Patent ID: 8742819

Claim:
Circuitry for limiting the maximum amount of a current flowing through a first electrode of a first transistor, comprising: (a) a first amplifier having a first output coupled by a first conductor to a control electrode of the first transistor; and (b) first current limiting circuitry including (1) first reference current sensing circuitry which includes a first reference current source, (2) a first reference current sensing transistor having a control electrode coupled to the control electrode of the first transistor, a first electrode coupled to a terminal of the first reference current source, and a second electrode coupled to a second electrode of the first transistor, and (3) a first buffer having an input coupled to the terminal of the first reference current source, wherein the first transistor is a MOS transistor, and wherein the first reference current sensing transistor is an MOS transistor having a source coupled to a feedback conductor that is also coupled to an input of the first amplifier and a first terminal of a current setting resistor having a second terminal coupled to a first reference voltage, the first reference current sensing transistor having a gate coupled by the first conductor to a gate of the first transistor.