Patent US5124631A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US5124631A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Voltage regulator

Assignee: Seiko Epson Corp
•
Filing: 1990-04-24
•
Granted: 1992-06-23
•
Expires: 2010-04-24
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A voltage regulator forms a constant voltage based on the sum voltage of the threshold voltages of multiple transistors comprising multiple first transistors with mutually different threshold voltages, a first switch to select a first transistor output from the multiple first transistors, multiple second transistors with mutually different threshold voltages and a second switch to select a second transistor from the multiple second transistors, and a summing circuit connected to the multiple first and second transistors for providing a sum voltage from the threshold voltages of the selected first and second transistors. Alternatively, the voltage output of a single transistor in lieu of one of said multiple transistor groups and may be combined with the output voltage of a selected transistor from the other multiple transistor group for input to the summing circuit.

Inventors

  • 👤 Yoshiyuki Terashima

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 07:59
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05F; G05F3/00; G05F3/02; G05F3/08; G05F3/10; G05F3/16; G05F3/20; G05F3/24

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim 121 words
A voltage regulator forming a constant voltage based on the sum voltage of the threshold voltages of multiple transistor means, comprising: a plurality of first transistors with mutually different threshold voltages, each first transistor having its gate electrode connected to its drain electrode and each having a respective threshold voltage, at least one second transistor having its gate electrode connected to its drain electrode and having a threshold voltage, first switch means for selecting one of said first transistors from said plurality of first transistors, and summing means coupled to said first selected transistor and said second transistor for providing said constant voltage including a sum voltage of the threshold voltages of both said selected first transistor and said second transistor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 121 words
A voltage regulator forming a constant voltage based on the sum voltage of the threshold voltages of multiple transistor means, comprising: a plurality of first transistors with mutually different threshold voltages, each first transistor having its gate electrode connected to its drain electrode and each having a respective threshold voltage, at least one second transistor having its gate electrode connected to its drain electrode and having a threshold voltage, first switch means for selecting one of said first transistors from said plurality of first transistors, and summing means coupled to said first selected transistor and said second transistor for providing said constant voltage including a sum voltage of the threshold voltages of both said selected first transistor and said second transistor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 91 words
The voltage regulator of claim 1 further comprising: a plurality of second transistors with mutually different threshold voltages including said one second transistor, each second transistor having its gate electrode connected to its drain electrode and each having a respective threshold voltage, and second switch means for selecting one of said second transistors from said plurality of second transistors, said summing means coupled to said first and second selected transistors for providing said constant voltage including a sum voltage of the threshold voltages of both said selected first and second transistors.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 76 words
The voltage regulator of claim 1 further comprising: an operational amplifier having one of two inputs connected to receive the threshold voltage of said selected first transistor, an output transistor coupled to said second transistor in series to form a series circuit, the gate electrode of said output transistor coupled to the output of said operational amplifier, and one side of said series circuit coupled as feedback to other of said inputs of said operational amplifier.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 21 words
The voltage regulator of claim 3 wherein said selected first transistor and said second transistor are of mutually differing conductivity types.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 53 words
The voltage regulator of claim 2 wherein said selected first transistor and said selected second transistor are coupled in series to form a series circuit and said constant voltage including the sum voltage of the threshold voltages of said selected first and second transistors is generated at one end of said series circuit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 19 words
The voltage regulator of claim 5 wherein said selected first and second transistors are of mutually differing conductivity types.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 19 words
The voltage regulator of claim 6 functioning as a power source for an oscillator circuit composed of CMOS transistors.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 19 words
The voltage regulator of claim 5 wherein said selected first and second transistors are of the same conductivity type.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 35 words
The voltage regulator of claim 8 wherein said voltage regulator is employed as a power source for an oscillation circuit composed of transistors of the same conductivity type as said selected first and second transistors.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 44 words
The voltage regulator of claim 5 further comprising a buffer consisting of an operational amplifier, the output of said series circuit connected to one input of said buffer and the output from said buffer connected as feedback to the other input of said buffer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 19 words
The voltage regulator of claim 4 functioning as a power source for an oscillator circuit composed of CMOS transistors.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 123 words
A voltage regulator which forms a constant voltage based on the sum voltage of the threshold voltages of transistors as a power source, comprising: a plurality of first transistors with mutually different threshold voltages, each first transistor having its gate electrode connected to its drain electrode and each having a respective threshold voltage, at least one second transistor having its gate electrode connected to its drain electrode and having a threshold voltage, switching means for selecting one of said first transistors from said plurality of first transistors, and summing means coupled to said first selected transistor and said second transistor for providing said constant voltage including a sum voltage of the threshold voltages of both said selected first transistor and said second transistor.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 123 words
A voltage regulator which forms a constant voltage based on the sum voltage of the threshold voltages of transistors as a power source, comprising: a plurality of first transistors with mutually different threshold voltages, each first transistor having its gate electrode connected to its drain electrode and each having a respective threshold voltage, at least one second transistor having its gate electrode connected to its drain electrode and having a threshold voltage, switching means for selecting one of said first transistors from said plurality of first transistors, and summing means coupled to said first selected transistor and said second transistor for providing said constant voltage including a sum voltage of the threshold voltages of both said selected first transistor and said second transistor.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 76 words
The voltage regulator of claim 12 wherein said switching means includes first switching means and second switching means and said first switch means is connected in series with said first selected transistor and comprises a transistor that is of the same conductivity type as said first selected transistor and said second switch means is connected in series with said second transistor and comprises a transistor that is of the same conductivity type as said second transistor.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 165 words
An oscillator having a voltage regulator and oscillator circuit means wherein said voltage regulator provides a constant voltage based on the sum voltage of the threshold voltages of a plurality of transistors comprising: a plurality of first transistors with mutually different threshold voltages, each first transistor having its gate electrode connected to its drain electrode and each having a respective threshold voltage, at least one second transistor having its gate electrode connected to its drain electrode and having a threshold voltage, switching means for selecting one of said first transistors from said plurality of first transistors, summing means coupled to said first selected transistor and said second transistor for providing said constant voltage including a sum voltage of the threshold voltages of both said selected first transistor and said second transistor, and wherein said oscillation circuit means includes a capacitor and resistance means to supply said constant voltage containing the sum of the threshold voltages of both said selected first transistor and said second transistor.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 165 words
An oscillator having a voltage regulator and oscillator circuit means wherein said voltage regulator provides a constant voltage based on the sum voltage of the threshold voltages of a plurality of transistors comprising: a plurality of first transistors with mutually different threshold voltages, each first transistor having its gate electrode connected to its drain electrode and each having a respective threshold voltage, at least one second transistor having its gate electrode connected to its drain electrode and having a threshold voltage, switching means for selecting one of said first transistors from said plurality of first transistors, summing means coupled to said first selected transistor and said second transistor for providing said constant voltage including a sum voltage of the threshold voltages of both said selected first transistor and said second transistor, and wherein said oscillation circuit means includes a capacitor and resistance means to supply said constant voltage containing the sum of the threshold voltages of both said selected first transistor and said second transistor.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4163161A Cited
US4186436A Cited
US4377781A Cited
US4506350A Cited
US4587477A Cited
US4752699A Cited
US4893275A Cited
US4853610A Cited
US4939633A Cited
US4954769A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1995-06-23 1995-12-23 1996-06-23 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1999-06-23 1999-12-23 2000-06-23 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2003-06-23 2003-12-23 2004-06-23 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag