Series regulator circuit

• US 7,414,384 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2007
• Issued: 08/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: North Star Innovations Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Kimura, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Laxton, Gary L
• Application Number:
  US11/689,504
• Publication Number:
  US 20070222425A1
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 323/273, 323/274, 323/275, 323/279, 323/281, 323/311, 323/312, 323/313, 323/314
• US Class Current: 323/274
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/46 wherein the variable actually regulated by the final control device is dc G05F1/625 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/223 in field-effect transistor switches

Abstract

A series regulator circuit that enables detection of a voltage drop and reduces consumed current in a static state. A constant current source, which is connected to a power supply voltage line, is connected to a bipolar transistor. The bipolar transistor includes an emitter terminal and base terminal connected to a ground line via first and second resistors, respectively. The constant current source is connected to the source terminal of a PMOS transistor and the gate terminal of an NMOS transistor. The source terminal of the NMOS transistor is connected via third and fourth resistors to the base terminal of the bipolar transistor.

Claims

1. A series regulator circuit comprising:

a first transistor connected between a constant current source, which is connected to a power supply line, and a ground line;

a second transistor connected between the power supply line and an output terminal;

a first resistor, second resistor, and third resistor connected in series between the output terminal and the ground line;

a comparator for comparing voltage at the output terminal with voltage at a reference node between the first and second resistors, wherein the first transistor has a control terminal connected between the second and third resistors, and the second transistor has a control terminal connected between the constant current source and the first transistor, the control terminal of the second transistor being connected to a switch element for supplying a trigger current when the voltage at the output terminal decreases; and

a backup current supplying means for supplying the reference node with backup current corresponding to the trigger current.

2. The series regulator according to claim 1, further comprising:

a compensation current supplying means for supplying a node between the constant current source and the first transistor with a compensation current corresponding to the trigger circuit.

3. The series regulator according to claim 2, further comprising a rectifying means arranged between the constant current source and the node connected to the compensation current supplying means.

4. The series regulator according to claim 2, wherein the backup current supplying means and the compensation current supplying means is formed by a current mirror circuit, and the compensation current supplying means supplies the backup current at a value that is greater by an inverse of the amplification of the backup current supplying means.

5. The series regulator according to claim 1, wherein the constant current source is a current source having temperature dependency that compensates for temperature dependency of the first transistor.