Granted Patent B2

US 8,836,302 · App. 13/620,929 · Granted Sep 16, 2014

Abstract

Claims (57)

1. A low dropout voltage regulator, comprising:

a comparison unit, receiving a reference voltage and a feedback voltage, outputting a first voltage, and comparing the reference voltage and the feedback voltage to output a first voltage;

a buck unit, electrically connected to the comparison unit, the buck unit receiving an input voltage and the first voltage and having the input voltage stepping down to an output voltage, wherein the buck unit outputs a first current according to the first voltage and the output voltage;

a feedback unit, electrically connected between the buck unit and the comparison unit, the feedback unit receiving the output voltage, and after converting the output voltage to the feedback voltage, the feedback unit transmitting the feedback voltage to the comparison unit; and

a current-drawing unit, receiving the input voltage and output voltage;

wherein when the input voltage is smaller than a start-up voltage, the current-drawing unit turns off and a second current flowing through the feedback unit is equal to the first current substantially,

wherein when the output voltage is larger than the start-up voltage, the current-drawing unit draws a third current and the third current is equal to a sum of the first current and the second current.

2. The low dropout voltage regulator according to claim 1 , wherein the first current generating from the buck unit increases under at least one non-ideal situation, the current-drawing unit draws amount of the current increased by the first current correspondingly.

3. The low dropout voltage regulator according to claim 1 , wherein the comparison unit is a first comparator, a first positive input end of the first comparator receives the feedback voltage, a first negative input end of the first comparator receives the reference voltage, and a first output end of the first comparator outputs the first voltage,

wherein the buck circuit comprises a P-type transistor, a gate of the P-type transistor receives the first voltage, a source of the P-type transistor receives the input voltage, and a drain of the P-type transistor outputs the output voltage and the first current.

4. The low dropout voltage regulator according to claim 3 , wherein the feedback unit comprises:

a first resistance, one end of the first resistance electrically connected to the buck unit and receiving the input voltage, and another one end of the first resistance outputting the feedback voltage; and

a second resistance, one end of the second resistance electrically connected to another one end of the first resistance, and the another one end of the second resistance electrically connected to a ground voltage,

wherein the feedback voltage is a partial voltage of the output voltage.

5. The low dropout voltage regulator according to claim 4 , wherein the current-drawing unit comprises:

a first N-type transistor, a gate of the first N-type transistor receiving the input voltage, and a drain of the first N-type transistor receiving the output voltage; and

P first diodes, electrically connected to each other in series, a cathode and an anode of a Wth first diode of the first diodes electrically connected to a anode of a (W−1)th first diode and a cathode of a (W+1)th first diode respectively, a node of the first diode electrically connected to a source of the first N-type transistor, and a cathode of a Pth first diode electrically connected to the ground voltage,

Wherein P is a positive integer, and W is a positive integer between 2 to P−1.

6. The low dropout voltage regulator according to claim 5 , wherein the start-up voltage is equal to that a sum of a turn-on voltage of the first diodes adds a threshold voltage of the first N-type transistor, and when the low dropout voltage regulator works in high temperature or in a fast process corner, the start-up voltage decrease so as to the third current is substantially equal to an amount of the current increased by the first current.

7. The low dropout voltage regulator according to claim 3 , further comprising:

a control unit, electrically connected to the feedback unit and the current-drawing unit, the control unit receiving a output voltage adjusting command and transmitting a plurality of first control signals and a plurality of second control signals to the feedback unit and the current-drawing unit respectively according to the output voltage adjusting command, so as to adjust the output voltage and the start-up voltage simultaneously.

8. The low dropout voltage regulator according to claim 7 , wherein the feedback unit comprises:

a third resistance, one end of the third resistance electrically connected to a drain of the P-type transistor or a source of the second N-type transistor and receiving the output voltage, and another one end of the third resistance outputting the feedback voltage;

M impedance elements, electrically connected to each other in series, wherein another one end of a Mth impedance element electrically connected to the ground voltage; and

M first switches, one end of the M first switches electrically connected to another one end of the third resistance, another one end of a Xth switch of the first switches electrically connected between a (X−1)th impedance element and a Xth impedance element, another one end of a first switch electrically connected to one end of a first impedance element, and the first switches receiving the plurality of first control signals to determine a turn-on state or a turn-off state itself, so as to adjust the feedback voltage and the output voltage according to the plurality of first control signals,

wherein M is a positive integer, and X is a positive integer between 2 to M.

9. The low dropout voltage regulator according to claim 8 , wherein the current-drawing unit comprises:

P second diodes, electrically connected to each other in series, a anode and a cathode of a Yth second diode of the second diodes electrically connected to a cathode of a (Y−1) second diode and a anode of (Y+1) second diode respectively, a anode of a first second diode electrically connected to a source of a first N-type transistor, and a cathode of a Pth second transistor electrically connected to the ground voltage, wherein Y is a positive integer between 2 to (P−1); and

P second switches, one end of the second diodes electrically connected to a source of the second N-type transistor, another one end of a Zth switch of the second switches electrically connected between a (Y−1)th second diode and a Yth diode, another one end of a first switch electrically connected to a anode of a first second diode, and the second switches receiving the plurality of second control signals to determine a turn-on state or turn-off state, so as to adjust a second voltage and the start-up voltage according to the plurality of second control signals,

wherein P is a positive integer, and Z is a positive integer between 2 to P.

