Self-adjustable current source control circuit for linear regulators
US9239584B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 19, 2013 |
| Grant date | Jan 19, 2016 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 24, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG05F1/565
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A self-adjustable current source control circuit utilizes a replica output stage, a sink current source that generates a reference current, and a negative feedback circuit to generate a sink current between a linear regulator output terminal and ground only when a load circuit connected to the linear regulator is in a low power consuming state. The replica output stage includes an 1:N scaled replica of the linear regulator's NMOS (or NPN) output stage transistor, and the negative feedback circuit utilizes two PMOS (or PNP) negative feedback transistors having the same N:1 size ratio and connected as a common gate amplifier, whereby one of the two negative feedback transistors turns on to draw the desired sink current from the regulator output terminal only when the load current falls below N times the reference current (i.e., only the load current is drawn through the output stage transistor during high load current conditions).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.