Linear voltage regulator

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.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.