IP Library Granted Patent US 11,994,892
Granted Patent B2
US 11,994,892 · App. 17/697,881 · Granted May 28, 2024

Shunt regulator

Inventors: Tsutomu Tomioka (Tokyo, JP); Hideyuki Sawai (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: ABLIC Inc.
G05F1/613G05F1/565H03K17/063
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,994,892
App. No.
17/697,881
Granted
May 28, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a shunt regulator including: multiple resistors, connected in series between an output terminal and a ground terminal and constituting a voltage divider circuit; an output transistor, connected between the output terminal and the ground terminal; a first drive circuit, including a first reference voltage circuit which outputs a first reference voltage and an error amplifier, and controlling the output transistor based on a voltage of a first output terminal of the voltage divider circuit; a second drive circuit, controlling the output transistor based on a voltage of a second output terminal of the voltage divider circuit; and an activation control circuit, switching operation of the first drive circuit and the second drive circuit based on the first reference voltage. The second drive circuit has a shorter activation time than the first drive circuit.

Claims (27)

1. A shunt regulator, comprising:

an output terminal, connected to a power supply terminal via an external resistor;

a plurality of resistors, connected in series between the output terminal and a ground terminal and constituting a voltage divider circuit;

an output transistor, connected between the output terminal and the ground terminal;

a first drive circuit, comprising a first reference voltage circuit which outputs a first reference voltage and a first error amplifier, and controlling the output transistor based on a voltage of a first output terminal of the voltage divider circuit;

a second drive circuit, controlling the output transistor based on a voltage of a second output terminal of the voltage divider circuit; and

an activation control circuit, switching operation of the first drive circuit and the second drive circuit based on the first reference voltage, wherein

the second drive circuit has a shorter activation time than the first drive circuit.

2. The shunt regulator according to claim 1 , wherein

the second drive circuit comprises a second reference voltage circuit which outputs a second reference voltage and a second error amplifier.

3. The shunt regulator according to claim 2 , wherein

the activation control circuit comprises:

a constant current circuit, having one terminal connected to the output terminal; and

an NMOS transistor, having a drain connected to the other terminal of the constant current circuit, a gate connected to the first reference voltage circuit, and a source connected to the ground terminal.

4. The shunt regulator according to claim 1 , wherein

the activation control circuit comprises:

a constant current circuit, having one terminal connected to the output terminal; and

an NMOS transistor, having a drain connected to the other terminal of the constant current circuit, a gate connected to the first reference voltage circuit, and a source connected to the ground terminal.

5. The shunt regulator according to claim 1 , wherein

the second drive circuit comprises:

a constant current circuit, having one terminal connected to the output terminal;

an NMOS transistor, having a drain connected to the other terminal of the constant current circuit, a gate connected to the second output terminal of the voltage divider circuit, and a source connected to the ground terminal; and

an inverting amplifier circuit, having an input terminal connected to the other terminal of the constant current circuit and a control terminal connected to a control terminal of the activation control circuit, and controlling the output transistor by an output voltage.

6. The shunt regulator according to claim 5 , wherein

the activation control circuit comprises:

a constant current circuit, having one terminal connected to the output terminal; and

an NMOS transistor, having a drain connected to the other terminal of the constant current circuit, a gate connected to the first reference voltage circuit, and a source connected to the ground terminal.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Jun 8, 2023
From: ABLIC INC.
To: ABLIC INC.
Reel/Frame 064021/0575 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 22, 2022
From: TOMIOKA, TSUTOMU; SAWAI, HIDEYUKI
To: ABLIC INC.
Reel/Frame 059331/0087 →