Stabilized voltage regulator

• US 8,810,218 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2012
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MediaTek Singapore Pte. Ltd. (MediaTek, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MediaTek Singapore Pte. Ltd. (MediaTek, Inc.)
• Inventors: Liu, Yingyi, Lan, Kun, Huang, Chih-Chien, Chou, Yu-Kai
• Primary Examiner(s): Dole, Timothy J
• Assistant Examiner(s): AHMED, YUSEF A
• Application Number:
  US13/612,754
• Publication Number:
  US 20130076325A1
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 323222-225, 323269-277, 323280-285
• US Class Current: 323/273
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/575 characterised by the feedback circuit

Abstract

A voltage regulator includes a pass transistor, an operational amplifier and a voltage divider circuit. The pass transistor receives a supply voltage to generate a regulated output voltage according to a control signal. The operational amplifier generates the control signal according to a feedback voltage. The voltage divider circuit generates the feedback voltage at a feedback node according to the regulated output voltage, and includes a string of resistors and a stabilization element. The string of resistors is coupled to the pass transistor and includes multiple resistors. The stabilization element is coupled to the resistors and receives the regulated output voltage.

Claims

1. A voltage regulator, comprising:

a pass transistor, receiving a supply voltage to generate a regulated output voltage according to a control signal;

an operational amplifier, generating the control signal according to a feedback voltage;

wherein the operational amplifier comprises;

a first input node, receiving a reference voltage;

a second input node, receiving the feedback voltage; and

an output node, outputting the control signal,

wherein the operational amplifier is coupled to the stabilization element at the feedback node, and a high frequency pole is generated at the second input node by the stabilization element and a plurality of parasitic capacitance; and

a voltage divider circuit, generating the feedback voltage at a feedback node according to the regulated output voltage, wherein the voltage divider circuit comprises;

a string of resistors, coupled to the pass transistor and comprising a plurality of resistors, wherein the plurality of resistors and the plurality of parasitic capacitance generate a pole in a low frequency region at the feedback node; and

a stabilization element, coupled to the string of resistors and receiving the regulated output voltage to stabilize the regulated output voltage affected by the pole.

2. The voltage regulator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stabilization element generates a high frequency pole at the feedback node.

3. The voltage regulator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of resistors comprises a first resistor and a second resistor, the first resistor is coupled between the pass transistor and the stabilization element, the stabilization element is coupled between the first resistor and the feedback node, and the second resistor is coupled between the feedback node and a ground node.

4. The voltage regulator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stabilization element comprises a transistor operating in a linear region.

5. The voltage regulator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stabilization element comprises an NMOS transistor.

6. The voltage regulator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operational amplifier generates the control signal according to a difference between the reference voltage and the feedback voltage.

7. A voltage regulator, comprising:

a first transistor, receiving a supply voltage to generate a regulated output voltage at an output node according to a control signal;

an operational amplifier, generating the control signal according to a difference between a reference voltage and a feedback voltage;

wherein the operational amplifier comprises;

a first input node, receiving the reference voltage;

a second input node, receiving the feedback voltage; and

an output node, outputting the control signal,

wherein the operational amplifier is coupled to the second transistor at the second input node, and a high frequency pole is generated at the second input node by a plurality of parasitic capacitance of the second transistor; and

a voltage divider circuit, generating the feedback voltage at a feedback node according to the regulated output voltage, wherein the voltage divider circuit comprises;

a string of resistors, coupled to the first transistor and comprising a plurality of resistors, wherein the plurality of resistors and the plurality of parasitic capacitance generate a pole in a low frequency region at the feedback node; and

a second transistor, coupled to the string of resistors and comprising a gate coupled to the output node to stabilize the regulated output voltage affected by the pole.

8. The voltage regulator as claimed in claim 7, wherein the plurality of resistors comprise a first resistor and a second resistor, the first resistor is coupled between the first transistor and the second transistor, the second transistor is coupled between the first resistor and the feedback node, and the second resistor is coupled between the feedback node and a ground node.

9. The voltage regulator as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second transistor operates in a linear region.

10. The voltage regulator as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second transistor is an NMOS transistor.

11. A voltage regulator, comprising:

a pass transistor, receiving a supply voltage to generate a regulated output voltage according to a control signal, wherein the control signal is generated according to a feedback voltage;

a voltage divider circuit, generating the feedback voltage at a feedback node according to the regulated output voltage, wherein the voltage divider circuit comprises;

a string of resistors, coupled to the pass transistor and comprising a plurality of resistors, wherein the plurality of resistors and a plurality of parasitic capacitance generate a pole in a low frequency region at the feedback node;

a stabilization element, coupled to the string of resistors and pushing the pole to a high frequency region; and

an operational amplifier, receiving the feedback voltage and a reference voltage, and generating the control signal according to a difference between the reference voltage and the feedback voltage, wherein the operational amplifier comprises;

a first input node, receiving the reference voltage;

a second input node, receiving the feedback voltage; and

an output node, outputting the control signal,

wherein the operational amplifier is coupled to the stabilization element at the second input node.

12. The voltage regulator as claimed in claim 11, wherein the plurality of resistors comprise a first resistor and a second resistor, the first resistor is coupled between the pass transistor and the stabilization element, the stabilization element is coupled between the first resistor and the feedback node, and the second resistor is coupled between the feedback node and a ground node.

13. The voltage regulator as claimed in claim 11, wherein the stabilization element comprises a transistor operating in a linear region.

14. The voltage regulator as claimed in claim 11, wherein the stabilization element comprises an NMOS transistor.