Electricity: power supply or regulation systems – Output level responsive – Using a three or more terminal semiconductive device as the...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-11
2001-07-10
Wong, Peter S. (Department: 2838)
Electricity: power supply or regulation systems
Output level responsive
Using a three or more terminal semiconductive device as the...
C323S285000, C323S282000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06259237
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to communication systems and methods, and more particularly, to a voltage regulator which can provide reliable voltage regulation for high current applications.
2. State of the Art
Communication systems which employ wireless transceivers are well known. However, as is the case with most electronic technologies today, there is an ever increasing demand to improve information transmission rates and range (that is, power output), while at the same time, reducing the influence of noise and improving the quality of transmission. In addition, there is always increasing demand to broaden the applicability of wireless communications to technologies still dependent on wired or fiber linked communication, such as mainframe-to-mainframe communications where high data rate and high power requirements have precluded the use of conventional wireless communications. To satisfy these competing concerns, a compromise is often reached whereby some sacrifice in transmission rate is accepted to enhance the integrity of the data transmitted. In addition, some sacrifice in transmission range is accepted to reduce the transceiver's circuit complexity and cost.
One feature of conventional communication systems which affects transmission power is the voltage regulator used to supply operating voltages to transmitter and receiver portion of the system. Although a wide variety of voltage regulators are known for information transmission/reception, the availability of voltage regulators which can satisfy the current requirements of a high power, long range transmission system is somewhat limited. To the extent that suitable voltage regulators exist, they tend to be unstable, and exhibit an undesirable noise performance characteristic. Efforts to improve the stability of such voltage regulators results in relatively complex circuit configurations which are impractical from size and cost efficiency standpoints.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an apparatus and method for providing a regulated DC output voltage using a cost effective, straightforward approach that can satisfy the power requirements of high power (e.g., 0.5 to 2 watts (W), or higher), high transmission rate systems (e.g., having operating frequencies on the order of 18-40 gigahertz (GHz) spectrums or wider, and actual transmission rates on the order of 100 to 125 megabits per second (125 Mb/s) or higher).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for providing a regulated DC output voltage suitable for high power (e.g., high current), high transmission rate systems in a relatively straightforward, cost efficient manner. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention can provide stable DC voltage outputs possessing essentially no AC component over the desired operating voltage range (e.g., at a 5 volt DC output, virtually no AC ripple component over approximately one millivolt peak-to-peak is present), and possesses a high current capability (e.g., at a 5 volt DC output exemplary embodiments can accommodate currents in excess of 0.5 amps (A) up to 7 A or greater). The ability to provide a very stable, high current capability voltage regulator is especially desirable for communication systems, and in particular, wireless communication systems, wherein transmission rates are on the order of 125 Mb/s or higher, and transmission power is on the order of 0.5 to 2 watts (W) or higher. Because of its high current capability, voltage regulators in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention are suitable for use in conjunction with high power (e.g., 0.5 W) monolithic millimeter wave integrated circuits (MMICs). Exemplary embodiments possess a high signal-to-noise (SB) ratio, and a bit error rate on the order of 10
−12
or lower with 99.99% availability.
Generally speaking, exemplary embodiments of the present invention are directed to an apparatus and method for providing a regulated DC output voltage, comprising: means for receiving an input voltage; and means for regulating said input voltage to provide at least one DC voltage output having a stable DC voltage of approximately 5.0 volts and a current capability of at least 0.5 amps which possesses no AC peak-to-peak ripple components of greater than approximately 1 millivolt. Exemplary embodiments are applicable for use in supplying sufficient operating power for high power components, such as monolithic millimeter wave integrated circuits.
Alternate embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to an apparatus and method for providing a regulated DC output voltage comprising: means for receiving a first input voltage of a first polarity; means for determining presence of a second input voltage of a second polarity; and means for regulating said first input voltage to produce a regulated DC output voltage in response to said detecting means.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3199015 (1965-08-01), Lackey et al.
patent: 3337787 (1967-08-01), Joseph
patent: 3473039 (1969-10-01), Fegley
patent: 3818308 (1974-06-01), Tamari
patent: 4024451 (1977-05-01), Nishino et al.
patent: 5663876 (1997-09-01), Newton et al.
Burns Doane , Swecker, Mathis LLP
Lockheed Martin Corporation
Vu Bao Q.
Wong Peter S.
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