Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC

Jiri Forejtek

Petr Rozsypal

An electronic fuse that includes a clamp circuit to enhance the protection provided by the electronic fuse. The clamp circuit can detect a short circuit condition quickly and transmit a trigger signal to a controller so that a power transistor of the electronic fuse can be turned-OFF before the current through the power transistor causes overheating or damage. The clamp circuit is a dedicated circuit for short-circuit detection that can work with other current control circuits of the electronic fuse. The clamp circuit does not increase the power consumed by the electronic fuse while not in the short circuit condition. The clamp circuit is small and fast because it can use low-voltage devices, even as high voltages are present at the input and output of the electronic fuse.

Short-circuit detector for electronic fuse circuit

In accordance with an embodiment, a low dropout voltage regulator includes an error amplifier connected to an output driver. The error amplifier has an output connected to an input of the output driver and an input connected to an input of the output driver. The output driver has an input coupled for receiving an input signal. In accordance with another embodiment, a method for regulating a voltage is provided that includes operating a voltage regulator under control of an output voltage regulation loop in response to the voltage regulator not being in a low dropout region. The voltage regulator is operated under control of a quiescent current regulation loop in response to the voltage regulator being in a low dropout region.

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Tyniste nad Orlici, Czechia

Jiri Forejtek