In accordance with one embodiment, a voltage regulator includes a transistor having a load current path connecting an input node with an output node, wherein the input node is configured to receive an input voltage and the output node is configured to provide an output voltage. The voltage regulator further includes a main control loop coupled between the output node and a control electrode of the transistor and configured to control a voltage applied to the control electrode so that the output voltage matches a set-point. Furthermore, the voltage regulator includes a supplemental control loop that is coupled between the output node and the control electrode of the transistor and configured to detect a transient in the output voltage and to adjust the voltage applied to the control electrode in response to the detection of a transient. A corresponding method is described.

In accordance with one embodiment, a voltage regulator includes a transistor having a load current path connecting an input node with an output node, wherein the input node is configured to receive an input voltage and the output node is configured to provide an output voltage. The voltage regulator further includes a main control loop coupled between the output node and a control electrode of the transistor and configured to control a voltage applied to the control electrode so that the output voltage matches a set-point. Furthermore, the voltage regulator includes a supplemental control loop that is coupled between the output node and the control electrode of the transistor and configured to detect a transient in the output voltage and to adjust the voltage applied to the control electrode in response to the detection of a transient. A corresponding method is described.

A detection and protection circuit includes: a comparator, six resistors, and two diodes. A first resistor is connected to a second resistor. The second resistor (30) is grounded. A positive input end, a negative input end, a power supply end, a ground end, and an output end of the comparator are connected to a third resistor, a fourth resistor, a power management device power supply pin, the ground, and a main controller. The other end of the third resistor is connected between the first resistor and the second resistor. The other end of the fourth resistor is connected to the first resistor. A first power supply is connected between the fourth resistor and the first resistor. A fifth resistor is connected to a sixth resistor. The sixth resistor (70) is grounded. The other end of the fifth resistor is connected to the main controller.

A detection and protection circuit includes: a comparator, six resistors, and two diodes. A first resistor is connected to a second resistor. The second resistor (30) is grounded. A positive input end, a negative input end, a power supply end, a ground end, and an output end of the comparator are connected to a third resistor, a fourth resistor, a power management device power supply pin, the ground, and a main controller. The other end of the third resistor is connected between the first resistor and the second resistor. The other end of the fourth resistor is connected to the first resistor. A first power supply is connected between the fourth resistor and the first resistor. A fifth resistor is connected to a sixth resistor. The sixth resistor (70) is grounded. The other end of the fifth resistor is connected to the main controller.

A power supply system includes a direct current (DC) power source and a protection circuit having input and an input and an output, the input is operably coupled to the DC power so that, in operation, it receives DC power from the DC power source. The protection circuit includes a first path and a second path that both electrically couple the input to the output, and current passes, in operation, primarily through the first path when a voltage at the input is greater than a threshold voltage related to a Zener diode in the second path and primarily through the second path when the voltage at the input is below the threshold voltage. The system also includes a voltage regulator having an input coupled to the output of the protection circuit.

A circuit comprises an optical coupling including an illuminator optically coupled to an optical sensor to output a voltage from the optical sensor based on intensity of illumination from the illuminator. The circuit includes a voltage input node with a resistance connected in series between the voltage input and a Zener diode. A method includes powering an illuminator with current from a first voltage input node. The method includes sensing illumination level in illumination from the illuminator with a sensor and outputting output proportionate to illumination sensed by the sensor indicative of voltage detected at the voltage input node. The method can include limiting current between the voltage input node and the illuminator.

A linear regulator system is described. The linear regulator system includes a linear regulator core circuit including a pass element adapted to provide an output voltage, and a voltage error amplifier circuit coupled to the pass element and adapted to regulate the output voltage to form a regulated output voltage, based on an output reference voltage. The linear regulator core circuit further includes a current limit circuit comprising a current limit switch element coupled to the voltage error amplifier circuit and adapted to selectively modulate the output reference voltage of the voltage error amplifier circuit to form a current limited reference voltage, based on a current limit control signal received at a current limit control terminal associated therewith, in order to limit a load current through the pass element from exceeding a predefined maximum allowable load current limit.

A linear regulator system is described. The linear regulator system includes a linear regulator core circuit including a pass element adapted to provide an output voltage, and a voltage error amplifier circuit coupled to the pass element and adapted to regulate the output voltage to form a regulated output voltage, based on an output reference voltage. The linear regulator core circuit further includes a current limit circuit comprising a current limit switch element coupled to the voltage error amplifier circuit and adapted to selectively modulate the output reference voltage of the voltage error amplifier circuit to form a current limited reference voltage, based on a current limit control signal received at a current limit control terminal associated therewith, in order to limit a load current through the pass element from exceeding a predefined maximum allowable load current limit.

In accordance with one embodiment, a voltage regulator includes a transistor having a load current path connecting an input node with an output node, wherein the input node is configured to receive an input voltage and the output node is configured to provide an output voltage. The voltage regulator further includes a main control loop coupled between the output node and a control electrode of the transistor and configured to control a voltage applied to the control electrode so that the output voltage matches a set-point. Furthermore, the voltage regulator includes a supplemental control loop that is coupled between the output node and the control electrode of the transistor and configured to detect a transient in the output voltage and to adjust the voltage applied to the control electrode in response to the detection of a transient. A corresponding method is described.

A system may include a switch, a multiple stage voltage converter, and a regulation circuit. The switch may generate a pre-regulation signal based on an input signal. The multiple stage voltage converter may generate an output signal based on the input signal using a clock. The regulation circuit may generate a regulation signal based on the output signal and may generate a clock reference based on at least one of the pre-regulation signal and the regulation signal. The regulation circuit may generate the clock based on at least one of the pre-regulation signal, the regulation signal, and the clock reference and determine whether a voltage level of the regulation signal is within a range. If the voltage level of the regulation signal is within the range, the regulation circuit may generate a switch signal. The switch may adjust a voltage level of the pre-regulation signal based on the switch signal.