Circuit for disabling voltage regulator and power management unit

Abstract

The utility model relates to a circuit for disabling a voltage regulator and a power management unit. An example power management unit is provided that utilizes an example circuit to disable a voltage regulator. The example circuit includes a voltage selection circuit and a power-off switching device. The voltage selection circuit is configured to receive the first voltage source and the second voltage source to output a selected voltage based on a higher one of the two input voltages. The voltage selection circuit generates a selected voltage using a first transistor electrically connected in parallel with a second transistor between a first voltage source and a second voltage source. A second transistor gate voltage at the second transistor gate is generated based at least in part on the voltage at the first transistor drain. The selected voltage is generated based on the voltage at the drain of the second transistor. The power-off switching device is configured to generate a voltage for the voltage regulator based on the selected voltage.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to disabling a voltage regulator in a power management unit (PMU) of a system on chip (SoC), and more particularly to circuitry for disabling a voltage regulator that is independent of a supply voltage sequence and is high voltage tolerant. Background Art

[0002] Various example embodiments address technical issues associated with disabling a voltage regulator independently of control of an input power supply and withstanding high voltages. As understood by those skilled in the art, there are many example scenarios in which a user may need to disable a voltage regulator independently of the voltage supply received at the voltage regulator.

[0003] For example, a power management unit (PMU) is generally responsible for providing a stable source of power for a system on chip (SoC) electronic device. Many regulators can support multiple power domains, for example, a regulator can provide both a low voltage supply and a high voltage supply depending on the power supplied. Generally speaking, a PMU generates a low voltage power supply to supply the core logic of the SoC. However, in some cases, the low voltage power supply can be provided by an external power supply. When the low voltage supply is supplied from the outside, the voltage regulator should be disabled. In the case of power supplied by an external power supply, changes in the power supply may be asynchronous, which may result in undesirable current conditions.

[0004] Applicants have discovered many technical challenges and difficulties associated with disabling a voltage regulator independently of the supply voltage. Through effort, ingenuity and innovation, Applicants have solved the problems associated with disabling a voltage regulator by developing the solution embodied in the present disclosure, which will be described in detail below. Utility Model Content

[0005] Various embodiments are directed to an example circuit and a power management unit for disabling a voltage regulator using the example circuit. In some embodiments, the example circuit may include a voltage selection circuit configured to receive a first voltage source and a second voltage source, and further configured to output a selected voltage. In some embodiments, the voltage selection circuit may include a first transistor component having a first transistor component source, a first transistor component gate, and a first transistor component drain, wherein the first transistor component source is electrically connected to the first voltage source, and wherein the first transistor component gate is electrically connected to the first transistor component drain. In some embodiments, the voltage selection circuit may also include a second transistor component having a second transistor component source, a second transistor component gate, and a second transistor component drain, wherein the second transistor component source is electrically connected to the first voltage source, and wherein a second transistor gate voltage at the second transistor component gate is generated at least in part based on a first transistor component drain voltage at the first transistor component drain. In some embodiments, the selected voltage is generated at least in part based on a second transistor drain voltage at the second transistor component drain. The circuit may also include a power-off switch device configured to generate a regulator gate voltage for the voltage regulator based at least in part on the selected voltage.

[0006] In some embodiments, the power-off switch device may also include a pull-up switch component having a pull-up transistor source, a pull-up transistor gate, and a pull-up transistor drain, wherein the pull-up transistor source is electrically connected to a selected voltage of a voltage selection circuit, and wherein the pull-up transistor gate is electrically connected to a power-off output signal of a power-off generator circuit.

[0007] In some embodiments, the power-off generator circuit can be configured to receive a first voltage source and a power-off signal, wherein the power-off generator circuit also includes a power-off voltage divider electrically connected to the first voltage source and the power-off signal, wherein the power-off voltage divider is enabled by the power-off signal, and wherein the power-off voltage divider generates a power-off output signal based at least in part on a voltage difference between the first voltage source and the power-off signal.

[0008] In some embodiments, the voltage selection circuit further comprises a first voltage selection circuit voltage divider electrically connected to a first transistor component drain of the first transistor component and a second voltage source, wherein the first voltage selection circuit voltage divider is configured to generate a first voltage-divided output based on a voltage difference between a first transistor component drain voltage at the first transistor component drain and the second voltage source. In some embodiments, the first voltage-divided output may be electrically connected to a second transistor component gate of the second transistor component.

[0009] In some embodiments, the voltage selection circuit may further include a second voltage selection circuit voltage divider electrically connected to the selected voltage and ground, wherein the second voltage selection circuit voltage divider tap is electrically connected to a second voltage source.

[0010] In some embodiments, the second voltage selection circuit divider may include a second voltage selection circuit divider first resistive component electrically connected to the selected voltage and the second voltage selection circuit divider, a second voltage selection circuit divider tap, and a second voltage selection circuit divider second resistive component electrically connected to ground and the second voltage selection circuit divider tap. In some embodiments, the resistance value of the second voltage selection circuit divider first resistive component may be greater than the resistance value of the second voltage selection circuit divider second resistive component.

[0011] In some embodiments, the power-off voltage divider may include a first resistive component of the power-off voltage divider electrically connected to a first voltage source and a power-off output signal, a power-off voltage divider tap electrically connected to the power-off output signal; and a second resistive component of the power-off voltage divider electrically connected to the power-off voltage divider tap and the power-off signal.

[0012] In some embodiments, the power-off voltage divider further comprises a first power-off transistor component having a first power-off transistor component source, a first power-off transistor component gate and a first power-off transistor component drain. In some embodiments, the first power-off transistor component drain is electrically connected to the power-off voltage divider tap, the first power-off transistor component source is electrically connected to the power-off voltage divider second resistive component and the first power-off transistor component gate, and wherein the first power-off transistor component gate is also connected to the floating voltage supply block.

[0013] In some embodiments, the power-off voltage divider further comprises a second power-off transistor component having a second power-off transistor component source, a second power-off transistor component gate, and a second power-off transistor component drain. In some embodiments, the second power-off transistor component drain is electrically connected to the second resistive component of the power-off voltage divider, the second power-off transistor component gate is electrically connected to the power-off signal, and the second power-off transistor component source is electrically connected to ground.

[0014] In some embodiments, a conduction path diode may be electrically connected between the power-off voltage divider tap and the first power-off transistor component gate.

[0015] In some embodiments, the floating voltage supply block may generate a floating supply voltage based on a voltage output of the first voltage source.

[0016] In some embodiments, the first transistor component and the second transistor component may be p-type metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors.

[0017] In some embodiments, the first power-off transistor component and the second power-off transistor component may be n-type metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors.

[0018] In some embodiments, the voltage regulator may include an operational amplifier having a first input and a second input, wherein the first input is electrically connected to a reference voltage. In some embodiments, the voltage regulator may also include a voltage regulator transistor component having a voltage regulator transistor component source, a voltage regulator transistor component gate, and a voltage regulator transistor component drain. In some embodiments, the voltage regulator transistor component source may be electrically connected to the output of the operational amplifier, the voltage regulator transistor component gate may be electrically connected to the output of the operational amplifier and the regulator gate voltage; and the voltage regulator transistor component drain may be electrically connected to the second input of the operational amplifier.