10. The low dropout voltage regulator according to claim 9 , wherein the start-up voltage is equal to that a sum of a turn-on voltage of the second diodes adds a threshold voltage of the first N-type transistor, and when the low drop-out voltage regulator works in high temperature or in the fast process corner, the start-up voltage decreases, so that the third current is substantially equal to a amount of current increased by the first current.

11. The low dropout voltage regulator according to claim 1 , wherein the comparison circuit is a second comparator, a second positive input end of the second comparator receives the reference voltage, a second negative input end of the second comparator receives the feedback voltage, and a second output end of the second comparator outputs the first voltage,

wherein the buck unit comprises a second N-type transistor, a gate of the second N-type transistor receives the first voltage, a drain of the second N-type transistor receives the input voltage, and a source of the second N-type transistor outputs the output voltage and the first current.

12. The low dropout voltage regulator according to claim 11 , wherein the feedback unit comprises:

a first resistance, one end of the first resistance electrically connected to the buck circuit and receiving the output voltage, and another one end of the first resistance outputting the feedback voltage; and

a second resistance, one end of the second resistance electrically connected to another one end of the first resistance, and another one end of the second resistance electrically connected to a ground voltage,

wherein the feedback voltage is a partial voltage of the output voltage.

13. The low dropout voltage regulator according to claim 12 , wherein the current drawing unit comprises:

a first N-type transistor, a gate of the first N-type transistor receiving the input voltage, and a drain of the first N-type transistor receiving the output voltage; and

P first diodes, electrically connected to each other in series, a cathode and a anode of a Wth first diode of the first diodes electrically connected to a anode of a (W−1)th first diode and a cathode of a (W+1)th first diode respectively, a node of the first diode electrically connected to a source of the first N-type transistor, and a cathode of a Pth first diode electrically connected to the ground voltage,

wherein P is a positive integer, and W is a positive integer between 2 to P−1.

14. The low dropout voltage regulator according to claim 13 , wherein the start-up voltage is equal to that a sum of a turn-on voltage of the first diodes adds a threshold voltage of the first N-type transistor, and when the low dropout voltage regulator works in high temperature or in a fast process corner, the start-up voltage decrease so as to the third current is substantially equal to a amount of the current increased by the first current.

15. The low dropout voltage regulator according to claim 11 , further comprising:

a control unit, electrically connected to the feedback unit and the current-drawing unit, the control unit receiving a output voltage adjusting command and transmitting a plurality of first control signals and a plurality of second control signals to the feedback unit and the current-drawing unit respectively according to the output voltage adjusting command, so as to adjust the output voltage and the start-up voltage simultaneously.

16. The low dropout voltage regulator according to claim 15 , wherein the feedback unit comprises:

a third resistance, one end of the third resistance electrically connected to a drain of the P-type transistor or a source of the second N-type transistor and receiving the output voltage, and another one end of the third resistance outputting the feedback voltage;

M impedance elements, electrically connected to each other in series, wherein another one end of a Mth impedance element electrically connected to the ground voltage; and

M first switches, one end of the M first switches electrically connected to another one end of the third resistance, another one end of a Xth switch of the first switches electrically connected between a (X−1)th impedance element and a Xth impedance element, another one end of a first switch electrically connected to one end of a first impedance element, and the first switches receiving the plurality of first control signals to determine a turn-on state or a turn-off state itself, so as to adjust the feedback voltage and the output voltage according to the plurality of first control signals,

wherein M is a positive integer, and X is a positive integer between 2 to M.

17. The low dropout voltage regulator according to claim 16 , wherein the current-drawing unit comprises:

P second diodes, electrically connected to each other in series, a anode and a cathode of a Yth second diode of the second diodes electrically connected to a cathode of a (Y−1) second diode and a anode of (Y+1) second diode respectively, a anode of a first second diode electrically connected to a source of a first N-type transistor, and a cathode of a Pth second transistor electrically connected to the ground voltage, wherein Y is a positive integer between 2 to (P−1); and

P second switches, one end of the second diodes electrically connected to a source of the second N-type transistor, another one end of a Zth switch of the second switches electrically connected between a (Y−1)th second diode and a Yth diode, another one end of a first switch electrically connected to a anode of a first second diode, and the second switches receiving the plurality of second control signals to determine a turn-on state or turn-off state, so as to adjust a second voltage and the start-up voltage according to the plurality of second control signals,

wherein P is a positive integer, and Z is a positive integer between 2 to P.

18. The low dropout voltage regulator according to claim 17 , wherein the start-up voltage is equal to that a sum of a turn-on voltage of the second diodes adds a threshold voltage of the first N-type transistor, and when the low drop-out voltage regulator works in high temperature or in the fast process corner, the start-up voltage decreases, so that the third current is substantially equal to a amount of current increased by the first current.

19. A electronic device, comprising:

the low dropout voltage regulator according to claim 1 , receiving the input voltage and having an input voltage stepping down to an output voltage; and

a load, receiving the output voltage.

Assignments (17)