Capacitor-Free Voltage Regulator Transient Compensation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional low dropout regulators require large load capacitors to maintain output voltage stability, which increase circuit area and cost.

Innovation Solution

A capacitor-free voltage regulator design using a comparator, transistors, feedback block, and control block to compensate transient voltage drops at the output node, eliminating the need for external capacitors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a load capacitor is used to maintain output voltage stability, then output stability is improved, but circuit area and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoutput voltage stabilityVSAvoidcircuit area

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the load capacitor from the conventional LDO regulator circuit, replacing it with a capacitor-free stability maintenance mechanism using the control block and second transistor to compensate transient voltage drops through active control rather than passive energy storage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a feedback mechanism where the control block continuously monitors the output voltage and adjusts the second transistor's gate voltage accordingly to compensate for transient voltage drops, maintaining output stability without requiring a load capacitor

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If a load capacitor is used to maintain output voltage stability, then output stability is improved, but cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoutput voltage stabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the load capacitor component from the circuit, thereby eliminating the associated manufacturing costs while maintaining output stability through the capacitor-free control mechanism involving the control block and second transistor

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Area of stationary object

If a capacitor-free structure is used, then circuit area is reduced, but output voltage stability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecircuit areaVSAvoidoutput voltage stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control block implements a feedback control mechanism that monitors output voltage and dynamically adjusts the second transistor to compensate for transient voltage drops, maintaining stability without requiring a load capacitor

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The control block performs preliminary action by proactively adjusting the second transistor's gate voltage in response to detected voltage changes, compensating for transient drops before they significantly impact output stability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS8729876B2Voltage regulator and related voltage regulating method thereof

Publication Date: 2014.05.20 HIMAX TECH LTD

AI summary

A voltage regulator includes: a first comparator for comparing a first reference voltage with a feedback voltage to generate a first comparing result accordingly; a first transistor for controlling an output voltage at an output node in response to the first comparing result; a second transistor for adjusting the output voltage at the output node in response to a control signal; a feedback block, for providing the feedback voltage according to the output voltage; and a control block, for receiving the output voltage and providing the control signal according to the output voltage.