Patent ID: 6867573

Claim:
An apparatus for sensing an over-current condition in a linear regulator that is arranged to provide an output current to a load circuit from a power pass device, the apparatus comprising: a transistor circuit that is arranged to provide a sense current that is proportional to the output current; a temperature sense circuit that is arranged to provide a temperature signal that is proportional the operating temperature of the linear regulator; an analog-to-digital converter circuit that is arranged to provide a control signal in response to the temperature signal and a reference signal; an adjustable resistance circuit that is arranged to provide a sense voltage in response to the sense current, wherein the adjustable resistance circuit is configured to adjust an effective resistance associated with the adjustable resistance circuit in response to the control signal from the analog-to-digital converter; and an amplifier circuit that is arranged to change a gate control signal to the power pass device in response to the sense voltage such that the output current is changed when the sense voltage reaches a level that corresponds to the reference voltage, whereby the apparatus provides over-current protection to the linear regulator when the sense voltage reaches a level that corresponds to the reference voltage.