[0019] In some embodiments, an example power management unit utilizing an example circuit to disable a voltage regulator is also provided. In some embodiments, the example power management unit may include a transformer, a rectifier circuit electrically connected to the transformer, a filter circuit electrically connected to the rectifier circuit, and a voltage regulator. In some embodiments, the voltage regulator may include a voltage selection circuit configured to receive a first voltage source and a second voltage source, and further configured to output a selected voltage. In some embodiments, the voltage selection circuit may include a first transistor component having a first transistor component source, a first transistor component gate, and a first transistor component drain, wherein the first transistor component source is electrically connected to the first voltage source, and wherein the first transistor component gate is electrically connected to the first transistor component drain. In some embodiments, the voltage selection circuit may also include a second transistor component having a second transistor component source, a second transistor component gate, and a second transistor component drain. In some embodiments, the second transistor component source may be electrically connected to the first voltage source, and a second transistor component gate voltage at the second transistor component gate may be generated at least in part based on a first transistor component drain voltage at the first transistor component drain. In some embodiments, the selected voltage may be generated at least in part based on a second transistor component drain voltage at the second transistor component drain. In some embodiments, the voltage regulator may further include a power cutoff switching device configured to generate a regulator gate voltage for the voltage regulator based at least in part on the selected voltage.

[0020] In some embodiments, the voltage regulator may further include an operational amplifier having a first input and a second input, wherein the first input may be electrically connected to a reference voltage. In some embodiments, the voltage regulator may further include a voltage regulator transistor component having a voltage regulator transistor component source, a voltage regulator transistor component gate, and a voltage regulator transistor component drain. In some embodiments, the voltage regulator transistor component source may be electrically connected to the output of the operational amplifier, the voltage regulator transistor component gate may be electrically connected to the output of the operational amplifier and the regulator gate voltage, and the voltage regulator transistor component drain may be electrically connected to the second input of the operational amplifier.

[0021] In some embodiments, the power-off switch device may further include a pull-up switch component having a pull-up transistor source, a pull-up transistor gate, and a pull-up transistor drain. In some embodiments, the pull-up transistor source may be electrically connected to a selected voltage of a voltage selection circuit, and the pull-up transistor gate may be electrically connected to a power-off output signal of a power-off generator circuit.

[0022] In some embodiments, the power-off generator circuit can be configured to receive a first voltage source and a power-off signal, wherein the power-off generator circuit further comprises a power-off voltage divider electrically connected to the first voltage source and the power-off signal. In some embodiments, the power-off voltage divider can be enabled by the power-off signal, and the power-off voltage divider can generate a power-off output signal based at least in part on a voltage difference between the first voltage source and the power-off signal.

[0023] In some embodiments, the voltage selection circuit may further include a first voltage selection circuit voltage divider electrically connected to a first transistor component drain of the first transistor component and a second voltage source. In some embodiments, the first voltage selection circuit voltage divider may be configured to generate a first voltage-divided output based on a voltage difference between a first transistor component drain voltage at the first transistor component drain and the second voltage source, and the first voltage-divided output may be electrically connected to a second transistor component gate of the second transistor component.

[0024] In some embodiments, the voltage selection circuit may further include a second voltage selection circuit voltage divider electrically connected to the selected voltage and ground, wherein the second voltage selection circuit voltage divider tap is electrically connected to a second voltage source. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Reference will now be made to the drawings. The components illustrated in the drawings may or may not be present in certain embodiments described herein. Some embodiments may include fewer (or more) components than those shown in the drawings according to example embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0026] Figure 1An example voltage regulator according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated.

[0027] Figure 2 An example block diagram of an example supply voltage independent voltage regulator disabling circuit is illustrated in accordance with an example embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] Figure 3 An example embodiment of a power disconnect switch device interfacing with a voltage regulator according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated.

[0029] Figure 4 An example block diagram of an example supply voltage independent voltage regulator disabling circuit including an example power down generator circuit is illustrated in accordance with an example embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] Figure 5 An example embodiment of a voltage selection circuit according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated.

[0031] Figure 6 An example embodiment of a power-off generator circuit according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated.

[0032] Figure 7 An example embodiment of a voltage selection circuit utilizing bulk technology according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated.

[0033] Figure 8 Example embodiments of a voltage regulator and a power-off switch device utilizing bulk technology according to example embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrated.

[0034] Fig. 9 Depicted is a system-level block diagram of a PMU including a voltage regulator, according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] Example embodiments will be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some but not all embodiments of the present disclosure are shown. Indeed, embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure satisfies applicable legal requirements. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the text.

[0036] As described herein, when referring to voltage, the term "high" indicates that the voltage of the indicator is above a certain minimum voltage threshold of the electronic device, generally between 1.8 volts and 3.6 volts. Similarly, when referring to voltage, the term "low" indicates that the voltage of the indicator is below a certain voltage threshold of the electronic device, generally at or near 0 volts.

[0037] Various example embodiments address technical issues associated with disabling a voltage regulator independently of synchronization with a supply voltage. As understood by those skilled in the art, there are many example scenarios in which a user may need to disable a voltage regulator independently of the supply of voltage received at the voltage regulator.

[0038] For example, a power management unit (PMU) is generally responsible for providing a stable source of power for a system-on-chip (SoC) electronic device. Many regulators can support multiple power domains, for example, a regulator can provide a low voltage supply and a high voltage supply depending on the power supplied. In addition, in some cases, a SoC or other electronic device can support an externally supplied voltage source. In the case where the power supply is provided by an external voltage regulator, it may be necessary to disable one or more voltage regulators of the PMU.

[0039] refer to Figure 1 , a conventional voltage regulator 100 is provided. Figure 1 As shown in , a common voltage regulator 100 includes an operational amplifier 102 having a first input terminal receiving a reference voltage 104 and a second input terminal 106 configured to receive feedback from a drain terminal 108c of an electrically connected transistor (e.g., a power MOSFET 108). In some embodiments, the reference voltage can be supplied by a bandgap circuit and can include a voltage at or near 900 millivolts, however, the reference voltage 104 can be received from any stable voltage source and can include a wide range of voltages. The operational amplifier 102 can also receive power from a high voltage source 110. In some embodiments, the high voltage source 110 can include a voltage in the range from 1.8 volts to 3.6 volts, however, the high voltage source 110 can include a wide range of voltages having a peak voltage greater than the low voltage source 112. Figure 1 The operational amplifier 102 depicted in FIG. 1 generates a regulator gate voltage 114 at an output terminal. The output terminal of the operational amplifier 102 is electrically connected to a power metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) 108.

[0040] like Figure 1 As shown in FIG. 1 , power MOSFET 108 includes three terminals: source terminal 108a, gate terminal 108b, and drain terminal 108c. Source terminal 108a is the point at which current generally flows into power MOSFET 108 when enabled. Figure 1 As depicted in FIG. 1 , source terminal 108 a is electrically connected to high voltage source 110. Drain terminal 108 c is the point at which current generally flows out of power MOSFET 108. Figure 1 As depicted in , the drain terminal 108c is electrically connected to the second input terminal 106 of the operational amplifier 102. In addition, as Figure 1As depicted in FIG. 1 , drain terminal 108 c of power MOSFET 108 supplies a low voltage source 112 to an electrically connected device.

