# US 10,310,531 B2 · Current and voltage regulation method to improve electromagnetice compatibility performance > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,310,531 B2 - Document ID: US10310531B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/890,725 - Filed: 2018-02-07 - Published: 2019-01-31 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2017-07-28 - Assignees: NXP USA, Inc. - Applicants: NXP USA, Inc. - Inventors: Pascal Kamel Abouda; Bertrand Vrignon - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10310531B2 ## CPC - G05F 1/59: including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load - G05F 1/56: using semiconductor devices in series with the load as final control devices (G05F1/461 takes precedence) - G05F 1/575: characterised by the feedback circuit - H03K 5/125: Discriminating pulses (measuring characteristics of individual pulses G01R29/02; separation of synchronising signals in television systems H04N5/08) - G05F: SYSTEMS FOR REGULATING ELECTRIC OR MAGNETIC VARIABLES - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) ## Abstract A current regulator circuit to improve electromagnetic compatibility performance operation of an IC device includes an input to receive a regulated voltage signal, an output to provide an output voltage at a desired voltage level, the output voltage exhibiting noise from a load, a first field effect transistor FET including a first source electrode coupled to the input, a first drain electrode coupled to the output, and a first gate electrode, a voltage clamp circuit coupled to the output, the voltage clamp circuit configured to conduct a varying current based upon the noise, a constant current source to provide a constant current, and a second FET including a second source electrode coupled to the output, a second drain electrode coupled to the constant current source and to the first gate electrode, and a second gate electrode coupled to the voltage clamp circuit to mirror the varying current in the second FET. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A current regulator circuit to improve electromagnetic compatibility performance operation of an IC device, the current regulator circuit comprising: an input to receive a regulated voltage signal; an output to provide an output voltage at a desired voltage level, the output voltage exhibiting noise from a load; a first field effect transistor FET including a first source electrode coupled to the input, a first drain electrode coupled to the output, and a first gate electrode; a voltage clamp circuit coupled to the output, the voltage clamp circuit configured to conduct a varying current based upon the noise; a constant current source to provide a constant current; and a second FET including a second source electrode coupled to the output, a second drain electrode coupled to the constant current source and to the first gate electrode, and a second gate electrode coupled to the voltage clamp circuit to mirror the varying current in the second FET. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The current regulator circuit of claim 1, further comprising: a capacitor including a first electrode coupled to the input and a second electrode coupled to the first gate electrode. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The current regulator circuit of claim 1, wherein the constant current source comprises: a resistor including a first electrode coupled to the input, and a second electrode; a third FET including a third drain electrode connected to the second electrode of the resistor, a third source electrode connected to a ground plane, and a third gate electrode connected to the third drain electrode; and a fourth FET including a fourth drain electrode connected to the second drain electrode, a fourth source electrode connected to the ground plane, and a fourth gate electrode connected to the third gate electrode, the resistor and the third FET to provide a constant current level that is mirrored in the fourth FET. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The current regulator circuit of claim 1, the voltage clamp circuit configured to provide an increased current when the noise drives the regulated voltage signal above the desired voltage level. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The current regulator circuit of claim 4, the mirrored current in the second FET being increased when the noise drives the regulated voltage signal above the desired voltage level and/or a current in the first FET being decreased when the noise drives the regulated voltage signal above the desired voltage level. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The current regulator circuit of claim 1, the voltage clamp circuit configured to provide a decreased current when the noise drives the regulated voltage signal below the desired voltage level. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The current regulator circuit of claim 1, the mirrored current in the second FET being decreased when the noise drives the regulated voltage signal below the desired voltage level. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The current regulator circuit of claim 7, a current in the first FET being increased when the noise drives the regulated voltage signal below the desired voltage level. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The current regulator circuit of claim 1, the voltage clamp circuit being further configured to clamp the output voltage to the desired voltage level. ### Claim 10 A method for providing current and voltage regulation to improve electromagnetic compatibility performance operation of an IC device, the method comprising: providing, at an output of a current regulator circuit, a voltage signal, the voltage signal exhibiting noise from a load; comparing a voltage level of the voltage signal to a desired voltage level to determine a first noise level; modulating a regulation current on the output based upon the comparison of the voltage level of the voltage signal to the desired voltage level; and providing a current regulated voltage signal on the output based upon the regulation current using a constant current source to provide a constant current and a FET that includes a source electrode coupled to the output, a drain electrode coupled to the constant current source, and a gate electrode coupled to a voltage clamp circuit. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein, in modulating the regulation current on the output, the method further comprises: determining that the voltage level of the regulated voltage signal is greater than the desired voltage level. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein, in modulating the regulation current on the output, the method further comprises: reducing a current of the current regulated voltage signal in response to determining that the voltage level of the regulated voltage signal is less than the desired voltage level. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein, in modulating the regulation current on the output, the method further comprises: determining that the voltage level of the regulated voltage signal is less than the desired voltage level. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein, in modulating the regulation current on the output, the method further comprises: increasing a current of the current regulated voltage signal in response to determining that the voltage level of the regulated voltage signal is less than the desired voltage level. ### Claim 15 An integrated circuit device, comprising: a voltage regulator to provide a regulated voltage signal; a load to receive a current regulated voltage signal, the current regulated voltage signal being provided at a desired voltage level and includes a first noise level; and a current regulator including an input to receive the regulated voltage signal from the voltage regulator and to provide the current regulated voltage signal to the load, the current regulator configured to: compare a voltage level of the current regulated voltage signal to the desired voltage level to determine the first noise level; modulate a regulation current on an output of the current regulator circuit based upon the comparison of the voltage level of the regulated voltage signal to the desired voltage level using a constant current source to provide a constant current and a FET that includes a source electrode coupled to the output, a drain electrode coupled to the constant current source, and a gate electrode coupled to a voltage clamp circuit; and provide the current regulated voltage signal on the output based upon the regulation current, wherein the current regulated voltage signal includes a second noise level that is lower than the first noise level. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The integrated circuit device of claim 15, wherein, in modulating the regulation current on the output, the current regulator further: determines that the voltage level of the regulated voltage signal is greater than the desired voltage level. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The integrated circuit device of claim 15, wherein, in modulating the regulation current on the output, the current regulator further: reduces a current of the current regulated voltage signal in response to determining that the voltage level of the regulated voltage signal is greater than the desired voltage level. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The integrated circuit device of claim 15, wherein, in modulating the regulation current on the output, the current regulator further: determines that the voltage level of the regulated voltage signal is less than the desired voltage level. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The integrated circuit device of claim 15, wherein, in modulating the regulation current on the output, the current regulator further: increases a current of the current regulated voltage signal in response to determining that the voltage level of the regulated voltage signal is less than the desired voltage level.