Patent ID: 6377034
Filing Date: 2002-04-23
Classification: G05F

Abstract:
A circuit for measuring current in an inductor, the current being supplied to the inductor by a first transistor or a second transistor, the first and second transistors each having a first electrode, a second electrode, and a control electrode the first transistor having its second electrode coupled to a first conductor, its control electrode coupled to a switching signal and its first electrode coupled to the second electrode of the second transistor and to a terminal of the inductor, the second transistor having its first electrode coupled to a second conductor, the measuring circuit comprising:(a) a first sense transistor having its control electrode and its second electrode coupled to the control electrode and second electrode, respectively, of the first transistor; (b) a second sense transistor having its control electrode and its second electrode coupled to the control electrode and second electrode, respectively, of the second transistor; (c) a first circuit including a third transistor having its second electrode coupled to the first electrode of the first sense transistor and its first electrode coupled to a second conductor, a fourth transistor having its control electrode and its first electrode coupled to the control electrode and the source electrode, respectively, of the third transistor and its first electrode coupled to the summing node, and a first differential amplifier having first and second inputs coupled to the first electrodes of the first transistor and the first sense transistor, respectively, and an output coupled to the control electrode is of the third and forth transistors; and (d) a second circuit including a fifth transistor having its first electrode coupled to the first electrode of the second sense transistor and to a first input of a second differential amplifier having a second input coupled to the second conductor and an output coupled to the control electrode of the fifth transistor, the fifth transistor having its first electrode coupled to the summing node.