[0041] Generally speaking, the gate terminal 108b of the MOSFET is used to control the current flow between the source terminal 108a and the drain terminal 108c. In some embodiments, a gate terminal voltage at or near the voltage at the source terminal 108a can be applied to turn off the MOSFET and stop the current from flowing through the MOSFET. Conversely, a gate terminal voltage that creates a voltage difference between the gate terminal and the source terminal can turn on the MOSFET and allow current to flow through the MOSFET.

[0042] When the power supply is supplied from an external source, a voltage regulator, e.g. Figure 1 The voltage regulator 100 shown in FIG. 1 may be disabled. For example, in the case where the voltage regulator 100 supplies a low voltage power source to an electrically connected device, the voltage regulator 100 may be disabled. However, due to the asynchronous nature of the external power source, the high voltage source 110 may be enabled and provide power at a voltage higher than the low voltage source 112, or alternatively, the high voltage source 110 may be disabled at a voltage at or near zero.

[0043] The state of the high voltage source 110 when the voltage regulator 100 is disabled is important for determining the regulator gate voltage 114 required to disable the power MOSFET 108. For example, with the high voltage source 110 at 0 volts, if the regulator gate voltage 114 is pulled to the high voltage source 110 in an attempt to turn off the MOSFET, the voltage at the gate terminal 108b (0 volts) and the voltage at the source terminal 108a (0 volts) are both lower than the voltage at the drain terminal 108c. Therefore, current may flow from the low voltage source 112 to the high voltage source 110, which is undesirable.

[0044] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the maximum rated voltage of one or more of the electrical components may be less than the voltage provided by high voltage source 110. In such embodiments, the electrical components may be damaged or destroyed if the voltage drop across the components is greater than the maximum rated voltage.

[0045] Various example embodiments described herein utilize various techniques to ensure that the voltage regulator is properly disabled when the voltage source is provided by an external asynchronous source. For example, in some embodiments, a voltage selection circuit is provided to generate a selected voltage that is the higher of two supply voltages. In addition, the voltage selection circuit ensures that the voltage drop across the electrical component does not exceed the maximum rated voltage of the electrical component, such as 1.8 volts.

[0046] In some embodiments, a power-off generator circuit is also provided. In general, the power-off generator circuit can be configured to relay a power-off signal from a logic domain of an electronic device and enable a selected voltage supply to a voltage regulator. However, in some embodiments, the power-off signal can be adjusted based on the selected voltage. For example, in some embodiments, the selected voltage may be greater than the maximum rated voltage of an electrical component of a power-off switching device (such as a transistor). In such an embodiment, the power-off signal can be adjusted to prevent the voltage drop across the electrical component from being greater than the maximum rated voltage of the electrical component.

[0047] As a result of the example embodiments described herein and in some examples, the performance of the voltage regulator may be greatly improved.In addition, electrical components having a maximum rated voltage lower than the voltage of the high voltage source may be used.

[0048] Reference now Figure 2 , an example supply voltage independent voltage regulator disable circuit 220 is provided. Figure 2 As shown in , an example supply voltage independent voltage regulator disable circuit 220 supplies a regulator gate voltage 214 to an electrically connected voltage regulator 200, which is also configured to receive a reference voltage 204. The regulator gate voltage 214 is supplied by a power-off switch device 222 electrically connected to the voltage regulator 200. The power-off switch device 222 is configured to output the regulator gate voltage 214 based on a power-off output signal 224 and a selected voltage 226 supplied by an electrically connected voltage selection circuit 228. The voltage selection circuit 228 is configured to select the selected voltage 226 based on the output voltages received from the electrically connected high voltage source 210 and the electrically connected low voltage source 212.

[0049] like Figure 2 As depicted in FIG. 1 , the supply voltage independent voltage regulator disable circuit 220 supplies the regulator gate voltage 214 to the voltage regulator 200. Figure 1 As described, the voltage regulator 200 may be any electronic component or device including hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof, and is configured to receive a reference voltage 204 and output a stable, consistent voltage within a specified range based on the reference voltage 204. The voltage regulator 200 may include a linear regulator, a switching regulator, a low dropout regulator, a fixed voltage regulator, an adjustable voltage regulator, or a similar type of regulator. Figure 1As described, the voltage regulator 200 can be controlled by the regulator gate voltage 214. In the case where the regulator gate voltage 214 is at or close to the voltage at the source terminal of the internal switching device (e.g., the power MOSFET 108), the switching device is turned off and the output voltage from the voltage regulator 200 is stopped. Conversely, in the case where the regulator gate voltage 214 produces a voltage difference between the gate terminal and the source terminal of the switching device, the voltage regulator 200 is turned on and the output voltage from the voltage regulator 200 is generated.

[0050] like Figure 2 As further depicted in FIG. 2 , the supply voltage independent voltage regulator disabling circuit 220 includes a power off switch device 222. The power off switch device 222 may be any electrical component, multiple components, or device configured to control the passage of the selected voltage 226 from the voltage selection circuit 228 to the voltage regulator 200. In some embodiments, the power off switch device 222 may include a MOSFET, a bipolar junction transistor (BJT), a switch, or other switching device. In some embodiments, the power off switch device 222 may be a crowbar or a resistor, thereby allowing the selected voltage 226 or a portion of the selected voltage 226 to pass without switching. Figure 3 An example disconnect switch device 222 is also provided.

[0051] In some embodiments, the power off switch device 222 can be enabled by a power off output signal 224. The power off output signal 224 can be any electrical signal or series of signals that provide an indication of disabling the voltage regulator 200. For example, when the voltage regulator 200 is to be powered off, the power off output signal 224 can be asserted. In some embodiments, the voltage of the power off output signal 224 can be raised to above a predetermined minimum voltage to indicate a power off. In some embodiments, the voltage of the power off output signal 224 can be dropped below a predetermined maximum voltage to indicate a power off. In some embodiments, the voltage of the power off output signal 224 can be generated by a power off generator circuit (such as with respect to Figure 3 ) to protect electrical components including the power disconnect switch device 222 and other electrical components from exposure to high voltages that exceed the maximum voltage rating of the underlying semiconductor technology.

[0052] like Figure 2As further depicted in FIG. 2 , the supply voltage independent voltage regulator disabling circuit 220 also includes a voltage selection circuit 228. The voltage selection circuit 228 may be any electrical component configured to determine the selected voltage 226 based at least in part on the higher voltage between the high voltage source 210 and the low voltage source 212, including hardware, firmware, software, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the external low voltage source 212 may supply a low voltage within the electronic device. In the case where the low voltage is supplied by the external low voltage source 212, the internal voltage regulator 200 responsible for providing the low voltage source to the electronic device may be disabled. In such an embodiment, the high voltage source 210 may output a high voltage, no voltage, or any voltage therebetween. In the case where the low voltage source 212 is provided but the high voltage source 210 is at or near 0 volts, disabling the voltage regulator 200 by connecting the regulator gate voltage 214 to the high voltage source 210 may cause the voltage at the drain terminal of the power MOSFET (e.g., the power MOSFET 108) within the voltage regulator 200 to be higher than the voltage at the gate terminal and the voltage at the source terminal. This scenario may cause current to flow from the low voltage source 212 to the high voltage source 210, which may be undesirable. Therefore, rather than simply providing a selected voltage 226 that is equal to the high voltage source 210, the voltage selection circuit 228 may select the selected voltage 226 based on the greater of the high voltage source 210 and the low voltage source 212. Figure 4 and Figure 6 Example embodiments of voltage selection circuit 228 are described in further detail.

