Methods and apparatus for an amplifier integrated circuit
AssigneeSemiconductor Components Industries, LLC
InventorTsutomu Murata
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Various embodiments of the present technology may provide methods and apparatus for an amplifier integrated circuit. The amplifier integrated circuit may provide two amplifiers, one amplifier set to a low gain bandwidth product to amplify at a higher speed and the other amplifier set to a high gain bandwidth product to amplify at a lower speed. The amplifier integrated circuit may further provide a switching circuit connected to the amplifiers, wherein the switching circuit is responsive to a control signal and operates to selectively activate the high speed amplifier and the low speed amplifier in sequence.
Claims17
An amplifier integrated circuit (IC), connected to an input terminal and an output terminal, comprising:
- a first amplifier having a first gain bandwidth product;
- a second amplifier having a second gain bandwidth product that is less than the first gain bandwidth product;
- and
- a control circuit, connected to the first and second amplifiers and responsive to a control signal, comprising a plurality of switches configured to:
- selectively connect a first amplifier output to the output terminal of the amplifier IC according to the control signal;
- and
- selectively connect a second amplifier output to the output terminal of the amplifier IC according to the control signal;
- wherein:
- the plurality of switches comprises a first switch, a second switch, a third switch and a fourth switch;
- the first switch is connected to a first output terminal of the first amplifier;
- the second switch is connected to a second output terminal of the first amplifier;
- the third switch is connected to a first output terminal of the second amplifier;
- and
- the fourth switch is connected to a second output terminal of the second amplifier.
A method of operating an amplifier integrated circuit (IC), comprising:
- amplifying a signal with a first amplifier having a first gain bandwidth product and generating a first output signal;
- deactivating the first amplifier by selectively disconnecting the first amplifier from an output terminal of the amplifier IC;
- activating a second amplifier having a second gain bandwidth product that is less than the first gain bandwidth product by selectively connecting the second amplifier to the output terminal of the amplifier IC;
- amplifying the signal with the second amplifier and generating a second output signal;
- and
- charging a capacitor for a first period according to the first output signal and charging the capacitor for a second period according to the second output signal.
A system, comprising:
- a sensor configured to generate sensor data;
- an amplifier integrated circuit (IC) configured to generate an output signal, and comprising:
- a main input terminal configured to receive the sensor data;
- and
- a main output terminal;
- a first amplifier comprising:
- a first input terminal directly connected to the main input terminal;
- and
- a first output terminal selectively connected to the main output terminal;
- and
- wherein the first amplifier has a first gain bandwidth product;
- a second amplifier comprising:
- a second input terminal connected to the main input terminal;
- and
- a second output terminal connected to the main output terminal;
- and
- wherein a second input terminal has a second gain bandwidth product that is less than the first gain bandwidth product;
- and
- a control circuit, connected to the first and second amplifiers and responsive to a control signal, comprising:
- a first pair of switches connected between the first output terminal and the main output terminal;
- a switched capacitor circuit connected to main output terminal and configured to charge according to the output signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.