A conventional linear voltage regulator produces a constant rated output voltage once its input voltage supply exceeds a specified threshold voltage. However below that threshold voltage, the output of the linear voltage regulator may fall below the constant rated voltage. Furthermore, a conventional linear voltage regulator is rated based on its established output voltage when manufactured. Given this situation, conventionally suppliers of linear voltage regulators maintain and sell a different linear voltage regulator for each rated output voltage. Unfortunately, this leads to inventory issues as many different linear voltage regulators are maintained, supported, and the like.
Conventionally external circuit components have been utilized to change the rated output voltage of a conventional linear voltage regulator. However, one of the disadvantageous with external circuit components is that they increase the quiescent current of the linear voltage regulator and therefore increase its power consumption.
It is noted that conventional switching voltage regulators (e.g., buck, boost, and buck-boost) also have characteristics that are established when manufactured, thus resulting in similar disadvantages described above with reference to conventional linear voltage regulators. Additionally, when external circuit components are utilized to change any characteristic of a conventional switching voltage regulator, the external circuit components produce similar disadvantages described above with reference to conventional linear voltage regulators.
As such, it is desirable to address one or more of the above issues.