Granted Patent B2

US 7,999,530 · App. 12/408,157 · Granted Aug 16, 2011

Abstract

Claims (40)

1. A power supply with an input and an output, the power supply comprising:

an amplifier to set an output voltage of the power supply output based on a fixed input voltage for the power supply;

a first output stage coupled to the amplifier and to source and sink current at the output of the power supply between a first voltage at a first voltage rail and a third voltage at a third voltage rail;

a second output stage coupled to the amplifier and to source and sink current to the output of the power supply between a second voltage at a second voltage rail and the third voltage at the third voltage rail; and

a selection device to enable one of the first and second voltages based on a select input signal, wherein the selection device is situated outside of the first and the second output stages.

2. The power supply of claim 1 , wherein the selection device is not coupled in series between either the first and third voltage rails or the second and third voltage rails such that no power is dissipated over the selection device between either the first voltage rail and the third voltage rail or between the second voltage rail and the third voltage rail.

3. The power supply of claim 1 , wherein the first voltage at the first voltage rail is higher than the second voltage at the second voltage rail, and wherein the first and second voltages are both higher than the third voltage at the third voltage rail.

4. The power supply of claim 1 , wherein the amplifier comprises an operation amplifier having first and second inputs, and first and second outputs, the first input of the operational amplifier being the input of the power supply, and the second input of the operational amplifier connected to the output of the power supply circuit, wherein the input and output voltages of the power supply are substantially equal.

5. The power supply of claim 1 , wherein the second output stage comprises a gate drive circuit, the selection device and a second output stage portion.

6. The power supply of claim 5 , wherein the second output stage portion is coupled between the second voltage rail and the third voltage rail, and having an output connected to the output of the power supply circuit, and wherein one of the first output stage and the second output stage portion is enabled depending upon the output of the selection device.

7. The power supply of claim 5 , wherein the selection device comprises a multiplexer having first and second inputs and an output, the first input connected to the first voltage rail, the second input connected to the second voltage rail, and the output selectively providing one or the other of the first and second voltage rails.

8. The power supply of claim 7 , wherein each of the first output stage and the second output stage portion comprise two drain-connected transistors.

9. The power supply of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the transistors in the second output stage portion is significantly larger than one of the transistors in the first output stage.

10. The power supply of claim 8 , wherein the output of the multiplexor is coupled to a body terminal of one of the drain-connected transistors on the second output stage portion.

11. A power supply with an input and an output, the power supply comprising:

means for setting an output voltage based on a fixed input voltage for supplying to a device under test;

first means for sourcing and sinking current at the output of the power supply between a first voltage rail and a third voltage rail;

second means for sourcing and sinking current at the output of the power supply between a second voltage rail and the third voltage rail; and

means for enabling the first and second means based on a select input signal;

wherein the means for enabling is coupled such that no power is dissipated over it between either the first voltage rail and the third voltage rail or between the second voltage rail and the third voltage rail.

12. The power supply of claim 11 , wherein the means for enabling comprises a selection device that is situated outside the first and third voltage rails and outside the second and third voltage rails.

13. The power supply of claim 12 , wherein the selection device is not coupled in series between either the first and third voltage rails or the second and third voltage rails.

14. The power supply of claim 11 , wherein a first voltage at the first voltage rail is higher than a second voltage at the second voltage rail, and wherein the first and second voltages are both higher than a third voltage at the third voltage rail.

15. The power supply of claim 11 , wherein means for setting comprises an operation amplifier having first and second inputs, and first and second outputs, the first input of the operational amplifier being the input of the power supply, and the second input of the operational amplifier connected to the output of the power supply circuit.

16. A method for supplying power to a device, the method comprising:

setting an output voltage based on a fixed input voltage for supplying to the device;

sourcing and sinking current at the output of the power supply between a first voltage rail and a third voltage rail with a first output stage;

sourcing and sinking current at the output of the power supply between a second voltage rail and the third voltage rail at a second output stage; and

enabling the first and second output stages via a selection device;

wherein the method is characterized by the absence of power dissipated over the selection device between either the first voltage rail and the third voltage rail or between the second voltage rail and the third voltage rail.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein enabling the first output stage provides sourcing and sinking current at the output of the power supply between the first voltage rail and the third voltage rail and disables sourcing and sinking current at the output of the power supply between the second voltage rail and the third voltage rail.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein enabling the second output stage provides sourcing and sinking current at the output of the power supply between the second voltage rail and the third voltage rail.

19. A power supply circuit, comprising:

an operation amplifier having first and second inputs, and first and second outputs, the first input of the op-amp being the input of the power supply circuit, and the second input of the op-amp connected to the output of the power supply circuit;

a first output stage driven by the first and second outputs of the op-amp, connected between a first high voltage rail and a low voltage rail, and having an output connected to the output of the power supply circuit; and

a second output stage also driven by the first and second outputs of the op-amp, and including

a gate drive circuit;

a multiplexer having first and second inputs and an output, the first input connected to the first high voltage rail, the second input connected to a second high voltage rail that is lower than the first high voltage rail, and the output selectively providing a voltage equal to the voltage of either the first high voltage rail or the second high voltage rail; and

a second output stage portion connected between the second high voltage rail and the low voltage rail, and having an output connected to the output of the power supply circuit, the second output stage portion being selectively enabled depending upon the output of the multiplexer.

20. The power supply circuit of claim 19 , wherein the first output stage is a low current stage and the second output stage is a high current stage.

Assignments (13)