Four-Device Voltage Regulator Circuit for Low Power IoT
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional circuits for generating regulated voltage in low power applications, such as RFID and IoT, are inadequate due to high power consumption and significant chip area occupation, which is not suitable for battery life considerations.
Innovation Solution
A simplified voltage regulator circuit using only four devices: a bias current source, a reference voltage source, and two transistors (pass and feedback transistors) that provide a regulated output voltage, allowing for low power consumption and small chip area usage, with the transistors being NMOS FETs and the bias/current reference sources being PMOS FETs, diodes, or resistors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional voltage regulator circuits using operational amplifiers and voltage reference circuits are used, then voltage regulation stability is improved, but chip area occupation increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes unnecessary components from conventional voltage regulator circuits. By eliminating operational amplifiers and complex voltage reference circuits, the design retains only the essential elements (pass transistor, feedback transistor, bias current source) needed for voltage regulation, thereby significantly reducing chip area while maintaining functional stability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a simplified feedback mechanism that copies the essential regulation function without replicating the complex structure of conventional circuits. The feedback transistor replicates the voltage stabilization function using a minimal component configuration, achieving the same regulatory effect with far fewer devices
2Reliability
If conventional voltage regulator circuits using operational amplifiers and voltage reference circuits are used, then voltage regulation stability is improved, but power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes power-hungry components such as operational amplifiers from the circuit. By extracting only the essential voltage regulation function and implementing it with passive transistors and current sources, the design achieves significant power reduction while maintaining regulation stability through the feedback mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive, power-consuming active components (operational amplifiers) with simpler, lower-power alternatives (transistors and current sources). This substitution uses less power-intensive devices that can achieve the same regulatory function through clever circuit topology rather than high-power components
3Reliability
If conventional voltage regulator circuits are used, then voltage regulation function is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the core voltage regulation function from the complex conventional circuit architecture. By removing operational amplifiers, voltage reference circuits, and other non-essential components, the design achieves voltage regulation using only a pass transistor, feedback transistor, and bias current source, dramatically simplifying the device structure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple functions into fewer components. The feedback transistor simultaneously provides feedback signal generation and voltage control, while the bias current source serves both biasing and reference functions. This functional merging reduces the number of discrete components and simplifies the overall circuit architecture
Data Source
AI summary
A circuit provides a regulated voltage supply for other circuits. The circuit includes a bias current source and a reference voltage source. The circuit includes a pass transistor and a feedback transistor. The pass transistor receives input from the feedback transistor that generates a regulated voltage at a terminal of the pass transistor. The feedback transistor receives inputs from the regulated voltage of the pass transistor and the reference voltage source. The feedback transistor provides voltage for the input of the pass transistor, thereby controlling the regulated voltage generated by the pass transistor. The regulated voltage generated by the pass transistor is provided as a regulated voltage supply to other circuits.