IP Library Granted Patent US 8,036,006
Granted Patent B2
US 8,036,006 · App. 12/314,687 · Granted Oct 11, 2011

Power supply circuit having resistance element changing its resistance value to limit current flowing to capacitive load

Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,036,006
App. No.
12/314,687
Granted
Oct 11, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A power supply circuit includes a control circuit which outputs a control signal when an in-rush current flows and a power-supply-resistance control circuit which supplies a current to a capacitive load. The power-supply-resistance control circuit, provided in the current path between a power supply and the capacitive load, increases the resistance of the current path in response to the control signal and reduces the resistance of the current path in response to a stop page of the control signal, whereby the control signal is output or stopped so that the in-rush current is suppressed to a value smaller than or equal to a given value.

Claims (24)

1. A power supply circuit, comprising:

a control circuit which outputs a control signal when an in-rush current flows; and

a power-supply-resistance control circuit which supplies a current to a capacitive load;

wherein the power-supply-resistance control circuit is provided in a current path between a power supply and the capacitive load, increases a resistance of the current path in response to the control signal, and reduces the resistance of the current path in response to a stop page of the control signal,

wherein the control signal is output or stopped to suppress the in-rush current to a value smaller than or equal to a given value,

wherein the control circuit outputs the control signal when a value of the in-rush current exceeds a preset threshold, and stops outputting the control signal when the value of the in-rush current no longer exceeds the threshold,

wherein the control circuit comprises:

a control signal generating circuit which generates the control signal;

a hold circuit which holds the control signal output from the control signal generating circuit and continuously outputs the control signal for a given period of time, and

wherein the hold circuit holds the control signal during a period in which the in-rush signal is exceeding the threshold again due to a reduction in the power-supply resistance by a stop page of output of the control signal.

2. The power supply circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a current measuring circuit which measures a value of the in-rush current, and provides a measurement signal indicating the measured value of the in-rush current to the control circuit, and

wherein the control signal generating circuit generates the control signal based on a result of comparison between the measurement signal and a reference value.

3. A power supply circuit, comprising:

a control circuit which outputs a control signal when an in-rush current flows; and

a power-supply-resistance control circuit which supplies a current to a capacitive load;

wherein the power-supply-resistance control circuit is provided in a current path between a power supply and the capacitive load, increases a resistance of the current path in response to the control signal, and reduces the resistance of the current path in response to a stop page of the control signal,

wherein the control signal is output or stopped to suppress the in-rush current to a value smaller than or equal to a given value,

wherein the control circuit stops an output of the control signal after a given period of time has elapsed after starting the output of the control signal,

wherein the control circuit receives a turn-on signal for turning on an external power supply circuit and generates the control signal based on the turn-on signal,

wherein the control circuit comprises:

a control signal generating circuit;

a delay circuit which delays the turn-on signal to generate a delayed turn-on signal, and

wherein the control signal generating circuit includes a first input receiving the turn-on signal and a second input receiving the delayed turn-on signal, and outputs the control signal during a period of time between reception of the turn-on signal and reception of the delayed turn-on signal.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 28, 2010
From: NEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
To: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 025214/0678 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 15, 2008
From: TAHATA, TAKASHI
To: NEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 022036/0934 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2008-016832 · Jan 28, 2008 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20090189588A1 · Jul 30, 2009