[0053] Reference now Figure 3 , an example power-off switch device 322 assembly of a supply voltage independent voltage regulator disabling circuit (eg, supply voltage independent voltage regulator disabling circuit 220) is provided. Figure 3 As depicted in , the example power-off switch device 322 includes a pull-up transistor 330 (eg, a pull-up switch component). The pull-up transistor 330 is electrically connected at a source terminal to a voltage selection circuit (eg, such as Figure 2 ) and is electrically connected at the drain terminal to the regulator gate voltage 314 of the voltage regulator 300. In addition, Figure 3 The pull-up transistor 330 depicted in FIG. 8 is electrically connected to the power-off output signal 324 at the gate terminal of the pull-up transistor 330 .

[0054] like Figure 3 As depicted in FIG. 1 , the example power-off switch device 322 includes a pull-up transistor 330. Although in Figure 3300, but the pull-up switch component can be any transistor, MOSFET, BJT, or other switching device that enables control of the regulator gate voltage 314 based on the selected voltage 326 and the power-down output signal 324. As depicted, the pull-up transistor 330 enables the selected voltage 326 to be applied at the gate of the voltage regulator transistor 308 of the voltage regulator 300, thereby inhibiting current from flowing through the voltage regulator transistor 308.

[0055] For example, in some embodiments, when the power-off output signal 324 is asserted, the high voltage source 310 may be high (e.g., between 1.8 volts and 3.6 volts). In this case, the pull-up transistor 330 is enabled, and current flows through the pull-up transistor 330 to increase the regulator gate voltage 314 to a selected voltage 326, which is equivalent to the voltage at the source of the voltage regulator transistor 308 (the high voltage source 310). Therefore, current is prohibited from flowing at the voltage regulator transistor 308 and flowing into the low voltage source 312. Similarly, in some embodiments, when the power-off output signal 324 is asserted, the high voltage source 310 may be low (e.g., at or near 0 volts). In this case, the pull-up transistor 330 is enabled, and current flows through the pull-up transistor 330 to increase the regulator gate voltage 314 to a selected voltage 326, which is equivalent to the voltage at the drain of the voltage regulator transistor 308 (the low voltage source 312). Thus, the flow of current at the voltage regulator transistor 308 is inhibited and current is prevented from flowing from the low voltage source 312 through the voltage regulator transistor 308 to the high voltage source 310 .

[0056] Reference now Figure 4 , an example supply voltage independent voltage regulator disable circuit 440 is provided. Figure 4 As depicted in , the example supply voltage independent voltage regulator disabling circuit 440 includes a voltage selection circuit 428 electrically connected to a high voltage source 410 and a low voltage source 412 and generating a selected voltage 426 based on the high voltage source 410 and the low voltage source 412. In addition, the example supply voltage independent voltage regulator disabling circuit 440 includes a power-off switch device 422 that receives the selected voltage 426 from the electrically connected voltage selection circuit 428 and also receives a power-off output signal 424 from the electrically connected power-off generator circuit 442. Figure 4 As depicted in FIG. 4 , the power-off generator circuit 442 is electrically connected to the high voltage source 410 and is also configured to receive the power-off signal 444. Figure 4 As further depicted in , the power off switch device 422 is configured to generate a regulator gate voltage 414 that is supplied to the electrically connected voltage regulator 400 .

[0057] like Figure 4 As depicted in , the example supply voltage independent voltage regulator disable circuit 440 includes a power-off generator circuit 442 configured to receive a power-off signal 444. The power-off generator circuit 442 can be any hardware, firmware, software, or combination thereof configured to receive the power-off signal 444 and apply necessary adjustments to the power-off signal 444 to avoid damage to electrical components due to high voltages. The power-off signal 444 can be any signal or sequence of signals that provides an indication to power off one or more electrically connected components, such as the voltage regulator 400.

[0058] For example, in some embodiments, the electrical components of the supply voltage independent voltage regulator disable circuit 440 may support a maximum voltage of 1.8 volts. In the event that the high voltage source is greater than 1.8 volts (e.g., 3.6 volts), some electrical components may be exposed to voltage differences greater than the maximum 1.8 volts. For example, the power-off switch device 422 may include one or more transistors (e.g., such as a MOSFET) having a maximum voltage rating of 1.8 volts. Figure 3 4. In some embodiments, the power-off generator circuit 442 may adjust the power-off signal 444 to avoid exceeding the maximum voltage ratings of the electrical components of the supply voltage independent voltage regulator disabling circuit 440, the voltage regulator 400, and other electrically connected components.

[0059] Reference now Figure 5 , provides a specific embodiment of an example voltage selection circuit 528. Figure 5 As depicted in , the example voltage selection circuit 528 includes a first transistor 550 (eg, a first transistor component) and a second transistor (eg, a second transistor component), wherein a source terminal 550a, 551a of each transistor 550, 551 is electrically connected to a high voltage source 510. Figure 5 As further depicted in FIG. 1 , a first voltage divider 557 (e.g., a first voltage selection circuit voltage divider) having a first resistor 552, a second resistor 553, and a first voltage divider tap 556 (e.g., a first voltage division output) electrically connected to a first voltage divider 557 between the first resistor 552 and the second resistor 553 is electrically connected between a drain terminal 550c of the first transistor 550 and the low voltage source 512. In addition, the drain terminal 550c of the first transistor 550 is electrically connected to a gate terminal 550b of the first transistor 550. Figure 5As further depicted in FIG, a first voltage divider tap 556 is electrically connected to a gate terminal 551b of the second transistor 551. In addition, a second voltage divider 558 (e.g., a second voltage selection circuit voltage divider) having a first resistor 554 (e.g., a second voltage selection circuit voltage divider first resistive component), a second resistor 555 (e.g., a second voltage selection circuit voltage divider second resistive component), and a second voltage divider tap 559 (e.g., a second voltage circuit voltage divider tap) electrically connected to a second voltage divider 558 between the first resistor 554 and the second resistor 555 is electrically connected between the drain terminal 551c of the second transistor 551 and ground. Figure 5 As further depicted in FIG. 5 , the low voltage source 512 is electrically connected to the second voltage divider tap 559. In addition, the selected voltage 526 output is supplied by being electrically connected at the drain terminal 551c of the second transistor 551.

[0060] like Figure 5 As depicted in , the example voltage selection circuit 528 includes a first transistor 550. Although depicted as a transistor, the first transistor 550 can be any transistor, MOSFET, BJT, or other switching device that prevents current from flowing from the low voltage source 512 to the high voltage source 510 when the voltage from the low voltage source 512 is present and the voltage from the high voltage source 510 is not present. In this case, the voltage at the gate terminal 550b is equivalent to the voltage at the drain terminal 550c (e.g., at or near the voltage of the low voltage source 512) and is greater than the voltage at the source terminal 550a (e.g., approximately 0 volts), so the first transistor 550 is disabled. In addition, in the case where the high voltage source 510 is high, the voltage at the source terminal 550a of the first transistor 550 is higher than the voltage at the gate terminal 550b of the first transistor 550 and the first transistor 550 is turned on. In this case, as further described herein, there is a voltage drop across the first transistor 550 and the first voltage divider 557.

