Linear Technology Corporation

Mark G Jordan

David Charles Salerno

James Edward Wells

Voltage regulators and methods for regulating voltages are disclosed. A switching circuit with an inductor and a plurality of switches may be used to produce a regulated voltage from an unregulated voltage source. A control circuit may be used to monitor the voltages at the input and output of the voltage regulator, and operate the switches in either a buck, boost, or buck-boost mode depending on the relationship between the voltages at the input and output of the voltage regulator.

Adaptive control for inducer based buck-boost voltage regulators

The present invention comprises a user-programmable control circuit for use in a power converter to automatically transition the converter into BURST mode when load current demand is low. The control circuit senses load current demand by monitoring the output current of the converter, and generating a signal representative of the monitored output current. The control circuit may automatically transition the converter into BURST mode when the signal indicative of the average monitored output current decreases below a user-programmable threshold. BURST mode may increase overall converter efficiency by turning OFF a plurality of electronic components, and maintaining the converter's output voltage at a regulated level by energy stored in an output capacitor.

Methods and circuits for programmable automatic burst mode control using average output current

A voltage reference circuit capable of operating at reduced quiescent currents is described. The voltage reference circuit comprises an output circuit, a timer circuit and a control circuit. When in standby mode, in order to decrease power consumed by the output circuit, current through the output circuit is decreased, allowing the voltage at the output node to fall outside of a desired range. To determine when this event has occurred, the control circuit includes a test circuit that generates a test signal characterized by having a voltage that is correlated with the voltage at the output terminal.

Circuit and method for reducing quiescent current in a voltage reference circuit

A slope compensation circuit that provides slope compensation signals for switching voltage regulators is provided. The slope compensation circuit includes a feedback circuit, a control circuit, and a slope signal generator circuit. The feedback circuit generates a feedback signal that is indicative of both input and output voltages. The control circuit acts as a voltage controlled resistor that varies its resistance based on the feedback signal in order to control the slope signal generator circuit so that an optimum amount of slope compensation is provided.

Growing community of inventors

New Boston, NH, United States of America

Mark G Jordan