# US 11,307,601 B2 · Linear voltage regulator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,307,601 B2 - Document ID: US11307601B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/198,738 - Filed: 2021-03-11 - Published: 2022-03-24 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2020-09-24 - Assignees: Polaris Semiconductor LLC - Applicants: Polaris Semiconductor LLC - Inventors: Matthew P. Lumb - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11307601B2 ## CPC - G05F 1/575: characterised by the feedback circuit - G05F 1/565: sensing a condition of the system or its load in addition to means responsive to deviations in the output of the system, e.g. current, voltage, power factor (G05F1/563 takes precedence) - G05F 1/595: semiconductor devices connected in series - H05B 45/375: using buck topology - H05B 45/395: Linear regulators - G05F: SYSTEMS FOR REGULATING ELECTRIC OR MAGNETIC VARIABLES - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL ## Abstract Disclosed is a linear voltage regulator with an input terminal, an output terminal, a pass device electrically connected to the input terminal and the output terminal, and an error amplifier that controls the output voltage at the output terminal by controlling the voltage drop across the pass device. The disclosed linear voltage regulator includes a light emitting section electrically connected in series with the pass device between the input terminal and the output terminal and a photovoltaic section, electrically connected to the output terminal, that receives photons emitted by the light emitting section and outputs a current to output terminal. The disclosed linear voltage regulator is more efficient than conventional linear voltage regulators because, unlike in those convention linear voltage regulators, the voltage drop across the pass device is only a fraction of the total potential difference between the input terminal and the output terminal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A linear voltage regulator, comprising: an input terminal for receiving an input voltage; an output terminal for outputting an output voltage; a pass device electrically connected to the input terminal and the output terminal; an error amplifier that controls the output voltage by controlling the voltage drop across the pass device; a light emitting section, electrically connected in series with the pass device between the input terminal and the output terminal, that emits photons; and a photovoltaic section, electrically connected to the output terminal, that receives photons emitted by the light emitting section and outputs a current to output terminal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The linear voltage regulator of claim 1, wherein the light emitting section includes a first terminal electrically connected to the input terminal and a second terminal electrically connected to the pass device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The linear voltage regulator of claim 1, wherein the light emitting section includes a first terminal electrically connected to the pass device and a second terminal electrically connected to the output terminal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The linear voltage regulator of claim 1, further comprising: a switching device that provides functionality for current received at the input terminal to bypass the light emitting section. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The linear voltage regulator of claim 4, wherein the switching device compares a scaled representation of the input voltage to a threshold and causes current received at the input terminal to bypass the light emitting section in response to the comparison. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The linear voltage regulator of claim 1, further comprising: a mechanism that provides functionality to block current flow through the photovoltaic section. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The linear voltage regulator of claim 1, wherein the light emitting section comprises a plurality of light emitting portions, the linear voltage regulator further comprising: a switch that provides functionality for current received by the input terminal to bypass one or more of the light emitting portions of the light emitting section. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The linear voltage regulator of claim 7, further comprising: a controller that measures current at the output terminal, compares the current at the output terminal to a threshold, and causes current received by the input terminal to bypass one or more of the light emitting portions of the light emitting section in response to the comparison. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The linear voltage regulator of claim 1, wherein the error amplifier compares a scaled representation of the output voltage received from a feedback network to a reference voltage. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The linear voltage regulator of claim 9, wherein the feedback network is a potential divider comprising two resistors. ### Claim 11 A method of making a linear voltage regulator, the method comprising: providing an input terminal for receiving an input voltage; providing an output terminal for outputting an output voltage; electrically connecting a pass device to the input terminal and the output terminal; electrically connecting an error amplifier to the pass device, the error amplifier being configured to control the output voltage by controlling the voltage drop across the pass device; electrically connecting a light emitting section in series with the pass device between the input terminal and the output terminal, that emits photons; and electrically connecting a photovoltaic section to the output terminal, the photovoltaic section being configured to receive photons emitted by the light emitting section and output a current to output terminal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein electrically connecting the light emitting section in series with the pass device comprises electrically connecting a first terminal of the light emitting section to the input terminal and electrically connecting a second terminal of the light emitting section to the pass device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein electrically connecting the light emitting section in series with the pass device comprises electrically connecting a first terminal of the light emitting section to the pass device and electrically connecting a second terminal of the light emitting section to the output terminal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: electrically connecting a switching device to the light emitting section that provides functionality for current received at the input terminal to bypass the light emitting section. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the switching device compares a scaled representation of the input voltage to a threshold and causes current received at the input terminal to bypass the light emitting section in response to the comparison. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: electrically connecting a mechanism photovoltaic section that provides functionality to block current flow through the photovoltaic section. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the light emitting section comprises a plurality of light emitting portions, the method further comprising: electrically connecting a switch to the light emitting section that provides functionality for current received by the input terminal to bypass one or more of the light emitting portions of the light emitting section. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising: electrically connecting a controller to the switch that measures current at the output terminal, compares the current at the output terminal to a threshold, and operates the switch to cause current received by the input terminal to bypass one or more of the light emitting portions of the light emitting section in response to the comparison. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the error amplifier compares a scaled representation of the output voltage received from a feedback network to a reference voltage. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the feedback network is a potential divider comprising two resistors.