Patent ID: 7486057

Claim:
A regulator circuit for a sensor, comprising: a first voltage regulator including a first output, the first voltage regulator configured to receive an unregulated supply voltage and output a first regulated voltage signal; a resistor coupled to the first voltage regulator, the resistor configured to receive the unregulated supply voltage and to supply a reduced unregulated supply voltage; a second voltage regulator including an input coupled to the resistor and a second output, the second voltage regulator configured to receive the reduced unregulated supply voltage and output a second regulated voltage signal; a first comparator including a first positive input coupled to the first output and configured to receive the first regulated voltage signal, a first negative input configured to receive a reference voltage, and a third output, the first comparator configured to: compare the first regulated voltage signal and the reference voltage, and generate a first output signal based on the comparison; a second comparator including a second positive input coupled to the second output and configured to receive the second regulated voltage signal, a second negative input coupled to the first output and configured to receive the first regulated voltage signal, and a fourth output, the second comparator configured to: compare the first and second regulated voltage signals, and generate a second output signal based on the comparison; and a component coupled to the third and fourth outputs and configured to be coupled to the sensor, the component configured to supply a regulated voltage to the sensor based on the first and second output signals.