US 12,395,084 B2
Voltage regulator with high and low power modes
Ivan Bogue, Austin, TX (US); and Yousof Mortazavi, Austin, TX (US)
Assigned to AMBIQ MICRO, INC., Austin, TX (US)
Filed by Ambiq Micro, Inc., Austin, TX (US)
Filed on Dec. 14, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/121,593.
Application 17/121,593 is a continuation of application No. 16/375,391, filed on Apr. 4, 2019, granted, now 10,897,203.
Prior Publication US 2021/0104948 A1, Apr. 8, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H02M 3/158 (2006.01); H02M 1/00 (2007.01); H03K 17/0814 (2006.01)
CPC H02M 3/1588 (2013.01) [H02M 1/0025 (2021.05); H03K 17/08142 (2013.01); H02M 1/0009 (2021.05)] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus comprising:
a reactive step-down circuit; and
a drive circuit coupled to the reactive step-down circuit and having a high power line and a comparator;
wherein the drive circuit is configured to:
receive a regulated voltage from the reactive step-down circuit and supply power to the reactive step-down circuit according to the regulated voltage;
evaluate, at a high frequency, the regulated voltage using the comparator in response to assertion of a signal on the high power line; and
evaluate, at a low frequency, the regulated voltage using the comparator when the signal is not asserted on the high power line, the low frequency being lower than the high frequency.