Voltage Regulator Adjustable Feedback Resistor Network
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional voltage regulators face challenges in maintaining output voltage within a specified range due to rapid changes in load current, leading to instability and potential voltage droops or overshoots, especially when load capacitance is high.
Innovation Solution
A voltage regulator circuit with variable feedback, utilizing a transconductance amplifier and a resistor network to generate a feedback signal based on the source terminal voltages of transistors, allowing for adjustable resistance settings in resistors R1, R2, and R3 to balance feedback loop stability and responsiveness to load current changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional voltage regulators are used with high load capacitance, then the output voltage can be maintained under steady conditions, but the system becomes unstable and experiences voltage droops or overshoots during rapid load current changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the feedback network adjustable rather than fixed. The resistor network can be reconfigured to change the feedback factor, allowing the system to adapt its stability characteristics dynamically. This enables the voltage regulator to maintain stability during rapid load transitions while still providing effective voltage regulation under steady-state conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the electrical parameters of the feedback network by adjusting resistor values or network configuration. This allows modification of the feedback signal characteristics to optimize the balance between stability and responsiveness. By varying the feedback network parameters, the system can prevent oscillations and voltage excursions during load transients while maintaining regulation accuracy.
2Productivity
If the feedback loop is made more responsive to load current changes, then voltage regulation improves during transients, but the system becomes more prone to oscillations and instability
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable feedback network enables dynamic tuning of the feedback response characteristics. By changing the feedback factor, the system can be made more responsive during transient conditions without permanently compromising stability. The ability to reconfigure the feedback network allows optimization for different operating conditions, achieving fast response when needed while maintaining stability during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the feedback network parameters (resistor values, network topology) to control the feedback signal strength and frequency response. This allows the system to achieve optimal balance between response speed and stability by adjusting these parameters. The changed parameters enable the feedback loop to respond quickly to load variations while filtering out high-frequency oscillations that would cause instability.
3Ease of manufacture
If a fixed feedback network is used, then the circuit design is simpler, but the system cannot adapt to varying load conditions and maintains poor voltage regulation during transients
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces adjustability into the feedback network, transforming it from a static to a dynamic component. This allows the same basic circuit topology to serve multiple purposes: simple fixed operation for steady-state applications and adaptive operation for transient-heavy applications. The enhanced adaptability comes from the ability to reconfigure the feedback network rather than requiring entirely different circuits for different conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
A voltage regulator circuit with variable feedback is disclosed. In one embodiment, a voltage regulator includes an amplifier having a first input configured to receive a reference voltage and a second input configured to receive a feedback signal. The voltage regulator further includes first and second transistors each having respective gate terminals coupled to an output of the amplifier. A resistor network coupled to the second input of the amplifier and further coupled to the first and second transistors. The resistor network is configured to produce the feedback signal based on currents through the first and second transistors, respectively.