Patent ID: 7317302

Claim:
A boost converter for providing an output voltage from an input voltage, comprising: a feedback circuit having at least a first input and a second input, wherein the feedback circuit is arranged to receive a reference signal at the first input; to receive, at the second input, a comparison signal that is based on a feedback voltage referenced to an output voltage rather than ground; and to provide a control signal that is based, in part, on the reference signal and the comparison signal, wherein the feedback circuit includes at least one of an error amplifier or a comparator; a driver circuit that is arranged to drive a switch circuit based, in part, on the control signal such that the output voltage is regulated based, in part, on the control signal; a reference circuit that is arranged to provide the reference signal such that the reference signal is referenced to ground; and a level-shift circuit that is arranged to provide the comparison signal from the feedback voltage such that the comparison signal is referenced to ground, wherein the level-shift circuit includes: a first resistor circuit, wherein the level-shift circuit is arranged such that a first-resistor voltage across the first resistor circuit is substantially equal to the feedback voltage, and further arranged to provide a current responsive to the first-resistor current; and an impedance current coupled between ground and the second input of the feedback circuit, wherein the impedance circuit is arranged to provide the comparison signal based, in part, on the first-resistor current.