[0061] like Figure 5 As further depicted in FIG. 1 , the example voltage selection circuit 528 includes a first voltage divider 557 electrically connected between the drain terminal 550c of the first transistor 550 and the low voltage source 512. The voltage divider 557 can be any hardware, firmware, software, or combination thereof configured to provide a reduced voltage level based on a voltage drop across the voltage divider 557. Figure 5, the first voltage divider 557 includes a plurality of resistors (e.g., a first resistor 552 and a second resistor 553) connected in series. The first voltage divider 557 also includes a tap output (e.g., a first voltage divider tap 556) provided by supplying an electrical contact to a point between the two resistors. The voltage at the first voltage divider tap 556 can be determined based on the values ​​of the two resistors and the voltage drop across the voltage divider 557. For example, the voltage at the first voltage divider tap 556 can be equal to:

[0062]

[0063] Where V DIV is the voltage drop across the voltage divider, V TAP is the voltage drop across resistor R2, R2 is the resistance of the second resistor (e.g., second resistor 553), and R1 is the resistance of the first resistor (e.g., first resistor 552). By electrically connecting the first voltage divider 557 between the high voltage source 510 and the low voltage source 512, a reduced voltage level is generated at the first voltage divider tap 556 based on the resistance values ​​of the first resistor 552 and the second resistor 553 when the first transistor 550 is enabled and the reduced voltage level is provided to the gate terminal 551b of the second transistor 551.

[0064] For example, Figure 5 As depicted in FIG. 1 , the voltage at the tap of the first voltage divider 557 (V 556 ) can be determined as follows:

[0065]

[0066] Where V 512 is the voltage at the low voltage source 512, V 510 is the voltage at the high voltage source 510, V GS_550 is the voltage drop from the gate terminal 550b to the source terminal 550a of the first transistor 550, R 552 is the resistance of the first resistor 552, and R 553 is the resistance of the second resistor 553. In some embodiments, the second resistor 553 may have a resistance of 75,000 ohms, and the first resistor 552 may have a resistance of 5,000 ohms.

[0067] like Figure 5As further depicted in , the example voltage selection circuit 528 includes a second transistor 551. Although depicted as a transistor, the second transistor 551 can be any transistor, MOSFET, BJT, or other switching device that allows current to flow when the voltage at the high voltage source 510 is high and blocks current from flowing when the high voltage source is low. Therefore, when the voltage at the high voltage source 510 is high, the voltage received from the first voltage divider tap 556 at the gate terminal 551b of the second transistor 551 will be sufficiently lower than the high voltage source 510 so that the second transistor 551 will be enabled and the selected voltage will be at or near the voltage of the high voltage source 510. In the event that the high voltage source 510 is low, the second transistor 551 will be disconnected or disabled so that the selected voltage 526 is at or near the voltage of the low voltage source 512.

[0068] like Figure 5 As depicted in , the first transistor 550 and the second transistor 551 utilize fully depleted silicon on insulator (FDSOI) technology. In general, FDSOI technology enables the threshold voltage of the transistor to be adjusted by applying a bias voltage to the body terminal of the transistor (e.g., body terminal 550d, body terminal 551d). For a p-type MOSFET transistor, increasing the voltage applied to the body terminal can increase the threshold voltage. Conversely, for an n-type MOSFET transistor, increasing the voltage applied to the body terminal can reduce the threshold voltage. As shown in FIG. Figure 5 As depicted in , electrically connecting the body terminal of the p-type MOSFET to ground reduces the threshold voltage. Figure 5 As shown in FIG. 5 , the body terminal 550d of the first transistor 550 is electrically connected to the high voltage source 510, thereby increasing the threshold voltage of the first transistor 550, and the body terminal 551d of the second transistor 551 is electrically connected to ground, thereby reducing the threshold voltage of the second transistor 551. Biasing the first transistor 550 and the second transistor 551 in this manner ensures that the second transistor 551 is strongly turned on when the high voltage source 510 is high.

[0069] In some embodiments, both the first transistor 550 and the second transistor 551 may include p-type transistors.

[0070] like Figure 5 As further depicted in FIG. 5 , the example voltage selection circuit 528 includes a second voltage divider 558 electrically connected between the drain terminal 551 c of the second transistor 551 and ground. The second voltage divider 558 can be any hardware, firmware, software, or combination thereof configured to prevent current from flowing from the high voltage source 510 to the low voltage source 512 to cause the low voltage source 512 to be low when the high voltage source 510 is high and the regulator is disabled. Figure 5As depicted in , the second voltage divider 558 includes a plurality of resistors (e.g., a first resistor 554 and a second resistor 555) connected in series. The second voltage divider 558 also includes a tap output (e.g., a second voltage divider tap 559) provided by supplying electrical contact to a point between the two resistors. In some embodiments, the resistance value of the second resistor 555 can be much smaller than the resistance value of the first resistor 554. For example, the second resistor 555 can have a resistance of 180 ohms, while the first resistor 554 can have a resistance of 200,000 ohms. By utilizing the second voltage divider 558, in which the second resistor 555 is much smaller than the first resistor 554, the low voltage source 512 can be kept close to ground when the low voltage source 512 is not provided, and the low voltage source 512 can be protected from receiving charge from the high voltage source 510 when the second transistor 551 is enabled.

[0071] like Figure 5 As further depicted in , the example voltage selection circuit 528 can enable the use of a voltage greater than the maximum tolerable voltage difference across the two terminals of the underlying electrical component. For example, in the case where the maximum tolerable voltage difference across the two terminals of the first transistor 550 and the second transistor 551 is 1.8 volts and the high voltage source 510 is 3.6 volts, the transistor can be protected from a voltage difference exceeding 1.8 volts at any terminal. To illustrate, in the case where the high voltage source 510 is high (e.g., 3.6 volts), the first voltage divider 557 ensures that the voltage at the drain terminal 550c and therefore the gate terminal 550b is at or near 3.6 volts, so that none of the terminals on the first voltage divider 557 exceeds the maximum tolerable voltage difference across the two terminals. Similarly, because the second resistor 553 is greater than the first resistor 552, the first voltage divider tap 556 of the gate terminal 551b supplied to the gate terminal is sufficiently close to the high voltage source 510 so as not to exceed the maximum tolerable voltage difference across the two terminals of the second transistor 551.

[0072] Reference now Figure 6 , an example power down generator circuit 642 of an example supply voltage independent voltage regulator disable circuit is provided. Figure 6As depicted in , the example power-off generator circuit 642 includes a voltage divider 669 (e.g., a power-off voltage divider) including a first resistor 660 (e.g., a power-off voltage divider first resistive component), a second resistor 662 (e.g., a power-off voltage divider second resistive component), and a tap 668 (e.g., a power-off voltage divider tap). In addition, the example power-off generator circuit 642 includes a first transistor 661 (e.g., a first power-off transistor component) electrically connected to the first resistor 660 at a drain terminal 661a and electrically connected to the second resistor 662 at a source terminal 661c. The power-off generator circuit 642 also includes a conductive path diode 664 electrically connected to the source terminal 661c of the first transistor 661 at an anode terminal and electrically connected to the gate terminal 661b of the first transistor 661 at a cathode terminal. Furthermore, a floating voltage supply 665 is electrically connected to the gate terminal 661b of the first transistor 661. Figure 6 As further depicted in FIG. 1 , a second transistor 663 (e.g., a second power-off transistor component) is electrically connected between the second resistor 662 and ground. Additionally, a power-off signal 644 is electrically connected to a gate terminal 663 b of the second transistor 663, as provided by an electrically connected logic circuit system 666 and an electrically connected internal supply generator 667. Further in FIG. Figure 6 , the high voltage source 610 is electrically connected to the first resistor 660 of the voltage divider 669 , and the power-off output signal 624 is provided to the power-off switching device 622 through an electrical connection to the drain terminal 661 a of the first transistor 661 .

