Voltage regulator with improved transient response

• US 6,320,363 B1
• Filed: 08/15/2000
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc., National Semiconductor Corporation (Texas Instruments, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Gregory J., Oglesbee, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Bao Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/639,132
• Time in Patent Office: 462 Days
• Field of Search: 323/303, 323/273, 323/274, 323/276, 323/282, 323/299
• US Class Current: 323/303
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/613 using semiconductor devices in parallel with the load as final control devices G05F1/461 takes precedence

Abstract

A voltage regulator that includes a transistor, a first amplifier and a second amplifier. The voltage regulator maintains a voltage between a first node and a second node within a predetermined range by maintaining a current level flowing from the first node to the second node. The transistor has a first pole electrically coupled to the first node, a second pole electrically coupled to the second node and a gate. The first amplifier has a first input, a second input and an output, and the second amplifier has a first input, a second input and an output, wherein the first inputs of the first and second amplifiers are electrically coupled to the first node, the second inputs of the first and second amplifiers are electrically coupled to the second node, and the outputs of the first and second amplifiers are electrically coupled to the gate of the transistor, respectively. The first and second amplifiers have different characteristic response times to reach a saturation voltage value. For example, the characteristic time for the second amplifier is faster than that of the first amplifier.

Claims

1. A voltage regulator for maintaining a voltage between a first node and a second node within a predetermined range, comprising:

a. a transistor having a first pole electrically coupled to the first node, a second pole electrically coupled to the second node, and a gate;

b. a first amplifier having a first input, a second input and an output; and

c. a second amplifier having a first input, a second input and an output, wherein the first inputs of the first and second amplifiers are electrically coupled to the first node and the second inputs of the first and second amplifiers are electrically coupled to the second node so that the first and second amplifiers sense the same signal which represents the voltage between the first node and the second node, and the outputs of the first and second amplifiers are electrically coupled to the gate of the transistor, wherein the second amplifier is faster than the first amplifier responsive signal that is sensed.

2. The voltage regulator of claim 1, further comprising a first voltage reference that generates a signal having a predetermined potential difference from the second node, wherein the second inputs of the first and second amplifiers are electrically coupled to the signal from the first voltage reference.

3. The voltage regulator of claim 1, wherein the first amplifier has a characteristic time to reach a saturation value of voltage responsive to a voltage signal applied between the first and second inputs.

4. The voltage regulator of claim 3, wherein the characteristic time of the first amplifier is in the range of from 0.1 to 10 millisecond.

5. The voltage regulator of claim 3, wherein the characteristic time of the first amplifier is in the range of from 0.1 to 10 microsecond.

6. The voltage regulator of claim 1, wherein the second amplifier has a characteristic time to reach a saturation value of voltage responsive to a voltage signal applied between the first and second inputs.

7. The voltage regulator of claim 6, wherein the characteristic time of the second amplifier is in the range of from 0.1 to 10 microsecond.

8. The voltage regulator of claim 7, wherein the characteristic time of the second amplifier is in the range of from 0.1 to 10 nanosecond.

9. The voltage regulator of claim 1, wherein the second amplifier is at least twice as fast as the first amplifier responsive to a voltage signal.

10. The voltage regulator of claim 1, wherein the second amplifier is at least three times as fast as the first amplifier responsive to a voltage signal.

11. The voltage regulator of claim 1, further comprising a current flow-restricting element electrically coupling the first node to a third node to prevent current flowing from a battery cell to the second node through the voltage regulator when the voltage regulator is allowing a saturation value of current to flow from the first node to the second node.

12. The voltage regulator of claim 11, wherein the current flow-restricting element comprises a fuse, a transistor, a switch, a diode, a sensor, a resistor, a capacitor, an inductor, or a combination of them.

13. The voltage regulator of claim 1, further comprising a voltage divider having a first electrical load electrically coupled between the first node and the first input of the first amplifier and a second electrical load electrically coupled between the second node and the first input of the first amplifier.

