Patent ID: 7679216

Claim:
A system for controlling power for a first section of circuitry and a second section of circuitry that are powered from a power supply terminal and a ground return terminal, the system comprising: a first regulator coupled between the power input terminal and an intermediate node, wherein the first section of circuitry is coupled between the power input terminal and the intermediate node; a second regulator coupled between the intermediate node and the ground return terminal, wherein the second section of circuitry is coupled between the intermediate node and the ground return terminal; and a power controller for controlling the first regulator in response to a first current flow signal provided by the first section of circuitry that indicates an amount of current flow in the first section of circuitry, and for controlling the second regulator in response to a second current flow signal provided by the second section of circuitry that indicates an amount of current flow in the second section of circuitry; wherein the power controller operates the first and second regulators such that an amount of current flow into the intermediate node is equivalent to an amount of current flow into the ground return terminal.