Low dropout regulator with amplifier having feedback circuit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12032397-B2
Application number	US-202117471257-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 10, 2021
Priority date	Feb 20, 2021
Publication date	Jul 9, 2024
Grant date	Jul 9, 2024

Abstract

A low dropout regulator includes an output circuit and an amplifier. The output circuit includes a signal input end configured to receive an input voltage and a signal output end configured to output an output voltage. The amplifier includes a first stage amplifier circuit, a second stage amplifier circuit, a first feedback circuit and a second feedback circuit. The first stage amplifier circuit includes a positive output end and a negative output end. The second stage amplifier circuit includes an input end and an output end, wherein the input end and the positive output end are coupled at a first node, and the output end is coupled to the output circuit. The first feedback circuit is coupled between the negative output end and the output end. The second feedback circuit is coupled between the first node and the output end.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A low dropout regulator, comprising:
an output circuit comprising a signal input end and a signal output end, wherein the signal input end is configured to receive an input voltage, and the signal output end is configured to output an output voltage; and
an amplifier comprising:
a first stage amplifier circuit comprising a positive input end, a negative input end, a positive output end and a negative output end;
a second stage amplifier circuit comprising an input end and an output end, wherein the input end and the positive output end are coupled at a first node, and the output end is coupled to the output circuit;
a first feedback circuit electrically connected between the negative output end and the output end, and configured to provide a positive feedback, wherein the first feedback circuit comprises a first capacitor and a third resistor, the first capacitor is coupled to the negative output end, and the third resistor is coupled between the first capacitor and the output end; and
a second feedback circuit electrically connected between the first node and the output end.

2. The low dropout regulator of claim 1 , wherein the positive input end is configured to receive a reference voltage, the negative input end is configured to receive a feedback voltage, and the amplifier is configured to output a control voltage to the output circuit according to the reference voltage and the feedback voltage, so as to adjust the output voltage.

3. The low dropout regulator of claim 2 , wherein the output circuit comprises a power transistor, the output end of the second stage amplifier circuit is coupled to a control terminal of the power transistor, the signal input end is coupled to a first terminal of the power transistor, and the signal output end is coupled to a second terminal of the power transistor.

4. The low dropout regulator of claim 3 , wherein the control terminal of the power transistor is configured to receive the control voltage.

5. The low dropout regulator of claim 3 , wherein the output circuit further comprises a voltage divider circuit, the voltage divider circuit is coupled to the second terminal of the power transistor, the negative input end of the first stage amplifier circuit and a ground voltage, and the voltage divider circuit is configured to output the feedback voltage to the negative input end of the first stage amplifier circuit according to the output voltage.

6. The low dropout regulator of claim 5 , wherein the voltage divider circuit comprises a first resistor and a second resistor, the first resistor is coupled between the second terminal of the power transistor and a second node, the second resistor is coupled between the second node and the ground voltage, and the negative input end of the first stage amplifier circuit is coupled to the second node.

7. The low dropout regulator of claim 2 , wherein the first stage amplifier circuit comprises a first transistor, a second transistor, a third transistor and a fourth transistor, the negative input end is coupled to a control terminal of the first transistor and a control terminal of the second transistor, the positive input end is coupled to a control terminal of the third transistor and a control terminal of the fourth transistor, a first terminal of the first transistor and a first terminal of the second transistor are coupled to the negative output end, a first terminal of the third transistor and a first terminal of the fourth transistor are coupled to the positive output end, a second terminal of the first transistor and a second terminal of the third transistor are coupled to a third node, and a second terminal of the second transistor and a second terminal of the fourth transistor are coupled to a fourth node.

8. The low dropout regulator of claim 7 , wherein the first stage amplifier circuit further comprises a first bias circuit, a second bias circuit, a positive end resistor and a negative end resistor, the first bias circuit is coupled to the third node, the positive end resistor is coupled between the positive output end and a fifth node, the negative end resistor is coupled between the fifth node and the negative output end, and the second bias circuit is coupled to the fourth node and the fifth node.

9. The low dropout regulator of claim 8 , wherein the first bias circuit comprises a fifth transistor, a control terminal of the fifth transistor receives a bias voltage, a first terminal of the fifth transistor is coupled to the third node, and a second terminal of the fifth transistor receives the input voltage.

10. The low dropout regulator of claim 8 , wherein the second bias circuit comprises a sixth transistor, a control terminal of the sixth transistor is coupled to the fifth node, a first terminal of the sixth transistor is coupled to the fourth node, and a second terminal of the sixth transistor receives a ground voltage.

11. The low dropout regulator of claim 2 , wherein second stage amplifier circuit comprises a seventh transistor and a third bias circuit, the input end is coupled to a control terminal of the seventh transistor, a first terminal of the seventh transistor is coupled to the output end and the third bias circuit, and a second terminal of the seventh transistor is coupled to a ground voltage.

12. The low dropout regulator of claim 11 , wherein the third bias circuit comprises an eighth transistor, a control terminal of the eighth transistor receives a bias voltage, a first terminal of the eighth transistor is coupled to the output end, and a second terminal of the eighth transistor receives the input voltage.

13. The low dropout regulator of claim 2 , wherein the first stage amplifier circuit comprises a first transistor, a second transistor, a first bias circuit and a current mirror circuit, a control terminal of the first transistor is coupled to the negative input end, a first terminal of the first transistor is coupled to the negative output end, a second terminal of the first transistor and a second terminal of the second transistor are coupled to a sixth node, a first terminal of the second transistor is coupled to the positive output end, a control terminal of the second transistor is coupled to the positive input end, the first bias circuit is coupled to the sixth node, and the current mirror circuit is coupled to the positive output end and the negative output end.

14. The low dropout regulator of claim 13 , wherein the first bias circuit comprises a third transistor, a control terminal of the third transistor receives a bias voltage, a first terminal of the third transistor is coupled to the sixth node, and a second terminal of the third transistor receives the input voltage.

15. The low dropout regulator of claim 13 , wherein the current mirror circuit comprises a fourth transistor and a fifth transistor, a control terminal of the fourth transistor and a control terminal of the fifth transistor are coupled to the negative output end, a first terminal of the fourth transistor is coupled to the negative output end, a first terminal of the fifth transistor is coupled to the positive output end, and a second terminal of the fourth transistor and a second terminal of the fifth transistor receive a ground voltage.

16. The low dropout regulator of claim 1 , wherein the second feedback circuit comprises a second capacitor, the second capacitor is coupled to the first node.

17. The low dropout regulator of claim 16 , wherein the second feedback circuit further comprises a fourth resistor, the fourth resistor is coupled between the second capacitor and the outp

Assignees

• Realtek Semiconductor Corp

Inventors

• Kao Hsueh-Yu
• Chang Yi-Shao

Classifications

• G05F3/262

  using field-effect transistors only · CPC title

• G05F1/565 Primary

  sensing a condition of the system or its load in addition to means responsive to deviations in the output of the system, e.g. current, voltage, power factor (G05F1/563 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H03F3/4565

  Controlling the common source circuit of the differential amplifier · CPC title

• H03F3/45237

  Complementary long tailed pairs having parallel inputs and being supplied in series · CPC title

• H03F2200/151

  A source follower being used in a feedback circuit of an amplifier stage · CPC title