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:
Sep. 09, 2003
Gregory J. Smith, Tucson, AZ (US);
Francisco Javier Guerrero Mercado, Landsberg am Lech, DE;
Gregory J. Smith, Tucson, AZ (US);
Francisco Javier Guerrero Mercado, Landsberg am Lech, DE;
National Semiconductor Corporation, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A circuit provides a power regulation loop that operates in two modes and uses a single comparator between the two modes. One mode, an open mode, involves generating an overload signal when the pass transistor is in an oversaturated mode indicating that the voltage drop of the device exceeds a predetermined threshold. The other mode, a linear mode, involves generating an optimal value sense resistor for a liner mode operation of a pass transistor. The two modes do not exist simultaneously and, therefore, a single comparator may be used between the two modes.