# US 10,122,270 B2 · Tunable voltage regulator circuit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,122,270 B2 - Document ID: US10122270B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/491,359 - Filed: 2017-04-19 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-19 - Assignees: NXP USA, Inc. - Applicants: NXP USA, Inc. - Inventors: Miten Nagda; Dale McQuirk; Andre L. Vilas Boas; Richard Saez - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10122270B2 ## CPC - H02M 3/156: with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators - G05F 1/575: characterised by the feedback circuit - G05F 3/30: Regulators using the difference between the base-emitter voltages of two bipolar transistors operating at different current densities (G05F3/26 takes precedence) - H02M 1/08: Circuits specially adapted for the generation of control voltages for semiconductor devices incorporated in static converters - H02M 1/0003: {Details of control, feedback or regulation circuits} - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) - G05F: SYSTEMS FOR REGULATING ELECTRIC OR MAGNETIC VARIABLES ## Abstract A voltage regulator has an output driver current mirror circuit and one or more control circuits. The output driver current mirror circuit includes an output driver transistor, a tunable resistance circuit, and a diode-connected transistor. The output driver transistor has one current electrode coupled to a supply voltage and another current electrode coupled to an output terminal for providing the output voltage of the voltage regulator. The tunable resistance circuit has one terminal coupled to a control electrode of the output driver transistor, and another terminal coupled to a current electrode of the diode-connected transistor. The one or more control circuits includes a comparator for controlling a current provided to the output driver current mirror in response to a feedback signal from the output terminal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A voltage regulator comprising: an output terminal; an output driver current mirror circuit comprising: an output driver transistor having a first current electrode coupled to a first power supply voltage terminal, a control electrode, and a second current electrode coupled to the output terminal; a tunable resistance circuit having a first terminal, a control terminal, and a second terminal coupled to the control electrode of the output driver transistor; and a first transistor having a first current electrode coupled to the first power supply voltage terminal, a control electrode and a second current electrode both coupled to the first terminal of the tunable resistance circuit; a high power control circuit coupled to the first terminal of the tunable resistance circuit for providing a first current to the output driver current mirror circuit in a first operating mode; and a low power control circuit coupled to the first terminal of the tunable resistance circuit for providing a second current to the output driver current mirror circuit in a second operating mode, the second current being smaller than the first current. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The voltage regulator of claim 1, wherein the high power control circuit comprises: a second transistor having a first current electrode coupled to the first terminal of the tunable resistance circuit, a control electrode, and a second current electrode; a first comparator having a first input for receiving a first reference voltage, a second input for receiving a first feedback signal from the output driver current mirror circuit, and an output coupled to the control electrode of the second transistor; a tunable current source having a first terminal coupled to the second current electrode of the second transistor, a control terminal, and a second terminal coupled to a second power supply voltage terminal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The voltage regulator of claim 2, wherein the high power control circuit further comprises: a first current source having a first terminal coupled to the first power supply voltage terminal, and a second terminal; a third transistor having a first current electrode coupled to the second terminal of the first current source, a control electrode, and a second current electrode; a second comparator having a first input for receiving the first reference voltage, a second input for receiving a second feedback signal, and an output coupled to the control electrode of the third transistor; and a fourth transistor having a first current electrode and a control electrode both coupled to the second current electrode of the third transistor and to the control terminal of the tunable current source, and a second current electrode coupled the second power supply voltage terminal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The voltage regulator of claim 1, wherein the low power control circuit comprises: a third transistor having a first current electrode coupled to the first terminal of the tunable resistance circuit, a control electrode, and a second current electrode; a third comparator having a first input for receiving a reference voltage, a second input for receiving a feedback signal from the output driver current mirror circuit, and an output coupled to the control electrode of the third transistor; and a current source having a first terminal coupled to the second current electrode of the third transistor, and a second terminal coupled to a second power supply voltage terminal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The voltage regulator of claim 1, wherein the output driver transistor and the first transistor are characterized as being P-channel metal-oxide semiconductor transistors. