The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 20, 1996
Filed:
Jun. 07, 1995
Dennis M Monticelli, Fremont, CA (US);
National Semiconductor Corporation, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A voltage regulator employs a PNP output transistor of vertical construction, which operates as a linear control element in a feedback controlled circuit which is formed in a substrate. A differential amplifier has one input coupled to a voltage reference and another input coupled via feedback from a resistive voltage divider connected between common and the output of the voltage regulator. A parasitic NPN transistor, which is merged physically and thermally with the structure of the PNP output transistor, senses the onset of output transistor saturation and re-routes the majority of the excess base current drive to a feedback control node. The feedback control node retards total excess drive via a reduction in drive amplifier gain and bandwidth thereby assuring good stability of feedback loop operation during all phases of saturation, without the need for additional frequency compensating elements.