Patent ID: 8797772

Claim:
An electronic device comprising: an output switching stage that produces a first current, the first current contributes a major portion of an output current; an amplifier connected to the output switching stage, the amplifier receives a feedback of an output voltage and produces a second current that is based on a difference between a reference voltage and the feedback of the output voltage, the second current forms at least part of a counterbalancing current that contributes a minor portion of the output current, the counterbalancing current, combined with the first current, maintains the output voltage at a substantially constant level; and a current sensor that detects a level of the counterbalancing current; and wherein the output switching stage is controlled in response to the level of the counterbalancing current, and wherein the output switching stage is switched on when the counterbalancing current increases to an upper threshold level; the output switching stage is switched off when the counterbalancing current decreases to a lower threshold level that is below the upper threshold level; when the output switching stage is switched on, the first current increases and the counterbalancing current decreases; when the output switching stage is switched off, the first current decreases and the counterbalancing current increases; and the increasing and decreasing of the first current and the counterbalancing current maintain the output voltage at about a desired voltage level.