14. A voltage regulator for maintaining a voltage between a first node and a second node within a predetermined range, comprising:

a. a transistor having a first pole electrically coupled to the first node, a second pole electrically coupled to the second node, and a gate;

b. a first amplifier having a first input, a second input and an output; and

c. a second amplifier having a first input, a second input and an output, wherein the first inputs of the first and second amplifiers are electrically coupled to the first node, the second inputs of the first and second amplifiers are electrically coupled to the second node, and the outputs of the first and second amplifiers are electrically coupled to the gate of the transistor; and

d. a third amplifier having a first input, a second input and an output, wherein the first input of the third amplifier is electrically coupled to the first node, the second input of third amplifier is electrically coupled to the second node, and the output of third amplifier is electrically coupled to the gate of the transistor.

15. The voltage regulator of claim 14, further comprising a second voltage reference that generates a signal having a predetermined potential difference from the second node, wherein the second input of third amplifier is electrically coupled to the signal from the second voltage reference.

16. The voltage regulator of claim 14, wherein the third amplifier is faster than the first amplifier or the second amplifier responsive to a voltage signal.

17. The voltage regulator of claim 14, wherein the third amplifier is at least twice as fast as the first amplifier or the second amplifier responsive to a voltage signal.

18. The voltage regulator of claim 14, wherein the third amplifier is at least three times as fast as the first amplifier or the second amplifier responsive to a voltage signal.

19. The voltage regulator of claim 14, wherein the third amplifier has a characteristic time to reach a saturation value of voltage responsive to a voltage signal applied between the first and second inputs.

20. The voltage regulator of claim 14, wherein the characteristic time of the third amplifier is in the range of from 0.1 to 10 nanosecond.

21. The voltage regulator of claim 14, further comprising a capacitance electrically coupled between the first node and the first input of the third amplifier.

22. A voltage regulator for maintaining a voltage between a first node and a second node within a predetermined range, comprising:

a. a transistor having a first pole electrically coupled to the first node, a second pole electrically coupled to the second node, and a gate; and

b. a plurality of amplifiers each having a first input, a second input and an output;

wherein the first inputs of the plurality of amplifiers are electrically coupled to the first node and the second inputs of the plurality of amplifiers are electrically coupled to the second node so that the plurality of amplifiers sense the same signal which represents the voltage between the first node and the second node, and the outputs of the plurality of amplifiers are electrically coupled in common to the gate of the transistor, wherein a first of said plurality of amplifiers is faster than a second of said plurality of amplifiers responsive to the signal that is sensed.

23. The voltage regulator of claim 22, further comprising at least one voltage reference that generates a signal having a predetermined potential difference from the second node, wherein at least one of the second inputs of the plurality of amplifiers is electrically coupled to the signal from the first voltage reference.

24. The voltage regulator of claim 22, wherein each of the plurality of amplifiers has a characteristic time to reach a saturation value of voltage responsive to a voltage signal applied between the corresponding first and second inputs.

25. The voltage regulator of claim 24, wherein the characteristic time for each of the plurality of amplifiers is in a predetermined time range.

26. The voltage regulator of claim 25, wherein the predetermined time range for each of the plurality of amplifiers is selected from 0.1 nanosecond to 10 seconds.

27. A voltage regulator for maintaining a voltage between a first node and a second node within a predetermined range, comprising:

a. means for controlling an electrical current flowing from the first node and a second node, wherein the controlling means has a first pole electrically coupled to the first node, a second pole electrically coupled to the second node, and a controlling port;

b. first amplifying means for providing a control signal to the controlling port of the controlling means, wherein the first amplifying means has a first input, a second input and an output; and

c. second amplifying means for providing a control signal to the controlling port of the controlling means, wherein the second amplifying means has a first input, a second input and an output,

wherein the first inputs of the first and second amplifying means are electrically coupled to the first node and the second inputs of the first and second amplifying means are electrically coupled to the second node so that the first amplifying means and the second amplifying means sense the same signal representing the voltage between the first node and the second node, and the outputs of the first and second amplifying means are electrically coupled to the controlling port of the controlling means, wherein the first amplifying means is faster than the second amplifying responsive to the signal that is sensed.

28. The voltage regulator of claim 27, wherein each of the first and second amplifying means has a characteristic time to reach a saturation value of voltage responsive to a voltage signal applied between the corresponding first and second inputs.

