DC-DC converter switching transistor current measurement technique
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a) a switching transistor;
b) a pair of transistors having their conductive channels coupled in series, a drain of one of said pair of transistors coupled to one end of said switching transistor'"'"'s conductive channel, a source of the other of said pair of transistors coupled to the other end of said switching transistor'"'"'s conductive channel, and a source of the one of said pair of transistors coupled in series to a drain of the other of said pair of transistors; and
,c) a node between said pair of transistors coupled to an input of an amplifier; and
d) a second pair of transistors having their conductive channels coupled in parallel, a node between said second pair of transistors coupled to a reference input of said amplifier, wherein a transistor of said first pair of transistors is designed to be matched to a transistor of said second pair of transistors.
11 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method is described comprising conducting a first current through a switching transistor. The method also comprises conducting a second current through a pair of transistors whose conductive channels are coupled in series with respect to each other and are together coupled in parallel across the switching transistor'"'"'s conductive channel. The second current is less than and proportional to the first current.
-
Citations
16 Claims
-
1. An apparatus, comprising:
-
a) a switching transistor; b) a pair of transistors having their conductive channels coupled in series, a drain of one of said pair of transistors coupled to one end of said switching transistor'"'"'s conductive channel, a source of the other of said pair of transistors coupled to the other end of said switching transistor'"'"'s conductive channel, and a source of the one of said pair of transistors coupled in series to a drain of the other of said pair of transistors; and
,c) a node between said pair of transistors coupled to an input of an amplifier; and d) a second pair of transistors having their conductive channels coupled in parallel, a node between said second pair of transistors coupled to a reference input of said amplifier, wherein a transistor of said first pair of transistors is designed to be matched to a transistor of said second pair of transistors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A method, comprising:
-
conducting a first current through a switching transistor; conducting a second current through a pair of transistors whose conductive channels are coupled in series with respect to each other such that said pair of transistors pass said second current through said conductive channels and are together coupled in parallel across said switching transistor'"'"'s conductive channel, said second current less than and proportional to said first current; and
,conducting a third current from a reference node of an amplifier to a node between a second pair of transistors that are coupled in parallel, a transistor of said first pair of transistors designed to be matched to a transistor of said second pair of transistors. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
-
Specification