Patent ID: 8872502

Claim:
A voltage regulator comprising: first and second regulator elements connected between an output node and a supply rail for supplying load current to a load connected to said output node; first and second control modules for controlling said first and second regulator elements respectively to maintain said output node at a regulated voltage in the presence of a variable impedance presented by said load to said output node, said second regulator element and said second control module having a smaller load current capacity and smaller leakage current than said first regulator element and said first control module; a mode selector for de-activating said first regulator element and said first control module in a first operational mode in response to a load current less than a threshold value, and for activating said first regulator element and said first control module in a second operational mode in response to a load current greater than a threshold value; and an additional current-carrying path for carrying supplementary current for said first control module during a transition from said first operational mode to said second operational mode; wherein said mode selector is arranged to de-activate said first regulator element and said first control module in a transition from said first operational mode to said second operational mode with a delay longer than a delay with which said mode selector is arranged to activate said first regulator element and said first control module in a transition from said second operational mode to said first operational mode.