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:
May. 24, 2016
Filed:
Apr. 28, 2011
Christopher T. Maxwell, Sherman, TX (US);
John M. Perry, McKinney, TX (US);
Aline C. Sadate, Allen, TX (US);
James C. Spurlin, Sherman, TX (US);
Nakshatra S. Gajbhiye, Plano, TX (US);
Christopher T. Maxwell, Sherman, TX (US);
John M. Perry, McKinney, TX (US);
Aline C. Sadate, Allen, TX (US);
James C. Spurlin, Sherman, TX (US);
Nakshatra S. Gajbhiye, Plano, TX (US);
Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
Conventionally, current detection in load switches is implemented by monitoring the voltage across a small value sense resistor in series with the load switch, where the differential voltage across is applied to a comparator to generate a control signal corresponding to a light load condition, a normal load condition, or an over-load condition. Detecting the light load condition, however, can be difficult to determine using this arrangement due to the low differential voltage. Here, however, a integrated circuit (IC) is provided that employs an internal voltage supply and comparators to examine the load current to determine whether a light load condition is present, which does not suffer from the same problems.