[0073] like Figure 6 , the power-off generator circuit 642 receives a power-off signal 644 from a logic circuit system 666 located on or near an electronic device that utilizes a high voltage source 610. In some embodiments, the logic circuit system 666 receives a power supply from an internal supply generator 667, which may be a reduced voltage from the high voltage source 610. For example, in some embodiments, the high voltage source may be 3.6 volts, while the power supply provided to the logic circuit system 666 by the internal supply generator is only 1.8 volts. The logic circuit system 666 may be configured to generate a power-off signal 644 that provides an indication that the voltage regulator 600 is powered off. For example, in some embodiments, the logic circuit system 666 may assert or raise the voltage of the power-off signal 644 to initiate a power-off of the voltage regulator 600, and de-assert or set the voltage of the power-off signal 644 to 0 volts to enable the voltage regulator 600.

[0074] However, in some embodiments, the power-off signal 644 can operate in a reduced voltage range (e.g., 0 to 1.8 volts) provided by the internal supply generator 667. In this case, when the high voltage source 610 exceeds the maximum tolerable voltage difference across the two terminals of the electrical component, the power-off generator circuit 642 can modify the signal to prevent exceeding the maximum tolerable voltage difference across the two terminals of any electrical device. For example, in the case where the high voltage source 610 is 3.6 volts and the power-off signal 644 is 0 volts, if the power-off signal is directly provided to the power-off switch device 622, where the selected voltage 626 is equivalent to the high voltage source 610 (e.g., 3.6 volts), then the voltage difference between the gate terminal and the source terminal of the power-off switch device 622 can be 3.6 volts, which is greater than the maximum tolerable voltage difference across the two terminals of the power-off switch device 622. Thus, the power down generator circuit 642 may shift the power domain of the power down signal 644 to be equivalent to the high voltage source 610 when the voltage regulator 600 is disabled, and to be equivalent to half of the high voltage source 610 when the voltage regulator 600 is enabled.

[0075] like Figure 6 As further depicted in FIG. 6 , the power-off generator circuit 642 includes a voltage divider 669 including a first resistor 660 and a second resistor 662. The first resistor 660 and the second resistor 662 create a voltage divider from which the power-off output signal 624 is generated. In some embodiments, the first resistor 660 and the second resistor 662 can be nearly equivalent. In this case, when the opposite end of the voltage divider 669 is electrically connected to ground, the voltage at the tap 668 is half the value of the high voltage source 610.

[0076] like Figure 6 As further depicted in FIG. 6 , the voltage divider 669 is essentially enabled by the power-off signal 644 at the second transistor 663. Figure 6As shown in , the second transistor 663 is an n-type transistor and is electrically connected between the second resistor 662 of the voltage divider 669 and the ground. In the case where the power-off signal 644 is low (e.g., 0 volts), the second transistor 663 is turned off, and the voltage at the high voltage source 610 is output as the power-off output signal 624. In this case, the power-off output signal 624 and the selected voltage 626 are both substantially equal to the high voltage source 610, and the power-off switch device 622 is disabled, thereby allowing the voltage regulator 600 to continue to operate. In contrast, in the case where the power-off signal 644 is high (e.g., 1.8 volts, indicating that the voltage regulator 600 is to be powered off), the second transistor 663 is turned on, so the voltage divider 669 is connected to the ground and the voltage divider 669 is activated. In this case, the power-off output signal 624 is equivalent to approximately half of the high voltage source 610, and the selected voltage 626 remains at the high voltage source 610. Thus, the power off switching device 622 is enabled, the high voltage source 610 is transmitted through the power off switching device 622 as the regulator gate voltage 614, and the voltage regulator 600 is disabled.

[0077] like Figure 6 As further depicted in , the power-off generator circuit 642 includes a first transistor 661 electrically connected to a first resistor 660 at a drain terminal 661a, electrically connected to a second resistor 662 at a source terminal 661c, and electrically connected to a floating voltage supply 665 at a gate terminal 661b. In the event that the high voltage source 610 exceeds a maximum tolerable voltage difference across two terminals of an electrical component (e.g., a second transistor 663), the electrical component may be damaged if the voltage difference across the component is greater than the maximum tolerable voltage difference across the two terminals of the component. For example, if the high voltage source is 3.6 volts and the maximum tolerable voltage difference across the two terminals of the second transistor 663 is 1.8 volts, if the voltage at the source terminal 663a is allowed to exceed 1.8 volts and the power-off signal 644 remains at 0 volts, the second transistor 663 may be damaged. The purpose of the first transistor 661 may be to protect the second transistor 663 from such a situation. As Figure 6 As depicted in , the gate terminal 661 b of the first transistor 661 is electrically connected to a floating voltage supply 665 . Figure 6The floating voltage supply 665 depicted in FIG generates a bias voltage based on the voltage of the high voltage source 610. For example, in the case where the high voltage source 610 exceeds a voltage threshold (e.g., 2 volts), the floating voltage supply 665 generates a voltage equivalent to half of the high voltage source 610. However, when the high voltage source 610 is less than or equal to the voltage threshold, the floating voltage supply 665 generates a voltage equivalent to the high voltage source. Therefore, by biasing the voltage at the gate terminal 661b of the first transistor 661 according to the floating voltage supply 665, the voltage at the tap 668 and the source of the second transistor 663 can be maintained below the maximum tolerable voltage difference across the two terminals of the second transistor 663.

[0078] In some embodiments, both the first transistor 661 and the second transistor 663 may include n-type transistors.

[0079] like Figure 6 As further depicted in FIG. 6 , the example power-off generator circuit 642 includes a conductive path diode 664 having an anode electrically connected to a source terminal 661c of a first transistor 661 and a cathode electrically connected to a gate terminal 661b of the first transistor 661. The conductive path diode 664 may be any electronic device that allows current to flow in only one direction, from an anode to a cathode. Figure 6 As depicted in , the conduction path diode 664 further protects the second transistor 663 by preventing any voltage increase above the bias voltage of the floating voltage supply 665 at the tap 668 and / or the source terminal 663a of the second transistor 663 due to leakage or other factors.

[0080] Reference now Figure 7 , an example embodiment of a voltage selection circuit 728 for a supply voltage independent voltage regulator disable circuit is provided. Figure 7 As depicted in , the voltage selection circuit 728 is designed using transistors without FDSOI technology. Therefore, the body terminal 771d of the second transistor 771 is electrically connected to the selected voltage 726, and the body terminals 770d, 772d of the first and third transistors 770, 772 are electrically connected to the selected voltage 726, because the body terminal of the non-FDSOI transistor cannot be lower than the voltage of the source terminal or the drain terminal on the non-FDSOI transistor. In the absence of the ability to adjust the threshold voltage of the second transistor 771 through FDSOI technology, an additional transistor (third transistor 772) is added to generate an additional voltage drop across the first transistor 770 and the third transistor 772 from the high voltage source 710, so that the total voltage drop across the first transistor 770 and the third transistor 772 is sufficiently greater than the threshold voltage required for the second transistor 771.

