Patent ID: 8129969

Claim:
A voltage regulator, comprising: a converter module including (N+1) resistors connected in series between a supply voltage and a common voltage, where N is an integer greater than 1, and N comparators having first inputs and second inputs, wherein the first inputs of the N comparators are connected to a reference voltage, and wherein the second inputs of the N comparators are respectively connected to N nodes between the (N+1) resistors; a decoder module configured to receive outputs of the N comparators and to generate an R-bit output, wherein each bit of the R-bit output indicates a different one of R voltage ranges, wherein a present value of the supply voltage lies in one of the R voltage ranges, wherein each of the R voltage ranges is different than others of the R voltage ranges, and wherein values of the R voltage ranges depend on values of the (N+1) resistors, where R is an integer greater than 1; a duty cycle module configured to adjust a duty cycle of a clock signal based on the one of the R voltage ranges indicated by the R-bit output, wherein the clock signal is used to control a first switch to regulate an output voltage; and a driver module configured to receive the clock signal, selectively allow the clock signal to pass through to the first switch based on a comparison of the output voltage to a target voltage, and drive the first switch at the duty cycle of the clock signal when the clock signal is allowed to pass through to the first switch.