Design concepts and preliminary implementations of dual output supercapacitor-assisted low-dropout regulators (DO-SCALDO)

Supercapacitor-assisted low dropout regulators (SCALDO) technique has been developed to improve the end-to-end efficiency of linear regulators by factor of 1.33 to 3. In this approach, a low frequency supercapacitor circulation stage is combined with a commercial LDO to achieve the overall efficiency improved design. After successful implementation of various SCALDO prototypes, practically useful further improvements for original concept were considered. Dual output (DO-SCALDO) has been suggested as an improvement to provide two output levels in a single design while maintaining the useful hallmarks of the original SCLADO approach. The new improvement: the DO-SCALDO technique, can generate dual output levels which are same or different. A circuit prototype of a 7V-to-dual-1.5 V DO-SCALDO was built and tested to prove the concept and summary of results are presented.