Importance

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Abstract

A reconfigurable integrated circuit chip includes an output terminal (42) which is connected to the output of an inverting amplifier (44). The integrated circuit chip (10) includes an output terminal (46) which is connected to one input of a comparator (22). The other end of comparator (22) is connected to an internal voltage reference device (48). The output of comparator (22) is connected to the input of the inverting amplifier (44). The integrated circuit chip (10) may be configured as a linear regulator when a transconductance device (14) is connected between a DC power supply (12) and a load and an integrator (24) is connected between terminal (42) and the control input of the transconductance device (14). The integrated circuit chip (10) is configured as a switching regulator when a gated switch (14) is connected between a DC power supply (12) and a switching node (65) wherein the gated switch (14) is gated by the signal output by the output terminal (42). The switching node (65) is connected to the cathode of a switching diode (66) and to one side of a switching inductance (68) with the other side of the switching inductance connected to the load 16. A voltage is sensed across a load resistor (18) and input into the comparator (22) which compares the sensed voltage to the reference voltage (48) and outputs the differential into the output terminal (42). This then controls transistor (14) and causes it to vary the current passing through the load (16).

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First Claim