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:
Nov. 29, 2005
Filed:
Jun. 10, 2004
Gregory J. Smith, Tucson, AZ (US);
Gregory J. Smith, Tucson, AZ (US);
National Semiconductor Corporation, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A voltage regulator includes a soft-start circuit, an error amplifier, an output stage, a voltage divider, and a soft-start switch. The output stage is arranged to provide an output voltage from an input voltage and an error signal. The voltage divider is arranged to provide a feedback signal from the output voltage. The error amplifier is arranged to provide the error signal from a soft-start reference voltage and the feedback signal. The soft-start circuit is arranged to provide the soft-start reference voltage from a reference voltage. If the voltage regulator is enabled, the soft-start reference voltage ramps toward the reference voltage until the soft-start reference voltage reaches the reference voltage. The soft-start switch is coupled across the inputs of the error amplifier. If the voltage regulator is disabled, the soft-start switch is closed. Closing the soft-start switch causes the soft-start reference voltage to track the decaying output voltage during disable.