Patent ID: 7075343

Claim:
A switching regulator, comprising: a first switching transistor connected to conduct a current (i) between a supply voltage VDD and a first node in response to a first control signal which cycles said transistor on and off; circuitry which provides a conductive path between said first node and a circuit common point such that said first switching transistor induces noise at said circuit common point that varies with di/dt; and a pre-driver circuit connected to provide said first control signal to said first switching transistor, said first control signal having a voltage V drv which said pre-driver circuit pulls up and down with a current I drv to cycle said first switching transistor on and off, said pre-driver circuit arranged to adaptively vary I drv such that current I drv is at a relatively low level when the rate of change of current i (di/dt) in said first switching transistor is relatively high and such that said current I drv is at a relatively high level when di/dt is relatively low, such that said adaptive adjustment of I drv limits di/dt-induced noise at said circuit common point.