Voltage regulator predriver circuit
First Claim
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1. A predriver for controlling an output to a driver, the predriver comprising:
- a high side transistor having a base and a collector, the output being driven by the collector of the high side transistor;
a low side transistor having a base and a collector, the collector of the high side transistor being coupled to the collector of the low side transistor; and
a current sensing transistor having a base and a collector, the base of the current sensing transistor being coupled to the base of the low side transistor, the collector of the current sensing transistor coupled to the base of the high side transistor to control the drive current applied to the high side transistor.
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Abstract
A regulator includes a driver stage having an output port for providing an output voltage, a predriver coupled to the driver to control the output voltage provided by the driver stage, a comparator to compare the driver output voltage to a reference voltage, and a feedback element coupled between the driver output port and the comparator. The driver may include a high side transistor having a collector coupled to a collector of a low side transistor, and a current sensing transistor having a base coupled to a base of the low side transistor.
26 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A predriver for controlling an output to a driver, the predriver comprising:
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a high side transistor having a base and a collector, the output being driven by the collector of the high side transistor; a low side transistor having a base and a collector, the collector of the high side transistor being coupled to the collector of the low side transistor; and a current sensing transistor having a base and a collector, the base of the current sensing transistor being coupled to the base of the low side transistor, the collector of the current sensing transistor coupled to the base of the high side transistor to control the drive current applied to the high side transistor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A regulator having an output port, the regulator comprising:
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a predriver coupled to the output port to control the output voltage at the output port; a comparator to compare the output voltage to a reference voltage; and a feedback element coupled between the output port and the comparator; the predriver comprising a high side transistor having a collector coupled to a collector of a low side transistor, and a current sensing transistor having a base coupled to a base of the low side transistor and coupled to the comparator, the current sensing transistor also including a collector that is coupled to the high side transistor to control the drive current applied to the high side transistor. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A regulator having an output port, the regulator comprising:
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a predriver coupled to the output port to control the output voltage at the output port; a comparator to compare the output voltage to a reference voltage; and a feedback element coupled between the output port and the comparator; the predriver comprising a high side transistor having a base and a collector, a current gain transistor having a base and a collector, and a current sensing transistor having a base and a collector, the current sensing transistor base being coupled to the comparator, the current sensing transistor collector being coupled to the current gain transistor base, the current gain transistor collector being coupled to the high side transistor base to control the drive current applied to the high side transistor, the high side transistor collector being coupled to the output port. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A regulator having an input terminal and an output terminal, the regulator comprising:
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a predriver for controlling an output voltage applied to the output terminal; a comparator; a feedback element coupled between the output terminal and the comparator; the predriver having means for providing a dropout voltage of less than about 1.5 volts between the input terminal of the regulator and the output terminal of the regulator, the predriver also having means for providing one dominant low frequency pole. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification