Low dropout regulator with wide input voltage range

• US 7,531,996 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2006
• Issued: 05/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries LLC (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: System General Corporation (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Inventors: Lin, Chih-Ho, Yang, Ta-Yung
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Rajnikant B
• Application Number:
  US11/602,357
• Publication Number:
  US 20080116862A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 323282-290, 323272-275, 323266-268, 323/234, 327538-543, 327/434
• US Class Current: 323/282
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/575 characterised by the feedback circuit

Abstract

A low dropout (LDO) regulator operates in wide input range. The LDO includes an N-type pass transistor and a P-type pass transistor for supplying power to the output terminal. The P-type pass transistor is connected with N-type pass transistor in parallel. Two error amplifiers control the gate terminals of the N-type pass transistor and P-type pass transistor to generate a first output voltage and a second output voltage. Thus, the first output voltage is generated when the input voltage is higher than a threshold voltage, and the second output voltage is generated when the input voltage is lower than the threshold voltage.

Claims

1. A low dropout regulator comprising:

an input terminal, for receiving an input voltage;

an output terminal, for outputting an output voltage from the input voltage after regulating;

a N-type pass transistor, for supplying power from the input terminal to the output terminal, the N-type pass transistor having a drain terminal, a source terminal, and a gate terminal, wherein the drain terminal is coupled to the input terminal, and the source terminal is coupled to the output terminal;

a P-type pass transistor, for supplying power from the input terminal to the output terminal, the P-type pass transistor having a drain terminal, a source terminal, and a gate terminal, wherein the source terminal is coupled to the input terminal, and the drain terminal is coupled to the output terminal; and

a control circuit, for controlling the gate terminals of the N-type pass transistor and the P-type pass transistor to turn-one one of the N-type pass transistor and the P-type pass transistor to output the regulated voltage and to turn-off another of the N-type pass transistor and the P-type pass transistor;

wherein the control circuit includes two error amplifiers, being used to control the N-type pass transistor for generating a first output voltage at the output terminal and to control the P-type pass transistor for generating a second output voltage at the output terminal.

2. The low dropout regulator of claim 1, further comprising:

a voltage divider, coupled to the output terminal to generate a first feedback signal and a second feedback signal in accordance with the output voltage;

wherein the control circuit receives a reference voltage and controls the N-type pass transistor in accordance with the reference voltage and the first feedback signal, and the P-type pass transistor in accordance with the reference voltage and the second feedback signal.

3. The low dropout regulator of claim 2, wherein the second feedback signal is higher than the first feedback signal.

4. The low dropout regulator of claim 1, further comprises a detection circuit coupled to the input terminal to disable the P-type pass transistor when the input voltage is higher than an input threshold.

5. The low dropout regulation circuit of claim 4, wherein the detection circuit includes at least two resistors.

6. The low dropout regulation circuit of claim 1, wherein the first output voltage is generated when the unregulated DC voltage is higher than a threshold voltage and the second output voltage is generated when the unregulated DC voltage is lower than the threshold voltage, wherein the first output voltage is higher than the second output voltage.

7. A regulating method by a low dropout regulator, the low dropout regulator includes an N-type pass transistor, a P-type pass transistor, a control circuit, an input terminal and an output terminal, comprising the following steps:

receiving an unregulated DC voltage by the input terminal;

generating a first output voltage to the output terminal by the N-type pass transistor regulates the unregulated DC voltage when the unregulated DC voltage is higher than an input threshold; and

generating a second output voltage to the output terminal by the P-type pass transistor regulates the unregulated DC voltage when the unregulated DC voltage is lower than an input threshold.

8. The regulating method of claim 7, wherein the control circuit is used to control the N-type pass transistor for generating a first output voltage at the output terminal and to control the P-type pass transistor for generating a second output voltage at the output terminal.

9. The regulating method of claim 7, wherein the control circuit receives a reference voltage and controls the N-type pass transistor in accordance with the reference voltage and a first feedback signal, and the P-type pass transistor in accordance with the reference voltage and a second feedback signal.