Patent · US Active

Inverting amplifier receiving negative feedback voltage in voltage regulator

US9977446B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by
2References
13Claims
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Key dates

Filing dateMay 11, 2017
Grant dateMay 22, 2018
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 11, 2037

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03F2200/471
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In the example of a voltage regulator outputting a negative voltage, its feedback voltage will also be negative. The feedback voltage is typically created using a resistor divider. A controller IC is powered by only a positive voltage and receives the negative feedback voltage at a high impedance input of an inverting amplifier. Therefore, the inverting amplifier does not load the resistor divider, resulting in an accurate regulated output voltage. The inverting amplifier converts the negative feedback voltage to a positive feedback voltage for further processing by the controller IC. An error amplifier and a power good monitor receive both the original feedback voltage and the inverted feedback voltage and use whichever feedback voltage is the more positive one. Therefore, the controller IC may be used in voltage regulators that generate either negative or positive output voltages.

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