Voltage regulator with impedance compensation

A regulator configured to provide at an output node a load current at an output voltage, wherein the regulator comprises,

• a pass transistor for providing the load current at the output node;
• feedback means for deriving a feedback voltage from the output voltage at the output node;
• a differential amplifier configured to control the pass transistor in dependence of the feedback voltage and in dependence of a reference voltage;
• and
• compensation means configured to
• determine a sensed current which is indicative of the load current at the output node;
• adjust an operation point of the regulator in dependence of the sensed current and in dependence of a value of a track impedance of a conductive track which links the output node to a load;
• and
• adjust the reference voltage in dependence of the sensed current and in dependence of the value of the track impedance.

A method providing at an output node of a regulator a load current at an output voltage, wherein the regulator comprises a pass transistor for providing the load current at the output node;

• feedback means for deriving a feedback voltage from the output voltage at the output node;
• and a differential amplifier for controlling the pass transistor in dependence of the feedback voltage and in dependence of a reference voltage;
• wherein the method comprises
• determining a sensed current which is indicative of the load current at the output node;
• adjusting an operation point of the regulator in dependence of the sensed current and in dependence of a value of a track impedance of a conductive track which links the output node to a load;
• generating a virtual load node based on the output voltage, based on the sensed current and based on the value of the track impedance;
• and
• providing a feedback capacitor which is arranged between the virtual load node and an internal node of the regulator.

A regulator configured to provide at an output node a load current at an output voltage, wherein the regulator comprises,

• a pass transistor for providing the load current at the output node;
• feedback means for deriving a feedback voltage from the output voltage at the output node;
• a differential amplifier configured to control the pass transistor in dependence of the feedback voltage and in dependence of a reference voltage;
• and
• compensation means configured to
• determine a sensed current which is indicative of the load current at the output node;
• adjust an operation point of the regulator in dependence of the sensed current and in dependence of a value of a track impedance of a conductive track which links the output node to a load;
• and
• adjust an operation point of the regulator such that the output voltage corresponds to the sum of a target voltage given by the reference voltage and of an estimated track voltage which depends on a level of the sensed current and on the value of the track impedance.

A regulator configured to provide at an output node a load current at an output voltage, wherein the regulator comprises,

• a pass transistor for providing the load current at the output node;
• feedback means for deriving a feedback voltage from the output voltage at the output node;
• wherein the feedback means comprise a voltage divider with an adjustable divider ratio;
• a differential amplifier configured to control the pass transistor in dependence of the feedback voltage and in dependence of a reference voltage;
• and
• compensation means configured to
• determine a sensed current which is indicative of the load current at the output node;
• adjust an operation point of the regulator in dependence of the sensed current and in dependence of a value of a track impedance of a conductive track which links the output node to a load;
• and
• adjust the divider ratio in dependence of the sensed current and in dependence of the value of the track impedance.