US 12,265,411 B2
Low-dropout (LDO) voltage regulator including amplifier and power down control unit (PDCTRL)
Szu-Chun Tsao, Hsinchu (TW); Yi-Wen Chen, Hsinchu (TW); and Jaw-Juinn Horng, Hsinchu (TW)
Assigned to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed on Jan. 11, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/410,523.
Application 18/410,523 is a continuation of application No. 17/456,934, filed on Nov. 30, 2021, granted, now 11,906,997.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/188,992, filed on May 14, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0143008 A1, May 2, 2024
Int. Cl. G05F 1/575 (2006.01); G05F 1/565 (2006.01); H03K 19/0185 (2006.01)
CPC G05F 1/575 (2013.01) [G05F 1/565 (2013.01); H03K 19/018521 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A Low-Dropout voltage regulator (LDO) comprising:
an amplifier supplied with a voltage reference (VREFM), the amplifier configured to produce a source current to or a sinking current from a load;
a decoupling capacitor, connected to an output of the amplifier, and configured to decouple a high-edge ground (HGND) from a power source; and
a power down control unit (PDCTRL) configured to maintain the HGND in an active mode of the amplifier and in a power-down mode of the amplifier, wherein the PDCTRL includes a resistor connected at one end of the resistor to a core power voltage through a first switch and connected at another end of the resistor to the output of the amplifier, an input of the amplifier, and at least one diode-connected Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET) that is coupled to ground through a second switch,
wherein the at least one diode-connected MOSFET includes two diode-connected MOSFETs connected in series between the output of the amplifier and the second switch.