29. A voltage regulator for maintaining a voltage between a first node and a second node within a predetermined range, comprising:

a. means for controlling an electrical current flowing from the first node and a second node, wherein the controlling means has a first pole electrically coupled to the first node, a second pole electrically coupled to the second node, and a controlling port;

b. first amplifying means for providing a control signal to the controlling port of the controlling means; and

c. second amplifying means for providing a control signal to the controlling port of the controlling means;

wherein the first amplifying means and the second amplifying means sense the same signal representing the voltage between the first node and the second node, and the first amplifying means is faster than the second amplifying means responsive to the signal that is sensed.

30. The voltage regulator of claim 29, wherein each of the first and second amplifying means has a characteristic time responsive to a voltage signal applied between the first node and the second node.

31. The voltage regulator of claim 29, wherein the first amplifying means comprises a transistor, an amplifying path, a circuit, or a combination of them.

32. The voltage regulator of claim 29, wherein the second amplifying means comprises a transistor, an amplifying path, a circuit, or a combination of them.

33. A voltage regulator for maintaining a voltage between a first node and a second node within a predetermined range, comprising:

a. a transistor having a first pole electrically coupled to the first node, a second pole electrically coupled to the second node, and a gate;

b. a first amplifier having a first input, a second input and an output; and

c. a second amplifier having a first input, a second input and an output,

wherein the first inputs of the first and second amplifiers are electrically coupled to the first node, the second inputs of the first and second amplifiers are electrically coupled to the second node, and the outputs of the first and second amplifiers are electrically coupled to the gate of the transistor;

wherein the first amplifier has a characteristic time to reach a saturation value of voltage responsive to a voltage signal applied between the first and second inputs, wherein the characteristic time of the first amplifier is in the range of from 0.1 to 10 millisecond.

34. A voltage regulator for maintaining a voltage between a first node and a second node within a predetermined range, comprising:

a. a transistor having a first pole electrically coupled to the first node, a second pole electrically coupled to the second node, and a gate;

b. a first amplifier having a first input, a second input and an output; and

c. a second amplifier having a first input, a second input and an output,

wherein the first inputs of the first and second amplifiers are electrically coupled to the first node, the second inputs of the first and second amplifiers are electrically coupled to the second node, and the outputs of the first and second amplifiers are electrically coupled to the gate of the transistor;

wherein the first amplifier has a characteristic time to reach a saturation value of voltage responsive to a voltage signal applied between the first and second inputs, wherein the characteristic time of the first amplifier is in the range of from 0.1 to 10 microsecond.

35. A voltage regulator for maintaining a voltage between a first node and a second node within a predetermined range, comprising:

a. a transistor having a first pole electrically coupled to the first node, a second pole electrically coupled to the second node, and a gate;

b. a first amplifier having a first input, a second input and an output; and

c. a second amplifier having a first input, a second input and an output,

wherein the first inputs of the first and second amplifiers are electrically coupled to the first node, the second inputs of the first and second amplifiers are electrically coupled to the second node, and the outputs of the first and second amplifiers are electrically coupled to the gate of the transistor;

wherein the second amplifier has a characteristic time to reach a saturation value of voltage responsive to a voltage signal applied between the first and second inputs, wherein the characteristic time of the second amplifier is in the range of from 0.1 to 10 microsecond.

36. A voltage regulator for maintaining a voltage between a first node and a second node within a predetermined range, comprising:

a. a transistor having a first pole electrically coupled to the first node, a second pole electrically coupled to the second node, and a gate;

b. a first amplifier having a first input, a second input and an output; and

c. a second amplifier having a first input, a second input and an output,

wherein the first inputs of the first and second amplifiers are electrically coupled to the first node, the second inputs of the first and second amplifiers are electrically coupled to the second node, and the outputs of the first and second amplifiers are electrically coupled to the gate of the transistor;

wherein the second amplifier has a characteristic time to reach a saturation value of voltage responsive to a voltage signal applied between the first and second inputs, wherein the characteristic time of the second amplifier is in the range of from 0.1 to 10 nanosecond.