# US 11,079,785 B2 · Linear regulator for outputting normal output voltage and vehicle including the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,079,785 B2 - Document ID: US11079785B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/292,476 - Filed: 2019-03-05 - Published: 2019-09-12 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2018-03-08 - Assignees: Rohm Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Rohm Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Shingo Hashiguchi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11079785B2 ## CPC - G05F 1/59: including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load - B60L 3/003: {relating to inverters} - B60L 3/0046: {relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors} - B60R 16/033: characterised by the use of electrical cells or batteries (for propulsion puposes B60K1/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06; testing of charge state G01R31/36) - G05F 1/468: {characterised by reference voltage circuitry, e.g. soft start, remote shutdown} - G05F 1/575: characterised by the feedback circuit - B60L 3/0023: {Detecting, eliminating, remedying or compensating for drive train abnormalities, e.g. failures within the drive train} - G05F: SYSTEMS FOR REGULATING ELECTRIC OR MAGNETIC VARIABLES - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract There is provided a linear regulator including: a first output transistor connected between a first input terminal to which a first input voltage is applied and an output terminal from which an output voltage is outputted; a second output transistor connected between a second input terminal to which a second input voltage is applied and the output terminal; and a control circuit configured to control the first output transistor when the second input voltage of a predetermined range is not supplied to the second input terminal, and to control the second output transistor when the first input voltage of the predetermined range is not supplied to the first input terminal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A linear regulator comprising: a first output transistor connected between a first input terminal to which a first input voltage is applied and an output terminal from which an output voltage is outputted; a second output transistor connected between a second input terminal to which a second input voltage is applied and the output terminal; and a control circuit configured to control the first output transistor when the second input voltage of a predetermined range is not supplied to the second input terminal, and to control the second output transistor when the first input voltage of the predetermined range is not supplied to the first input terminal, wherein the control circuit includes an operational amplifier configured to receive a reference voltage and a feedback voltage generated based on the output voltage, and to output a control signal based on a difference between the reference voltage and the feedback voltage, wherein the operational amplifier is configured to use the first input voltage or the second input voltage as a driving voltage of the operational amplifier, wherein the operational amplifier is configured such that, when the first input voltage of the predetermined range is supplied to the first input terminal and the second input voltage of the predetermined range is supplied to the second input terminal, the operational amplifier uses the second input voltage as the driving voltage of the operational amplifier when the first input voltage is smaller than the second input voltage, and uses the first input voltage as the driving voltage of the operational amplifier when the second input voltage is smaller than the first input voltage, wherein the operational amplifier is configured to use the first input voltage as the driving voltage of the operational amplifier when the second input voltage of the predetermined range is not supplied to the second input terminal, and to use the second input voltage as the driving voltage of the operational amplifier when the first input voltage of the predetermined range is not supplied to the first input terminal, wherein the operational amplifier includes a first diode and a second diode, wherein the first input voltage is applied to an anode of the first diode, wherein the second input voltage is applied to an anode of the second diode, and wherein a cathode of the first diode and a cathode of the second diode are connected in common, and cathode voltages of the first diode and the second diode are used as the driving voltage of the operational amplifier. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The linear regulator of claim 1, wherein, when the first input voltage of the predetermined range is supplied to the first input terminal and the second input voltage of the predetermined range is supplied to the second input terminal, the control circuit controls the first output transistor if the first input voltage is smaller than the second input voltage, and controls the second output transistor if the second input voltage is smaller than the first input voltage. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The linear regulator of claim 1, wherein the linear regulator is accommodated in a semiconductor package, and wherein a third terminal of the semiconductor package is installed between a first terminal of the semiconductor package to which the first input voltage is applied and a second terminal of the semiconductor package to which the second input voltage is applied. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The linear regulator of claim 1, wherein the linear regulator is accommodated in a semiconductor package, wherein the semiconductor package has a rectangular shape when viewed from top, and wherein a first terminal of the semiconductor package to which the first input voltage is applied and a second terminal of the semiconductor package to which the second input voltage is applied are placed on different sides of the rectangular shape. