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:
Sep. 16, 1997
Filed:
Jun. 07, 1995
Carl T Nelson, San Jose, CA (US);
Robert Essaff, Fremont, CA (US);
Linear Technology Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US);
Abstract
Circuits and methods are provided for increasing the turn-off switching speed of a high-speed integrated circuit, bipolar switching regulator. The regulator The circuit runs at megahertz frequencies, yet is efficient as previously available bipolar integrated circuit switching regulators operating at much lower frequencies. The increased speed switch turn-off circuitry prevents the switch from spending too much time in a high power state (which would slow the switch down), increases the stability of the switch as compared with previously known designs. In a preferred embodiment, the circuitry includes a PNP transistor and a diode-connected transistor with their base-emitter circuits coupled to form a loop with the base-emitter circuit of a NPN transistor and the base-collector circuit of the switch to limit the on state voltage of the switch and control its depth of saturation. A capacitor is connected across the diode-connected transistor to reduce instabilities due to ringing caused by delays in the feedback loop.