Very low frequency supercapacitor techniques to improve the end-to-end efficiency of DC-DC converters based on commercial off the shelf LDOs

Abstract

Given the advantages of linear regulator techniques, low dropout regulator ICs are frequently used in portable consumer electronics. Only disadvantage in linear regulators, low efficiency, can be overcome by a very low frequency supercapacitor energy recovery technique to achieve efficiencies similar to common switching regulator techniques. This technique was successfully applied in a 12 V to 5 V regulator. The article provides some generalized theoretical background and different supercapacitor circulating options which can be applied to different cases of linear regulators.