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The voltage regulator of claim 1, wherein the voltage regulator is implemented on a single integrated circuit and the output terminal is for providing an output voltage of the voltage regulator to a circuit external to the integrated circuit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The voltage regulator of claim 1, wherein the tunable resistance circuit provides a variable resistance in response to a resistance control signal, wherein the tunable resistance circuit provides di/dt control of an output voltage at the output terminal. ### Claim 8 A method of regulating a voltage by a voltage regulator comprising: an output terminal; an output driver current mirror circuit comprising an output driver transistor and a diode-connected transistor with a tunable resistance circuit coupled therebetween; and a first control circuit being a low power control circuit and comprising a first comparator, the method comprising: providing, by the output driver transistor, an output voltage to the output terminal; controlling, by the first comparator, a first current to the output driver current mirror circuit in response to a first feedback signal from the output terminal; controlling, by a second comparator comprised in a second control circuit being a high power control circuit, a second current to the output driver current mirror circuit in response to a second feedback signal from the output terminal; and providing by the tunable resistance circuit, a variable resistance to control an electrode of the output driver transistor in response to a control signal, thereby providing di/dt control for the output voltage. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising, in response to a third feedback signal indicating that the output voltage at the output terminal is below a predetermined voltage level, increasing the second current to the output driver current mirror circuit, by means of a third comparator comprised in the second control circuit. ### Claim 10 A voltage regulator comprising: an output terminal; an output driver current mirror circuit comprising an output driver transistor and a diode-connected transistor with a tunable resistance circuit coupled therebetween, the output driver transistor coupled to provide an output voltage to the output terminal; and a first control circuit comprising a first comparator, the first comparator for controlling a first current to the output driver current mirror circuit in response to a first feedback signal from the output terminal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The voltage regulator of claim 10, further comprising: a second control circuit comprising a second comparator, the second comparator for controlling a second current to the output driver current mirror circuit in response to a second feedback signal from the output terminal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The voltage regulator of claim 11, wherein the second control circuit comprising a third comparator coupled to increase the second current to the output driver current mirror circuit in response to a third feedback signal indicating that the output voltage at the output terminal is below a predetermined voltage level. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The voltage regulator of claim 10, wherein the tunable resistance circuit provides a variable resistance to a control electrode of the output driver transistor in response to a control signal, and wherein the variable resistance provides di/dt control for the output voltage. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The voltage regulator of claim 10, wherein the voltage regulator is formed on an integrated circuit. ### Claim 15 A voltage regulator comprising: an output driver transistor having a first current electrode coupled to a first power supply voltage terminal, a control electrode, and a second current electrode coupled to an output terminal; a tunable resistance having a first terminal coupled to the control terminal of the output driver transistor, a second terminal, and a control terminal for receiving a control signal; a first transistor having a first current electrode coupled to the first power supply voltage terminal, a control electrode, and a second current electrode coupled to the second terminal of the tunable resistance; a second transistor having a first current electrode coupled to the second current electrode of the first transistor, a control electrode, and a second current electrode; and a first comparator having a first input for receiving a first reference voltage, a second input coupled to the output terminal for receiving a first feedback signal, and an output coupled to the control electrode of the second transistor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The voltage regulator of claim 15, further comprising a tunable current source having a first terminal coupled to the second current electrode of the second transistor, a control terminal, and a second terminal coupled to a second power supply voltage terminal. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The voltage regulator of claim 16, further comprising: a second comparator having a first input for receiving the first reference voltage, a second input coupled to the output terminal for receiving a second feedback signal, and an output; a first current source having a first terminal coupled to the first power supply voltage terminal, and a second terminal; a third transistor having a first current electrode coupled to the second terminal of the first current source, a control terminal coupled to the output of the second comparator, and a second current electrode; and a fourth transistor having a first current electrode coupled to the second current electrode of the third transistor, a control electrode coupled to the control terminal of the tunable current source, and a second current electrode coupled to the second power supply voltage terminal. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The voltage regulator of claim 15, further comprising: a fifth transistor having a first current electrode coupled to the second terminal of the tunable resistance circuit, a control electrode, and a second current electrode; a third comparator having a first input for receiving a second reference voltage, a second input coupled to the output terminal for receiving a third feedback signal, and an output; and a second current source having a first terminal coupled to the second current electrode of the fifth transistor, and a second terminal coupled to a second power supply voltage terminal. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The voltage regulator of claim 18, wherein the second current source is switchable between a high impedance state and a low impedance state. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The voltage regulator of claim 15, wherein the voltage regulator is implemented on a single integrated circuit.