A low drop-out voltage regulator having soft-start. A low drop-out
regulator circuit is provided having an input node, an output node, a
power FET connected by a source and drain between the input node and the
output node, and a feedback circuit having an output connected and
providing a control signal to a gate of the power FET. A current limit
circuit is configured to control the power FET to limit the current
through it when the voltage across a controllable sense resistor
connected to conduct a current representing the current through the power
FET exceeds a predetermined limit value. At start-up, control unit
provides a control signal to the controllable resistor to cause the
resistance value of the controllable resistor to decrease incrementally
in value at respective predetermined incremental times during a
predetermined time interval.