[0081] Thus, the example voltage selection circuit 728 includes a first transistor 770 electrically connected in series with a third transistor 772 and a first resistor 773 between the high voltage source 710 and the low voltage source 712. Figure 7 As depicted in FIG. 7 , the source terminal 770a of the first transistor 770 is electrically connected to the high voltage source 710, the gate terminal 770b is electrically connected to the drain terminal 770c, and the body terminal 770d is electrically connected to the selected voltage 726. In addition, the source terminal 772a of the third transistor 772 is electrically connected to the drain terminal 770c of the first transistor 770, the gate terminal 772b is electrically connected to the drain terminal 772c, the drain terminal 772c is further electrically connected to the first resistor 773, and the body terminal 772d is electrically connected to the selected voltage 726. The first resistor 773 is also electrically connected to the low voltage source 712.

[0082] like Figure 7 As further depicted in the figure, the voltage selection circuit 728 also includes a second transistor 771 electrically connected in series with a second resistor 774 and a third resistor 775 between the high voltage source 710 and the low voltage source 712 and connected in parallel with the first transistor 770, the third transistor 772 and the first resistor 773, wherein the voltage at the gate terminal 771b of the second transistor 771 is supplied by the voltage at the drain terminal 772c of the third transistor 772.

[0083] like Figure 7 As further depicted in FIG. 7 , the source terminal 771a of the second transistor 771 is electrically connected to the high voltage source 710, the gate terminal 771b is electrically connected to the drain terminal 772c of the third transistor 772, the drain terminal 771c is electrically connected to the second resistor 774, and the body terminal 771d is electrically connected to the selected voltage 726. In addition, the second resistor 774 is also electrically connected to the third resistor 775. Figure 7 As depicted in , the selected voltage is generated at the drain terminal 771 c of the second transistor 771 .

[0084] like Figure 7 As depicted in FIG. 7 , the first transistor 770, the third transistor 772, and the first resistor 773 essentially act as a voltage divider, wherein the voltage divider tap 756 generates an output voltage for controlling the second transistor 771. Due to the lack of FDSOI technology, the flexibility of controlling the threshold voltage using the body terminal is poor. Therefore, an additional transistor (third transistor 772) is added to ensure that the voltage difference between the gate terminal 771b and the source terminal 771a at the second transistor 771 is high enough to reduce the effective resistance of the second transistor 771.

[0085] like Figure 7As further depicted in FIG. 7 , the body terminals (770 d, 771 d, 772 d) of the transistors are electrically connected to a selected voltage 726. Connecting the body terminals to the selected voltage 726 biases the body terminals to avoid forward biasing of the transistors, for example, when the voltage is present at the low voltage source 712 but not at the high voltage source 710. In addition to connecting the body terminals of transistors within the voltage selection circuit 728 to the selected voltage 726, any transistor connected to the gate terminal of the transistor may be connected to the selected voltage 726, and the body terminal of any transistor connected to the gate terminal may be connected to the selected voltage 726.

[0086] Reference now Figure 8 , depicts an example voltage regulator 800 and an associated example disconnect switch device 822. Figure 8 As depicted in , the gate terminal of the power MOSFET 808 of the example voltage regulator 800 receives a regulator gate voltage 814 based on a selected voltage 826 and a power-off output signal 824 received by a power-off switch device 822. Thus, any transistor connected to the gate terminal of the power MOSFET 808 can receive the selected voltage 826 at the body terminal of the transistor. For example, Figure 8 As shown in , the last stage of the operational amplifier 802 may include one or more transistors. As shown, the transistors within the last stage of the operational amplifier 802 are supplied by a high voltage source 810 and may therefore additionally receive a selected voltage 826 at the body terminal of the transistor.

[0087] Reference now Fig. 9 , an example power management unit (PMU) 990 is provided according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, the PMU 990 including a voltage regulator 900 disabled by a regulator gate voltage 914. Fig. 9 As depicted in , the example PMU 990 includes a transformer 992 that can be configured to receive an alternating current (AC) power source 991 and transmit the received power to a rectifier 994 at an appropriate voltage level. The rectifier 994 can be configured to receive modified AC power from the transformer 992 and convert the AC power into direct current (DC) power that can be used by the electronic circuits. Fig. 9, the PMU 990 may also include a filter 996 configured to receive DC power from the rectifier 994 and generate a clean (noise-reduced) DC power supply to be transmitted to the voltage regulator 900. As described herein, the voltage regulator 900 may receive a DC voltage from the filter 996 as a reference voltage (e.g., reference voltage 104). The voltage regulator 900 ensures that the DC voltage supplied to the circuit remains stable despite fluctuations in the AC power supply 991. As further described herein, the voltage regulator 900 may receive a power-off signal (e.g., regulator gate voltage 914) for shutting down the voltage regulator 900, for example, when a low voltage supply is supplied by an external source. The voltage output of the voltage regulator 900 is transmitted to a voltage divider 998. The voltage divider 998 may be configured to generate one or more lower voltages based on the voltage generated by the voltage regulator 900. The output DC power 999 of the voltage divider 998 may be used as a power supply for various electrical components of an electrical device, a processor, a core logic of a system on a chip, or other electrical components.

[0088] Although this detailed description has set forth some embodiments of the present disclosure, the appended claims cover other embodiments of the present disclosure that differ from the described embodiments according to various modifications and improvements. For example, one skilled in the art will recognize that such principles can be applied to any electronic device that utilizes a voltage regulator. For example, a power supply, a battery charger, a mobile device, a system on a chip, or other similar electrical device, particularly an electrical device that utilizes a high voltage power supply. In the appended claims, unless the specific term "component for..." or "step for..." is used in a given claim, the claim is not intended to be interpreted according to 35 U.S.C. 112, paragraph 6.

[0089] The use of broader terms such as "comprising," "including," and "having" should be understood to provide support for narrower terms such as "consisting of," "consisting essentially of," and "consisting essentially of." The use of the terms "optionally," "may," "might," "likely to," and the like with respect to any element of an embodiment means that the element is not required, or, alternatively, the element is required, both alternatives being within the scope of the embodiment(s). Moreover, references to examples are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be exclusive.

Claims

1. A circuit for disabling a voltage regulator, characterized in that include: A voltage selection circuit is configured to receive a first voltage source and a second voltage source, and is further configured to output a selected voltage, the voltage selection circuit comprising: A first transistor component has a first transistor component source, a first transistor component gate and a first transistor component drain, wherein the source of the first transistor component is electrically connected to a first voltage source, and wherein the gate of the first transistor component is electrically connected to the drain of the first transistor component; A second transistor component has a second transistor component source, a second transistor component gate, and a second transistor component drain, wherein the source of the second transistor component is electrically connected to the first voltage source, and wherein the second transistor gate voltage at the gate of the second transistor component is generated based at least in part on the first transistor component drain voltage at the drain of the first transistor component, wherein the selected voltage is generated based at least in part on a second transistor drain voltage at a drain of the second transistor component; and A power-off switching device is configured to generate a regulator gate voltage for the voltage regulator based at least in part on the selected voltage.

2. The circuit for disabling a voltage regulator according to claim 1, wherein: The disconnect switchgear also includes: a pull-up switch component having a pull-up transistor source, a pull-up transistor gate, and a pull-up transistor drain, wherein the source of the pull-up transistor is electrically connected to a selected voltage of a voltage selection circuit, and Wherein, the gate of the pull-up transistor is electrically connected to the power-off output signal of the power-off generator circuit.

