US 11,791,728 B2
Regulator circuit, corresponding system and method
Salvatore Tumminaro, Marianopoli (IT); Alfio Pasqua, Piedimonte Etneo (IT); and Marco Sammartano, Petrosino (IT)
Assigned to STMicroelectronics S.r.l., Agrate Brianza (IT)
Filed by STMicroelectronics S.r.l., Agrate Brianza (IT)
Filed on Jan. 28, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/588,065.
Claims priority of application No. 102021000002798 (IT), filed on Feb. 9, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0255428 A1, Aug. 11, 2022
Int. Cl. H02M 3/158 (2006.01); G05F 1/44 (2006.01)
CPC H02M 3/158 (2013.01) [G05F 1/44 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A circuit, comprising:
a first electronic switch having a current flow path therethrough, the first electronic switch configured to be coupled between a high-voltage node and low-voltage circuitry, the first electronic switch having a control node configured to switch the first electronic switch to a conductive state in which the first electronic switch electrically couples the low-voltage circuitry to the high-voltage node;
a voltage-sensing node configured to be coupled to the high-voltage node via a pull-up resistor;
a second electronic switch coupled between the voltage-sensing node and the control node of the first electronic switch, the second electronic switch switchable to a conductive state in which the second electronic switch electrically couples the voltage-sensing node to the control node of the first electronic switch in response to receiving a switch-on signal;
a comparator coupled to the voltage-sensing node and a threshold, the comparator configured to compare a voltage at the voltage-sensing node with the threshold and generate the switch-on signal in response to the voltage at said voltage-sensing node reaching said threshold; and
a charge pump coupled to the current flow path of the first electronic switch and configured to be activated with the second electronic switch switched to the conductive state to pump electric charge from the current flow path of the first electronic switch to the control node of the first electronic switch via the second electronic switch switched to the conductive state.