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A vehicle comprising: the linear regulator of claim 1; a first battery configured to supply the first input voltage to the linear regulator; and a second battery configured to supply the second input voltage to the linear regulator. ### Claim 6 A linear regulator comprising: a first output transistor connected between a first input terminal to which a first input voltage is applied and an output terminal from which an output voltage is outputted; a second output transistor connected between a second input terminal to which a second input voltage is applied and the output terminal; and a control circuit configured to control the first output transistor when the second input voltage of a predetermined range is not supplied to the second input terminal, and to control the second output transistor when the first input voltage of the predetermined range is not supplied to the first input terminal, wherein the control circuit includes an operational amplifier configured to receive a reference voltage and a feedback voltage generated based on the output voltage, and to output a control signal based on a difference between the reference voltage and the feedback voltage, wherein the operational amplifier is configured such that, when the first input voltage of the predetermined range is supplied to the first input terminal and the second input voltage of the predetermined range is supplied to the second input terminal, the operational amplifier: uses the second input voltage as a driving voltage of the operational amplifier when the first input voltage is smaller than the second input voltage; and uses the first input voltage as the driving voltage of the operational amplifier when the second input voltage is smaller than the first input voltage, wherein the operational amplifier is configured to use the first input voltage as the driving voltage of the operational amplifier when the second input voltage of the predetermined range is not supplied to the second input terminal, and to use the second input voltage as the driving voltage of the operational amplifier when the first input voltage of the predetermined range is not supplied to the first input terminal, wherein the operational amplifier includes a first diode and a second diode, wherein the first input voltage is applied to an anode of the first diode, wherein the second input voltage is applied to an anode of the second diode, and wherein a cathode of the first diode and a cathode of the second diode are connected in common, and cathode voltages of the first diode and the second diode are used as the driving voltage of the operational amplifier. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The linear regulator of claim 6, wherein, when the first input voltage of the predetermined range is supplied to the first input terminal and the second input voltage of the predetermined range is supplied to the second input terminal, the control circuit controls the first output transistor if the first input voltage is smaller than the second input voltage, and controls the second output transistor if the second input voltage is smaller than the first input voltage. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The linear regulator of claim 6, wherein the linear regulator is accommodated in a semiconductor package, and wherein a third terminal of the semiconductor package is installed between a first terminal of the semiconductor package to which the first input voltage is applied and a second terminal of the semiconductor package to which the second input voltage is applied. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The linear regulator of claim 6, wherein the linear regulator is accommodated in a semiconductor package, wherein the semiconductor package has a rectangular shape when viewed from top, and wherein a first terminal of the semiconductor package to which the first input voltage is applied and a second terminal of the semiconductor package to which the second input voltage is applied are placed on different sides of the rectangular shape. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) A vehicle comprising: the linear regulator of claim 6; a first battery configured to supply the first input voltage to the linear regulator; and a second battery configured to supply the second input voltage to the linear regulator. ### Claim 11 A linear regulator comprising: a first output transistor connected between a first input terminal to which a first input voltage is applied and an output terminal from which an output voltage is outputted; a second output transistor connected between a second input terminal to which a second input voltage is applied and the output terminal; and a control circuit configured to control the first output transistor when the second input voltage of a predetermined range is not supplied to the second input terminal, and to control the second output transistor when the first input voltage of the predetermined range is not supplied to the first input terminal, wherein, when the first input voltage of the predetermined range is supplied to the first input terminal and the second input voltage of the predetermined range is supplied to the second input terminal, the control circuit is configured to uses the second input voltage as a driving voltage of the control circuit when the first input voltage is smaller than the second input voltage, and to use the first input voltage as the driving voltage of the control circuit when the second input voltage is smaller than the first input voltage, wherein the control circuit is configured to use the first input voltage as the driving voltage of the control circuit when the second input voltage of the predetermined range is not supplied to the second input terminal, and to use the second input voltage as the driving voltage of the control circuit when the first input voltage of the predetermined range is not supplied to the first input terminal, wherein the control circuit includes a first diode and a second diode, wherein the first input voltage is applied to an anode of the first diode, wherein the second input voltage is applied to an anode of the second diode, and wherein a cathode of the first diode and a cathode of the second diode are connected in common, and cathode voltages of the first diode and the second diode are used as the driving voltage of the control circuit.