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:
Sep. 23, 2014
Filed:
Jan. 19, 2012
Matthew Williams, Binghamton, NY (US);
Daniel Leonescu, Bucharest, RO;
Scott Dearborn, Brackney, PA (US);
Christian Albrecht, Echandens, CH;
Matthew Williams, Binghamton, NY (US);
Daniel Leonescu, Bucharest, RO;
Scott Dearborn, Brackney, PA (US);
Christian Albrecht, Echandens, CH;
Microchip Technology Incorporated, Chandler, AZ (US);
Abstract
The regulated output voltage of a voltage regulator is maintained up to a current limit, I, then as the load impedance continues to decrease the output current does not increase past the current limit, I, but rather the output voltage decreases forcing the output current to also decrease to satisfy Ohm's Law: I=V/Z. When the output voltage drops below the regulated voltage value because of current limiting the voltage regulator shifts from a current limit mode to a current foldback mode wherein the output current decreases with the decrease in output voltage until the output current reaches a current foldback minimum, I, at an output voltage of substantially zero volts. As the load impedance increases so will the output voltage and current until the output voltage is back at substantially the regulation voltage value, and the output current is less than or equal to the current limit, I.