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:
Jun. 02, 2009
Filed:
Feb. 09, 2006
Gregory J. Smith, Tucson, AZ (US);
Glenn Chance Dunlap, Iii, Tucson, AZ (US);
Jeremy A. Carlson, Tucson, AZ (US);
Igor Furlan, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Gregory J. Smith, Tucson, AZ (US);
Glenn Chance Dunlap, III, Tucson, AZ (US);
Jeremy A. Carlson, Tucson, AZ (US);
Igor Furlan, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
National Semiconductor Corporation, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A regulator is provided. In one embodiment, the regulator operates as follows. During steady-state conditions, the switching frequency is maintained substantially constant. During start-up and/or in response to an over-current event, the reference voltage is attenuated. For example, in one embodiment, during a soft-start, the reference voltage ramps upward. During the soft-start, the switching frequency is attenuated in proportion to the attenuation of the reference voltage. The switching frequency is attenuated by skipping a number of pulses that is proportional to the reference voltage attenuation, or through another method. In another embodiment, a dynamic over-current protection scheme is employed.