currentcontrolled

Current-controlled refers to a class of devices and control methods in which current, rather than voltage, serves as the primary control variable governing output behavior. In circuit theory, this concept is formalized with dependent sources whose output depends on a sensed current. The two standard ideal elements are the current-controlled current source (CCCS) and the current-controlled voltage source (CCVS). A CCCS provides an output current that is proportional to a specified input current, I_out = β I_in, where β is the current gain. A CCVS provides an output voltage proportional to the input current, V_out = γ I_in, where γ is the current-to-voltage gain. These ideal components model current feedback paths and current-mirror behavior and are implemented in circuit simulations as dependent-source elements.

In power electronics and control systems, current-mode control is a widely used approach in switching regulators and motor drives. In this method, the feedback loop uses the inductor current or load current as the sense variable, rather than the output voltage, to determine switching actions. This can improve transient response and stability under certain operating conditions.

Current-controlled concepts contrast with voltage-controlled approaches, where the control input is a voltage. While ideal current-controlled elements provide linear relationships, real devices exhibit non-idealities such as finite output impedance, saturation, and bandwidth limits that must be accounted for in design and simulation.