Patent ID: 7492132

Claim:
A switching regulator comprising: an inductor; a first capacitor arranged between an output end of the inductor to generate an output voltage and a ground potential; a first switch element to supply a current from an input voltage to an input end of the inductor; a second switch element, which is turned on when the first switch element is turned off, and energizes the input end of the inductor to a predetermined potential; and a control circuit which generates a PWM control signal supplied to the first switch element so that the output voltage matches a desired voltage, the control circuit having a first feedback path and a second feedback path, wherein the first feedback path includes: a hysteretic comparator circuit; and a series circuit with a first resistor and a second capacitor placed in parallel to the inductor, wherein the hysteretic comparator circuit receives a first reference voltage and a potential at a connection point of the first resistor and the second capacitor, determines whether the potential satisfies a first threshold and a second threshold, and generates the PWM control signal to vary the current flowing through the inductor in accordance with an output current variation, wherein the second feedback path includes: a third resistor and a fourth resistor to generate a fractional voltage of the output voltage; and an error amplifier circuit which receives the fractional voltage and a second reference voltage, wherein the error amplifier circuit generates the first reference voltage for input to the hysteretic comparator circuit, and wherein the error amplifier circuit is a PI control error amplifier circuit, wherein the first switch element includes a single power MOSFET, wherein the hysteretic comparator circuit and the error amplifier circuit are formed in a semiconductor integrated circuit, wherein the first resistor and the second capacitor of the series circuit are external to the semiconductor integrated circuit, wherein the third resistor and the fourth resistor of the second feedback path are external to the semiconductor integrated circuit, wherein the semiconductor integrated circuit includes a first terminal for control of the first switch element, a second terminal for the first feedback path, and a third terminal for the second feedback path, wherein at least the second terminal is arranged between the first terminal and the third terminal, wherein a switch MOSFET is arranged between an output terminal of the error amplifier circuit and an input terminal at which the first reference voltage is input to the hysteretic comparator circuit, the switch MOSFET being formed in the semiconductor integrated circuit, wherein the first feedback path includes a second resistor arranged between the connection point of the first resistor and the second capacitor and a ground potential of the circuit, and wherein a gate of the switch MOSFET is controlled by a control voltage generated by a time constant circuit which receives a power supply activation signal.