Patent ID: 7723968

Claim:
A linear voltage regulator having an input terminal and an output terminal, the linear voltage regulator comprising: a first transistor including a first terminal coupled to the input terminal, a second terminal coupled to the output terminal and a control terminal, wherein the first transistor is configured to provide a load current to the output terminal at a desired voltage level based on a control signal on the control terminal; a feedback circuit coupled to the output terminal, wherein the feedback circuit is configured to generate a feedback signal based on an actual voltage level at the output terminal; and a control circuit configured to have a first operating current when functional, wherein the control circuit is configured to provide, based on the feedback signal, the control signal at a level to substantially maintain an output voltage at the output terminal at the desired voltage level, and wherein the control circuit includes an adaptive biasing circuit that is configured to provide a second operating current responsive to a transient increase in the load current, where a magnitude of the second operating current is predetermined and the first and second operating currents combine to provide a total operating current for the control circuit during the transient increase in the load current.