IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,471,073
Granted Patent B2
US 9,471,073 · App. 14/415,692 · Granted Oct 18, 2016

Linear power regulator with device driver for driving both internal and external pass devices

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,471,073
App. No.
14/415,692
Granted
Oct 18, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention pertains to a linear power regulator device, comprising an internal pass device, a driver device having a driver output arranged to drive the internal pass device via the driver output, wherein the linear power regulator device comprises an external connection connectable or connected to an external pass device; and wherein the driver device is arranged to drive an external pass device via the driver output and the external connection. The invention also pertains to a corresponding electronic device.

Claims (14)

1. A linear power regulator device, comprising:

an external connection configured to connect to an external pass device connected between a power source and an external load, and arranged to regulate a power provided by said power source to said external load if said external connection is connected to the external pass device;

an internal pass device configured to connect between the power source and the external load, and arranged to regulate said power at least when said external connection is not connected to the external pass device; and

a driver device having a driver output connected to the external connection and the internal pass device, the driver device being arranged to drive both the internal pass device and the external pass device via the driver output wherein, in operation, the internal pass device only provides power to the load when the driver device applies a voltage that exceeds a threshold voltage, the threshold voltage being larger than a voltage at a control input of the external pass device when a current flows through the external pass device.

2. The linear power regulator device according to claim 1 , the internal pass device comprising a PMOS transistor.

3. The linear power regulator device according to claim 1 , the external connection being arranged to be connected or connectable to the control input of the external pass device, in particular to a base electrode of a transistor of the external pass device.

4. The linear power regulator device according to claim 1 , the external pass device comprising at least one PNP-transistor.

5. The linear power regulator device according to claim 1 , further comprising a current limiting device arranged to limit a current flowing through at least one of the internal pass device or the external pass device.

6. The linear power regulator device according to claim 5 , further being arranged to provide a current limiting signal if the current flowing through at least one of the internal pass device or the external pass device reaches a predetermined limit.

7. The linear power regulator device according to claim 1 , the linear power regulator device being arranged to detect whether an external pass device is connected to the external connection and to provide a corresponding signal during start-up of the linear power regulator device.

8. The linear power regulator device according to claim 7 , wherein the corresponding signal is a signal indicating that a current through at least one of the internal pass device or the external pass device reaches a predetermined limit during start-up.

9. An electronic device comprising the linear power regulator device of claim 1 .

10. The electronic device according to claim 9 , the electronic device being arranged to detect the presence of the external pass device during start-up based on a signal indicating a current being limited provided by the linear power regulator device.

11. The electronic device according to claim 9 , further comprising the external pass device connected to the linear power regulator device.

Assignments (24)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE APPLICATION 11759915 AND REPLACE IT WITH APPLICATION 11759935 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 040925 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Feb 17, 2020
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: NXP, B.V. F/K/A FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
Reel/Frame 052917/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE APPLICATION 11759915 AND REPLACE IT WITH APPLICATION 11759935 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 040928 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Jan 17, 2020
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: NXP B.V.
Reel/Frame 052915/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE APPLICATION 12298143 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 042985 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT. Recorded Oct 22, 2019
From: NXP B.V.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 051029/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE APPLICATION 12298143 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 042762 FRAME 0145. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT. Recorded Oct 22, 2019
From: NXP B.V.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 051145/0184 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE APPLICATION 12298143 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 038017 FRAME 0058. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT. Recorded Oct 22, 2019
From: NXP B.V.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 051030/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE APPLICATION 12298143 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 039361 FRAME 0212. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT. Recorded Oct 22, 2019
From: NXP B.V.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 051029/0387 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 10, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: NXP B.V.
Reel/Frame 050745/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 10, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: NXP B.V.
Reel/Frame 050744/0097 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE APPLICATION 12681366 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 039361 FRAME 0212. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT. Recorded May 9, 2017
From: NXP B.V.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 042762/0145 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE APPLICATION 12681366 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 038017 FRAME 0058. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT. Recorded May 9, 2017
From: NXP B.V.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 042985/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE NATURE OF CONVEYANCE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 040652 FRAME: 0241. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded Jan 5, 2017
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
To: NXP USA, INC.
Reel/Frame 041260/0850 →
MERGER Recorded Nov 8, 2016
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
To: NXP USA, INC.
Reel/Frame 040652/0241 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2016
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: NXP B.V.
Reel/Frame 040928/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: NXP, B.V., F/K/A FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
Reel/Frame 040925/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE APPLICATION 12092129 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 038017 FRAME 0058. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT. Recorded Jul 14, 2016
From: NXP B.V.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 039361/0212 →
SUPPLEMENT TO THE SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 16, 2016
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 039138/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT Recorded Mar 7, 2016
From: NXP B.V.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 038017/0058 →
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Jan 7, 2016
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 037458/0359 →
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Jan 7, 2016
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 037458/0341 →
PATENT RELEASE Recorded Dec 21, 2015
From: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
Reel/Frame 037357/0974 →
SUPPLEMENT TO IP SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 4, 2015
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 035571/0080 →
SUPPLEMENT TO IP SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 4, 2015
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 035571/0095 →
SUPPLEMENT TO IP SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 4, 2015
From: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 035571/0112 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 19, 2015
From: PUJOL, ALEXANDRE; MANSRI, MOHAMMED; ROBIN, THIERRY
To: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR INC.
Reel/Frame 034746/0302 →