Granted Patent B2

US 7,872,460 · App. 12/198,099 · Granted Jan 18, 2011

Abstract

Claims (32)

1. A switching regulator, comprising:

a first transistor;

a second transistor connected in series with the first transistor and driven in a complementary manner with the first transistor;

a comparator which compares output current, generated when the first and second transistors are driven, with a short circuit detection threshold and generates a first short circuit detection signal; and

a timing controller which retrieves the first short circuit detection signal generated by the comparator at a predetermined timing and generates a second short circuit detection signal

wherein the timing controller retrieves the first short circuit detection signal at the predetermined timing during a period in which the first transistor is activated.

2. The switching regulator of claim 1 , wherein the timing controller retrieves the first short circuit detection signal as the second short circuit detection signal after a first elapsed time from when the first transistor is activated.

3. The switching regulator according to claim 1 , wherein the timing controller retrieves the first short circuit detection signal at the predetermined timing during a period in which the second transistor is activated.

4. The switching regulator according to claim 3 , wherein the timing controller retrieves the first short circuit detection signal as the second short circuit detection signal after a second elapsed time from when the second transistor is activated.

5. The switching regulator according to claim 1 , wherein the timing controller includes:

a timing detector that detects activation of the first transistor and generates an activation signal that is asserted when a first elapsed time elapses from when the first transistor is activated; and

a logic circuit connected to the timing detector, which receives the first short circuit detection signal from the comparator and generates the second short circuit detection signal based on the activation signal and the first short circuit detection signal.

6. The switching regulator according to claim 5 , wherein the timing detector further detects activation of the second transistor and asserts the activation signal when a second elapsed time elapses from when the second transistor is activated.

7. The switching regulator of claim 1 , wherein the switching regulator is a step-up type DC-DC converter.

8. A method for detecting an output short circuit in a switching regulator, wherein the switching regulator includes a first transistor and a second transistor, which is connected in series with the first transistor and driven in a complementary manner with the first transistor, the method comprising:

generating a first short circuit detection signal by comparing output current, generated when the first and second transistors are driven, with a short circuit detection threshold; and

generating a second short circuit detection signal by retrieving the first short circuit detection signal at a predetermined timing when the first transistor is activated.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said generating a second short circuit detection signal includes:

detecting activation of the first transistor; and

retrieving the first short circuit detection signal as the second short circuit detection signal after a first elapsed time from when the first transistor is activated.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein said generating a second short circuit detection signal includes:

retrieving the first short circuit detection signal at the predetermined timing during a period in which the second transistor is activated.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein said generating a second short circuit detection signal includes:

detecting activation of the second transistor; and

retrieving the first short circuit detection signal as the second short circuit detection signal after a second elapsed time from when the second transistor is activated.

12. The method according to claim 8 , wherein said generating a second short circuit detection signal includes:

detecting activation of the first transistor;

generating an activation signal in response to said detecting, with the activation signal being asserted when a first elapsed time elapses from when the first transistor is activated; and

generating the second short circuit detection signal based on the activation signal and the first short circuit detection signal.

13. The method according to claim 8 , wherein said generating an activation signal further includes:

detecting activation of the second transistor; and

asserting the activation signal when a second elapsed time elapses from when the second transistor is activated.

Assignments (29)