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:
May. 13, 2003
Filed:
Jul. 09, 2001
Filippo Marino, Tremestieri Etneo, IT;
Salvatore Capici, Tremestieri Etneo, IT;
Roelectronics S.r.l., Agrate Brianza, IT;
Abstract
A switching voltage regulator includes a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) power switch and driver circuit therefor. The MOS power switch may include a plurality of n power transistors each connected in parallel with one other. In particular, the first of the plurality of power transistors may have a larger size than the other power transistors. More specifically, the respective sizes of the individual power transistors may scale down from one to the next. In this way, an equivalent size of the power switch is greatly reduced with respect to prior art switches in that the first and largest transistor may be readily turned off. This may be carried out without substantially affecting the delivered current, which continues to be supplied by the remaining transistors. Further, a transconductance of the power switch may decrease as the power transistors are turned off in order from the first through the nth power transistors.