3. The circuit for disabling a voltage regulator as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that The power-off generator circuit is configured to receive a first voltage source and a power-off signal, wherein the power-off generator circuit further comprises: a power-off voltage divider electrically connected to the first voltage source and the power-off signal; where the power-off voltage divider is enabled by the power-off signal, and The power-off voltage divider generates the power-off output signal based at least in part on a voltage difference between the first voltage source and the power-off signal.

4. The circuit for disabling a voltage regulator according to claim 1, wherein: The voltage selection circuit also includes: a first voltage selection circuit voltage divider electrically connected to the first transistor component drain of the first transistor component and to a second voltage source; wherein the first voltage selection circuit voltage divider is configured to generate a first voltage-divided output based on a voltage difference between a first transistor component drain voltage at a drain of the first transistor component and a second voltage source, and The first voltage-divided output is electrically connected to a gate of a second transistor component of the second transistor component.

5. The circuit for disabling a voltage regulator as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that The voltage selection circuit also includes: A second voltage selection circuit voltage divider is electrically connected to the selected voltage and ground, The second voltage selection circuit voltage divider tap is electrically connected to the second voltage source.

6. The circuit for disabling a voltage regulator as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that The second voltage selection circuit voltage divider comprises: a second voltage selection circuit voltage divider first resistive element electrically connected to the selected voltage and a second voltage selection circuit voltage divider tap; a second voltage select circuit voltage divider tap; and a second voltage selection circuit voltage divider second resistive element electrically connected to ground and a second voltage selection circuit voltage divider tap, The resistance value of the first resistive component of the voltage divider of the second voltage selection circuit is greater than the resistance value of the second resistive component of the voltage divider of the second voltage selection circuit.

7. The circuit for disabling a voltage regulator as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that The power-off voltage divider includes: a first resistive element of a power-off voltage divider electrically connected to a first voltage source and a power-off output signal; a power-off voltage divider tap electrically connected to the power-off output signal; and A power-off voltage divider second resistive component is electrically connected to the power-off voltage divider tap and the power-off signal.

8. The circuit for disabling a voltage regulator as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that The power-off voltage divider also includes: A first power-off transistor component has a first power-off transistor component source, a first power-off transistor component gate and a first power-off transistor component drain, wherein the drain of the first power-off transistor component is electrically connected to the power-off voltage divider tap, wherein the source of the first power-off transistor component is electrically connected to the second resistive component of the power-off voltage divider and the gate of the first power-off transistor component, and The gate of the first power-off transistor component is also connected to the floating voltage supply block.

9. The circuit for disabling a voltage regulator as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that The power-off voltage divider also includes: A second power-off transistor component has a second power-off transistor component source, a second power-off transistor component gate, and a second power-off transistor component drain, wherein the drain of the second power-off transistor component is electrically connected to the second resistive component of the power-off voltage divider, wherein the gate of the second power-off transistor component is electrically connected to the power-off signal, and The source of the second power-off transistor component is electrically connected to the ground.

10. The circuit for disabling a voltage regulator as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that A conductive path diode is electrically connected between the power-off voltage divider tap and the first power-off transistor component gate.

11. The circuit for disabling a voltage regulator as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that The floating voltage supply block generates a floating supply voltage based on a voltage output of the first voltage source.

12. The circuit for disabling a voltage regulator as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The first transistor component and the second transistor component are p-type metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors.

13. The circuit for disabling a voltage regulator as claimed in claim 9, wherein: The first power-off transistor component and the second power-off transistor component are n-type metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors.

14. The circuit for disabling a voltage regulator as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The voltage regulator includes: an operational amplifier having a first input terminal and a second input terminal, Wherein, the first input terminal is electrically connected to a reference voltage; A voltage regulator transistor component having a voltage regulator transistor component source, a voltage regulator transistor component gate, and a voltage regulator transistor component drain, wherein the source of the voltage regulator transistor component is electrically connected to the output terminal of the operational amplifier, wherein the gate of the voltage regulator transistor component is electrically connected to the output of the operational amplifier and to the regulator gate voltage; and The drain of the voltage regulator transistor component is electrically connected to the second input terminal of the operational amplifier.

15. A power management unit, characterized in that: include: transformer; a rectifier circuit electrically connected to the transformer; a filter circuit electrically connected to the rectifier circuit; as well as A voltage regulator, the voltage regulator comprising: A voltage selection circuit is configured to receive a first voltage source and a second voltage source, and is further configured to output a selected voltage, the voltage selection circuit comprising: A first transistor component has a first transistor component source, a first transistor component gate and a first transistor component drain, wherein the source of the first transistor component is electrically connected to a first voltage source, and wherein the gate of the first transistor component is electrically connected to the drain of the first transistor component; A second transistor component has a second transistor component source, a second transistor component gate, and a second transistor component drain, wherein the source of the second transistor component is electrically connected to the first voltage source, and wherein a second transistor component gate voltage at a gate of the second transistor component is generated based at least in part on a first transistor component drain voltage at a drain of the first transistor component; wherein the selected voltage is generated based at least in part on a second transistor component drain voltage at a drain of the second transistor component; and A power-off switching device is configured to generate a regulator gate voltage for a voltage regulator based at least in part on the selected voltage.

16. The power management unit according to claim 15, characterized in that: The voltage regulator includes: an operational amplifier having a first input terminal and a second input terminal, Wherein, the first input terminal is electrically connected to a reference voltage; A voltage regulator transistor component having a voltage regulator transistor component source, a voltage regulator transistor component gate, and a voltage regulator transistor component drain, wherein the source of the voltage regulator transistor component is electrically connected to the output terminal of the operational amplifier, wherein the gate of the voltage regulator transistor component is electrically connected to the output of the operational amplifier and to the regulator gate voltage; and The drain of the voltage regulator transistor component is electrically connected to the second input terminal of the operational amplifier.

17. The power management unit according to claim 15, characterized in that: The disconnect switchgear also includes: a pull-up switch component having a pull-up transistor source, a pull-up transistor gate, and a pull-up transistor drain, wherein the source of the pull-up transistor is electrically connected to a selected voltage of a voltage selection circuit, and Wherein, the gate of the pull-up transistor is electrically connected to the power-off output signal of the power-off generator circuit.

18. The power management unit according to claim 17, characterized in that: The power-off generator circuit is configured to receive a first voltage source and a power-off signal, and wherein the power-off generator circuit further comprises: a power-off voltage divider electrically connected to the first voltage source and the power-off signal; where the power-off voltage divider is enabled by the power-off signal, and The power-off voltage divider generates the power-off output signal based at least in part on a voltage difference between the first voltage source and the power-off signal.

19. The power management unit according to claim 15, characterized in that: The voltage selection circuit also includes: a first voltage selection circuit voltage divider electrically connected to the first transistor component drain of the first transistor component and to a second voltage source; wherein the first voltage selection circuit voltage divider is configured to generate a first voltage-divided output based on a voltage difference between a first transistor component drain voltage at a drain of the first transistor component and a second voltage source, and The first voltage-divided output is electrically connected to a gate of a second transistor component of the second transistor component.

20. The power management unit according to claim 19, characterized in that: The voltage selection circuit also includes: A second voltage selection circuit voltage divider is electrically connected to the selected voltage and ground, The second voltage selection circuit voltage divider tap is electrically connected to the second voltage source.

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