摘要 |
<p>A regulator (300) has an output transistor (310) which transfers an input (391) to an output (305) wherein the output current IOUT at the output (305) is limited. A driver portion (311) for controlling the output transistor (310) comprises a mirror transistor (380) coupled to the output transistor (310), a resistor (330) which carries a scaled replica (ICL) of the output current (IOUT), and a transistor chain (335) which transfers a potential (VCL) at the resistor (330) to an input node (351) at a control input (394) and which transfers a control signal (VIN) from the control input (394) to the output transistor (310). The potential (VCL) at the resistor (330) corresponds to the output current (IOUT). An increase of the input node potential (VX) is limited by a clamping transistor (352) at the input node (351). A rise of the output current (IOUT) is communicated to the input node (351) by the chain (335). Since a further increase of the input node potential (VX) is prevented by the clamping transistor (352), the driver portion (311) does allow the output transistor (310) to drain current only below or at a predetermined maximum (IOUT MAX). <IMAGE></p> |