Ideal diode with active reverse voltage protection

A reverse current inhibitor, comprising:

• at least one diode that is bridged by a first variable resistance element;
• a sensing circuit;
• a first switching device configured to switch the first variable resistance element from a first higher resistance to a second lower resistance in response to a forward current that has passed the diode in its forward direction;
• and
• a second switching device configured to switch the first variable resistance element to a higher resistance in response to the sensing circuit detecting a reverse current corresponding to the reverse direction of the diode,
• wherein the sensing circuit comprises a current-voltage converter that includes a sensing resistor and is configured to amplify a voltage drop over the sensing resistor for one sign of the voltage drop only,
• wherein the sensing circuit is configured to amplify the voltage drop if the sign is positive, and to output zero voltage and zero current if the sign is negative,
• wherein the voltage drop is first amplified into an output voltage and the output voltage is subsequently converted into an output current,
• wherein the current-voltage converter comprises an operational amplifier with a negative input and a positive input, the negative input being coupled to one side of the sensing resistor and the positive input being coupled to an other side of the sensing resistor, and
• wherein the output voltage of the operational amplifier is configured to control a second variable resistance element, so as to convert the output voltage into the output current.