CURRENT SENSING IN SWITCHED ELECTRONIC DEVICES

A circuit, comprising at least one switching transistor (QLS, QHS) having a control terminal configured to receive a control signal (X) as well as a current flow path therethrough, the at least one switching transistor (QLS, QHS) configured to be switched towards a conductive, resp. non-conductive, state in response to the control signal (X) having a first, resp. second, value wherein the current flow path through the at least one switching transistor (QLS, QHS) provides a current flow line (IQLS, IQHS) between a switching circuit node (VO) and a reference node (VI, PGND), wherein, in the non-conductive state, a voltage drop stress is applied across the at least one switching transistor (QLS, QHS).The circuit comprises a sense transistor (MLS) coupled to the least one switching transistor (QLS, QHS) and being a scaled replica thereof, the sense transistor (MLS) having a current sense flow path therethrough wherein the intensity of the current (IMS) flowing therein is indicative of the intensity of the current (IQLS, IQHS) flowing in the current flow path through the at least one switching transistor (QLS, QHS), and coupling circuitry (13, SB, S1, S2, S3, S4) configured to apply the voltage drop stress across the sense transistor (MLS) in response to the at least one switching transistor (QLS, QHS) being switched towards the non-conductive state, wherein, in response to the at least one switching transistor (QLS, QHS) being switched towards the non-conductive state, the voltage drop stress is replicated across both the at least one switching transistor (QLS, QHS) and across the sense transistor (MLS, MSH).