Voltage Tracker Circuit Using Level Shifting for Wide Input Range
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional voltage trackers face challenges in handling high voltage ranges due to the need for increased withstand voltage in the input stage of error amplifiers, which leads to larger implementation areas and requires specialized production lines, while using DMOSFETs does not provide sufficient gate voltage withstand voltage.
Innovation Solution
A voltage tracker configuration that includes a level shifter to generate comparison voltages at lower potentials, allowing the error amplifier to control the output transistor using low-withstand-voltage elements, reducing circuit area and maintaining operation across a wide voltage range without requiring changes to existing production processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high-withstand-voltage elements are used in the error amplifier input stage to handle high voltage ranges, then the voltage tracking accuracy is maintained across wide voltage ranges, but the circuit area increases and specialized production lines are required
Solution Approach 1:
The circuit is segmented into two functional parts: a level shifter that handles high voltage input signals and converts them to lower voltage comparison signals, and an error amplifier that operates at lower voltages using standard low-withstand-voltage elements. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized independently - the level shifter handles the high voltage range while the amplifier uses area-efficient low-voltage elements, resolving the contradiction between voltage handling capability and circuit area.
Solution Approach 2:
The level shifter acts as an intermediary between the high-voltage input signals and the low-voltage error amplifier. It converts high-voltage comparison signals into lower-voltage signals that can be processed by standard amplifier elements, enabling the amplifier to maintain accuracy across wide voltage ranges without requiring high-withstand-voltage elements, thus reducing circuit area while preserving reliability.
2Strength
If DMOSFETs are used to increase withstand voltage, then the voltage handling capability is improved, but the gate voltage withstand voltage remains insufficient and the circuit area increases
Solution Approach 1:
The circuit segments the voltage handling function from the amplification function. The level shifter handles the high voltage stress and converts it to lower voltages, allowing DMOSFETs or other high-voltage elements to be avoided in the amplifier stage. This segmentation enables the use of area-efficient low-voltage elements in the amplifier while still achieving wide voltage range handling through the level shifter's voltage conversion capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The level shifter serves as an intermediary that protects the amplifier stage from high voltage stress. By converting high-voltage signals to lower-voltage comparison signals before they reach the amplifier, the level shifter eliminates the need for high-withstand-voltage elements in the amplifier, allowing the use of area-efficient standard elements while maintaining the ability to handle wide voltage ranges.
3Reliability
If specialized production lines are used to manufacture high-withstand-voltage elements, then the voltage tracking performance is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The circuit segments functions such that the level shifter handles high-voltage signal conditioning while the error amplifier operates at lower voltages using standard elements. This segmentation allows the amplifier to be manufactured using conventional CMOS or bipolar processes without requiring specialized high-voltage production lines, while the level shifter can be designed to work with standard elements, thereby improving ease of manufacture while maintaining voltage tracking performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The level shifter acts as an intermediary that enables the use of standard manufacturing processes. By converting high-voltage inputs to lower-voltage comparison signals, it allows the error amplifier to be built with conventional elements using existing production lines, eliminating the need for specialized high-voltage manufacturing processes while preserving voltage tracking performance across wide voltage ranges.
Data Source
AI summary
A power supply device includes: an input terminal configured to receive an input voltage; an output terminal configured to have an output voltage applied to it; a power terminal configured to receive a supply voltage; an output transistor provided between the power terminal and the output terminal; a level shifter configured to generate two comparison voltages by shifting the levels of the input voltage and the output voltage to lower potentials; and an amplifier circuit configured to control the state of the output transistor based on the magnitude relationship between the two comparison voltages.