Configurable voltage regulator

• US 20070198201A1
• Filed: 04/24/2007
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Sehat Sutardja
• Inventors: Sutardja, Sehat
• Granted Patent: US 7,437,252 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/65
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/5444 for electrical read out
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/66 High-frequency adaptations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/261 Amplifier which being suitable for instrumentation applications
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/45138 Two or more differential amplifiers in IC-block form are combined, e.g. measuring amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/45475 using IC blocks as the active amplifying circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 11/1291 Current or voltage controlled filters
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 11/30 Automatic matching of source impedance to load impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/0153 Electrical filters; Controlling thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/40 Automatic matching of load impedance to source impedance

Abstract

A voltage regulator having a device characteristic comprises a first terminal connectable to a first external impedance. A measurement circuit communicates with the first terminal to measure the first external impedance. A control circuit controls the device characteristic as a function of the measured first external impedance.

Claims

1. A voltage regulator having a device characteristic, comprising:

a first terminal connectable to a first external impedance;

a measurement circuit in communication with the first terminal to measure the first external impedance; and

a control circuit to control the device characteristic as a function of the measured first external impedance.

2. The voltage regulator of claim 1 further comprising an address generator to convert the measured first external impedance to a first address corresponding to a memory location having contents;

and

wherein said control circuit controls the device characteristic as a function of the contents of the memory location corresponding to the first address.

3. The voltage regulator of claim 1 further comprising a generator in communication with the first terminal to supply energy to the first external impedance.

4. The voltage regulator of claim 1 wherein the measurement circuit is selected from a group consisting of timing circuits, Digital to Analog Converters, and Analog to Digital Converters.

5. The voltage regulator of claim 1 further comprising a value determiner to determine a digital value corresponding to the measured device characteristic.

6. The voltage regulator of claim 1 wherein the first external impedance is selected from a group consisting of a resistor, a capacitor, and combinations thereof.

7. The voltage regulator of claim 1 further comprising a second terminal connectable to a second external impedance;

wherein the measurement circuit is in communication with the second terminal and measures the second external impedance,

wherein the measured first external impedance corresponds to a nominal output voltage and the measured second external impedance corresponds to the an output voltage offset, and

wherein the output voltage is a function of the nominal output voltage and the output voltage offset.

8. The voltage regulator of claim 1 wherein the first external impedance value is selected from a predetermined group of values comprising at least three values.

9. The voltage regulator of claim 8 wherein the group of values has a spacing characteristic selected from a group consisting of geometric progression, exponential, linear, and logarithmic.

10. The voltage regulator of claim 8 wherein the at least three values are each nominal values;

and

wherein the at least three nominal values are spaced apart based on tolerances associated with at least the measurement circuit.

11. The voltage regulator of claim 8 wherein the device characteristic is selected from a group consisting of output voltage, reference voltage, output current, reference current, output frequency, reference frequency, and temperature level.

12. A voltage regulator having a device characteristic, comprising:

a first input means for communicating with a first external impedance;

measurement means for measuring the first external impedance; and

control means for controlling the device characteristic as a function of the measured first external impedance.

13. The voltage regulator of claim 12 further comprising an address generator means for converting the measured first external impedance to a first address corresponding to a memory location having contents;

and

wherein said controller controls the device characteristic as a function of the contents of the memory location corresponding to the first address.

14. The voltage regulator of claim 12 further comprising generator means in communication with the first input means for supplying energy to the first external impedance.

15. The voltage regulator of claim 12 wherein the measurement means is selected from a group consisting of timing circuits, Digital to Analog Converters, and Analog to Digital Converters.

16. The voltage regulator of claim 12 further comprising value determiner means for determining a digital value corresponding to the measured device characteristic.

17. The voltage regulator of claim 12 wherein the first external impedance is selected from a group consisting of a resistor, a capacitor, and combinations thereof.

18. The voltage regulator of claim 12 further comprising a second input means for communicating with a second external impedance;

wherein the measurement means measures the second external impedance,

wherein the measured first external impedance corresponds to a nominal output voltage and the measured second external impedance corresponds to the an output voltage offset, and

wherein the output voltage is a function of the nominal output voltage and the output voltage offset.

19. The voltage regulator of claim 12 wherein the first external impedance value is selected from a predetermined group of values comprising at least three values.

20. The voltage regulator of claim 19 wherein the group of values has a spacing characteristic selected from a group consisting of geometric progression, exponential, linear, and logarithmic.

21. The voltage regulator of claim 19 wherein the at least three values are each nominal values;

and

wherein the at least three nominal values are spaced apart based on tolerances associated with at least the measurement means.

22. The voltage regulator of claim 19 wherein the device characteristic is selected from a group consisting of output voltage, reference voltage, output current, reference current, output frequency, reference frequency, and temperature level.

23. A method of selecting a device characteristic of a voltage regulator, comprising the steps of:

communicating with a first external impedance;

measuring the first external impedance; and

controlling the device characteristic as a function of the measured first external impedance.

24. The voltage regulator of claim 23 further comprising the steps of:

converting the measured first external impedance to a first address corresponding to a memory location having contents; and

controlling the device characteristic as a function of the contents of the memory location corresponding to the first address.

25. The voltage regulator of claim 23 further comprising the step of supplying energy to the first external impedance.

26. The voltage regulator of claim 23 wherein the measuring set is selected from a group consisting of generating a timing signal, converting a digital signal to an analog signal, and converting an analog signal to a digital signal.

27. The voltage regulator of claim 23 further comprising the step of determining a digital value corresponding to the measured device characteristic.

28. The voltage regulator of claim 23 wherein the first external impedance is selected from a group consisting of a resistor, a capacitor, and combinations thereof.

29. The voltage regulator of claim 23 further comprising a second input means for communicating with a second external impedance;

wherein the measurement means measures the second external impedance,

wherein the measured first external impedance corresponds to a nominal output voltage and the measured second external impedance corresponds to the an output voltage offset, and

wherein the output voltage is a function of the nominal output voltage and the output voltage offset.

30. The voltage regulator of claim 23 wherein the first external impedance value is selected from a predetermined group of values comprising at least three values.

31. The voltage regulator of claim 30 wherein the group of values has a spacing characteristic selected from a group consisting of geometric progression, exponential, linear, and logarithmic.

32. The voltage regulator of claim 30 wherein the at least three values are each nominal values;

and

wherein the at least three nominal values are spaced apart based on tolerances associated with at least the measurement means.

33. The voltage regulator of claim 30 wherein the device characteristic is selected from a group consisting of output voltage, reference voltage, output current, reference current, output frequency, reference frequency, and temperature level.