Power supply circuit

• US 7,915,877 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2004
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vitesco Technologies GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Meier, Bernd, Völkl, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): BERHANE, ADOLF D
• Application Number:
  US10/964,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20050046403A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,358 Days
• Field of Search: 323/266, 323/267, 323/282, 323/351, 307/31
• US Class Current: 323/267
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/575 characterised by the feedback circuit

Abstract

A power supply circuit (1), particularly for a microcontroller of a transmission control unit, comprises a first output (3) supplying a first output voltage (U_OUT1) and a second output (4) supplying a second output voltage (U_OUT2), the first output voltage (U_OUT1) being different from the second output voltage (U_OUT2). The power supply circuit (1) also comprises a unit (OP1, T2, OP2, T3) adjusting the first (U_OUT1) and second output voltage (U_OUT2) and a controller (OP3-OP5, T2, T3) limiting the voltage difference between the first (U_OUT1) and second output voltage (U_OUT2).

Claims

1. A power supply circuit, especially for a microcontroller of a transmission control, comprising:

a first output to provide a first output voltage,

a second output to provide a second output voltage, wherein the first output voltage and the second output voltage being different,

an adjusting unit for setting the first output voltage and the second output voltage, and

a first regulator for limiting the voltage difference between the first output voltage and the second output voltage by regulating the voltage difference between the first and second output voltages.

2. The power supply circuit according to claim 1, wherein, the first regulator is connected on the input side to the first output and the second output and on the output side to the adjusting unit.

3. The power supply circuit according to claim 1, wherein, the first regulator comprises a comparator with a first input and a second input, with the first input of the comparator being connected to the first output while the second input of the comparator is connected to the second output.

4. The power supply circuit according to claim 1, wherein, the first regulator comprises two comparators which, to record the voltage difference are each connected on the input side with the first output and the second output.

5. The power supply circuit according to claim 4, wherein, at least one of the two comparators of the first regulator is connected via a reference voltage element with the first output or the second output.

6. The power supply circuit according to claim 1, wherein, the adjusting unit comprises a second regulator to regulate the first output voltage and a third regulator to regulate the second output voltage.

7. The power supply circuit according to claim 6, wherein, the second regulator and/or the third regulator are connected on the input side with a reference voltage element.

8. The power supply circuit according to claim 7, wherein, the reference voltage element comprises a variable output voltage which corresponds to a prespecified voltage time line.

9. The power supply circuit according to claim 1, wherein, the first output and/or the second output is connected to an output capacitor, in which case to discharge the output capacitor, a short circuit switch is provided.

10. The power supply circuit according to claim 1, wherein, to provide an internal control voltage a charge pump circuit is provided.

11. A power supply circuit for a microcontroller of a transmission control, said circuit comprising:

a first output to provide a first output voltage;

a second output to provide a second output voltage, wherein the first output voltage and the second output voltage are different;

an adjusting unit for setting the first output voltage and the second output voltage;

a first regulator for limiting the voltage difference between the first output voltage and the second output voltage by regulating the voltage difference between the first and second output voltages;

wherein the first regulator comprises a comparator with a first input and a second input, with the first input of the comparator being connected to the first output while the second input of the comparator is connected to the second output; and

for low-resistance connection of the first output to the second output at least one controllable switching element is provided, with the comparator being connected on the output side with the switching element.

12. The power supply circuit according to claim 11, wherein, the adjusting unit for setting the first output voltage comprises a first switching element and for setting the second output voltage a second switching element, in which case the first switching element and the second element are connected in series between the first output and the second output and are connected to the comparator for activation.

13. The power supply circuit according to claim 11, wherein the first regulator is connected on the input side to the first and second outputs and on the output side to the adjusting unit.

14. The power supply circuit according to claim 11, wherein the first regulator comprises a comparator with a first input and a second input, the first input of the comparator connected to the first output and the second input of the comparator connected to the second output.

15. A power supply circuit for a microcontroller of a transmission control, said circuit comprising:

a first voltage control circuit for providing a first output voltage at a first output,

a second voltage control circuit for providing a second output voltage at a second output, wherein the first output voltage and the second output voltage differ,

a comparator coupled with the first and second output voltage and with the first and second control circuit for limiting the voltage difference between the first output voltage and the second output voltage by controlling the first and second voltage control circuits to regulate the voltage difference between the first and second output voltages; and

at least one controllable switching element for low-resistance connection of the first output to the second output, the comparator being connected on the output side with the switching element.

16. The power supply circuit according to claim 15, further comprising a second comparator coupled on the input side with the first output and the second output.

17. The power supply circuit according to claim 16, wherein, at least one of the two comparators is connected via a reference voltage element with the first output or the second output.

18. The power supply circuit according to claim 15, wherein, the first output and/or the second output is connected to an output capacitor, in which case to discharge the output capacitor, a short circuit switch is provided.

19. The power supply circuit according to claim 15, wherein, to provide an internal control voltage a charge pump circuit is provided.