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:
Oct. 16, 2007
Filed:
Aug. 19, 2005
Richard K. Oswald, San Jose, CA (US);
Tamotsu Yamamoto, Cupertino, CA (US);
Takashi Ryu, Kyoto, JP;
Mikio Motomori, Osaka, JP;
Takuya Ishii, Osaka, JP;
Richard K. Oswald, San Jose, CA (US);
Tamotsu Yamamoto, Cupertino, CA (US);
Takashi Ryu, Kyoto, JP;
Mikio Motomori, Osaka, JP;
Takuya Ishii, Osaka, JP;
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A method of regulating an output voltage by utilizing a switching regulator, where the switching regulator includes a high side switch, a low side switch having an active diode, a controller coupled to the high side switch and the low side switch, and a current measuring circuit coupled to the high side switch. The method includes the steps of: measuring the output voltage and if the output voltage is below a desired level, activating the high side switch so as to provide current to a load capacitor via a load inductor, if the voltage is above the desired level, activating the low side switch so as to sink current from the load capacitor via the load inductor; and utilizing the current measuring circuit to measure the current flowing through the high side switch in either a positive direction or a negative direction, where the controller is operable for controlling the current measuring circuit and disabling active components contained in the current measuring circuit and the active diode when the active components are not utilized during operation of the switching regulator so as to reduce operational power requirements of the switching regulator.