Buck Regulators for Automated External Defibrillators

A step-down (buck) regulator maintains a constant output DC voltage level that is lower than its input DC voltage while preserving polarity. Electronic systems often have several sub-circuits, each with its own voltage level requirement that may be lower than the main power supply, therefore step-down regulators may be required. The switching regulator offers the advantages of high power conversion efficiency and increased design flexibility; multiple output voltages of different polarities can be generated from a single input voltage. Since the output voltage of the buck is lower than the input voltage, it follows that the output current must be higher than the input current.