
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 5, 2031

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03K17/164
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Disclosed is an inrush current control circuit for controlling current into a high-current circuit block. The inrush current control circuit comprises a number of distributed switches and a digital control circuit coupled to at least one of the distributed switches. The digital control circuit is configured to switch a first group of the distributed switches in response to an enable/disable signal. The digital control circuit is further configured to switch a second group of the distributed switches after a first programmable delay. According to one embodiment, a method comprises switching a first group of distributed switches by a digital control circuit of an inrush current control circuit in response to an enable/disable signal, and switching a second group of the distributed switches by the digital control circuit after a first programmable delay, thereby resulting in regulation of a flow of an inrush current.

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