Reverse current comparator circuit and method for switching regulators

• Main Author: WRATHALL ROBERT
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 15.01.2013
• Subjects: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC,OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWERSUPPLY SYSTEMS; CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS,e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USERAPPLICATIONS; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF; CONTROLLING; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUTPOWER; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER; ELECTRICITY; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERATION; PHYSICS; REGULATING; SYSTEMS FOR REGULATING ELECTRIC OR MAGNETIC VARIABLES; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE

A reverse current comparator for use in switching regulators includes a differential stage configured to encode the difference in voltage between an N and a P input. The differential stage feeds one or more gain stages. At least one of the gain stages includes one or more hysteresis devices. When the voltage of the N input exceeds the voltage of the P input by a predetermined margin, the hysteresis device causes the regulator to enter a triggered state in which it outputs a non-zero output voltage. Subsequent changes to the N and P inputs do not change the regulator output until a RESET input is asserted and which point the regulator enters a reset state and is ready to be triggered.