Voltage regulator
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics International N.V.
InventorsMarc JOISSON, Mounir BOULEMNAKHER
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device includes a first MOS transistor connected between first and second nodes, a selectively activatable current source connected between the second node and a third node and a circuit configured to control the first transistor to regulate a voltage at the second node to a first set point value. The device further includes a second MOS transistor connected between the first node and a fourth node, and having its gate connected to the gate of the first MOS transistor, a third MOS transistor connected between the third and fourth nodes, a switch connected between the second and fourth nodes, and another circuit configured to control the third transistor to regulate a voltage at the fourth node to a second set point value.
Claims22
A device, comprising:
- a first MOS transistor connected between a first node configured to receive a first power supply voltage and a second node;
- a selectively activatable current source connected between the second node and a third node configured to receive a reference potential;
- a first circuit configured to control the first transistor to regulate a voltage of the second node to a first set point value at least partly determined by a first set point voltage;
- a second MOS transistor connected between the first node and a fourth node;
- wherein a gate of the second MOS transistor is connected to a gate of the first MOS transistor;
- a third MOS transistor connected between the fourth node and the third node;
- a switch connected between the second and fourth nodes;
- and
- a second circuit configured to control the third transistor to regulate a voltage of the fourth node to a second set point value at least partly determined by a second set point voltage.
A device, comprising:
- a series regulator circuit having a first input coupled to a supply voltage node, a first output node where a first regulated voltage is output, and a second input node coupled to a ground node;
- a shunt regulator circuit having an input coupled to the supply voltage node, a second output node where a second regulated voltage is output, and a second input node coupled to the ground node;
- a switch selectively connecting the first output node to the second output node;
- a selectively activatable current source coupled between the first output node and the ground node;
- and
- a control circuit configured to control operation of the device by:
- enabling the series regulator circuit, enabling the selectively activatable current source and closing the switch to provide a regulated output voltage of the device from the series regulator circuit;
- and
- enabling the shunt regulator circuit and opening the switch to provide the regulated output voltage of the device from the shunt regulator circuit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.