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US 2026/0246268 A1Published application
High voltage hot-swap control
AssigneeMonolithic Power Systems, Inc.
InventorsJason Bone, Vipindas Pala
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hot-swap circuit includes a normally-on JFET and a switch connected in series between an input node and an output node, which are controlled by a drive circuit and a controller, respectively. A gate of the normally-on JFET is connected to the output node by the drive circuit. The controller regulates the switch based on an output voltage and a current flowing through the switch, allowing the output node to be connected to the input node when both the JFET and switch are turned on.
Claims20
A hot-swap circuit, comprising:
- an input node, an output node, an input return node and an output return node, wherein the hot-swap circuit is configured to receive an input voltage between the input node and the input return node, the hot-swap circuit is configured to provide the output voltage between the output node and the output return node, wherein the input return node and the output return node are connected to a power ground;
- a normally-on JFET and a first switch connected in series between the input node and the output node, wherein the hot-swap circuit connects the output node to the input node when both the normally-on JFET and the first switch are turned on;
- a drive circuit configured to connect a gate of the normally-on JFET to the output node;
- and
- a hot-swap controller configured to control the first switch based on the output voltage and a current flowing through the first switch.
2 more elements
A method of operating a hot-swap circuit, comprising:
- receiving an input voltage between an input node and an input return node;
- providing an output voltage between an output node and an output return node;
- controlling a switch connected in series with a normally-on JFET between the input node and the output node based on the output voltage and a current flowing through the switch;
- and
- connecting the output node to the input node when both the normally-on JFET and the switch are turned on, wherein a gate of the normally-on JFET is connected to the output node.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.