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US 11,256,280 B2Granted
Voltage-current converter, corresponding device and method
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorsRoberto Pio Baorda, Paolo Angelini
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An embodiment voltage-current converter circuit comprises a first amplifier and a second amplifier having homologous first input nodes configured to receive a voltage signal therebetween as well as homologous second input nodes having a resistor coupled therebetween. First and second current mirror circuits are provided comprising first input transistors having their control terminal coupled to the output nodes of the amplifiers. First and second current sensing circuitry having first and second current output nodes are coupled to the current mirror output nodes of the current mirror circuits and configured to provide therebetween a current which is a function of the voltage signal between the homologous first input nodes of the amplifier.
Claims20
A circuit comprising:
- first and second amplifiers, comprising homologous first input nodes configured to receive a voltage signal therebetween, and comprising homologous second input nodes having a resistor coupled therebetween, wherein the first amplifier comprises a first output node and wherein the second amplifier comprises a second output node;
- first current mirror circuitry comprising a first input transistor having a first control terminal coupled to the first output node of the first amplifier, wherein the first current mirror circuitry comprises a first current mirror output node;
- second current mirror circuitry comprising a second input transistor having a second control terminal coupled to the second output node of the second amplifier, wherein the second current mirror circuitry comprises a second current mirror output node;
- and
- first and second current sensing circuitry having first and second current output nodes, wherein the first and the second current sensing circuitry is coupled to the first current mirror output node and to the second current mirror output node, respectively, wherein the first and second current output nodes are configured to provide therebetween a current that is a function of the voltage signal between the homologous first input nodes of the first and the second amplifiers.
2 more elements
A device, comprising:
- a circuit, comprising:
- first and second amplifiers, comprising homologous first input nodes configured to receive a voltage signal therebetween, and comprising homologous second input nodes having a resistor coupled therebetween, wherein the first amplifier comprises a first output node and wherein the second amplifier comprises a second output node;
- first current mirror circuitry comprising a first input transistor having a first control terminal coupled to the first output node of the first amplifier, wherein the first current mirror circuitry comprises a first current mirror output node;
- second current mirror circuitry comprising a second input transistor having a second control terminal coupled to the second output node of the second amplifier, wherein the second current mirror circuitry comprises a second current mirror output node;
- and
- first and second current sensing circuitry having first and second current output nodes, wherein the first and the second current sensing circuitry is coupled to the first current mirror output node and to the second current mirror output node, respectively, wherein the first and second current output nodes are configured to provide therebetween a current that is a function of the voltage signal between the homologous first input nodes of the first and the second amplifiers;
- and
- a source of the voltage signal coupled to the circuit and configured to apply the voltage signal differentially between the homologous first input nodes, wherein a current-converted replica of the voltage signal is available between the first and second current output nodes.
5 more elements
A method of producing a current signal, the method comprising:
- applying a voltage signal differentially between homologous first input nodes in a circuit, the circuit comprising:
- first and second amplifiers, comprising the homologous first input nodes configured to receive the voltage signal therebetween, and comprising homologous second input nodes having a resistor coupled therebetween, wherein the first amplifier comprises a first output node and wherein the second amplifier comprises a second output node;
- first current mirror circuitry comprising a first input transistor having a first control terminal coupled to the first output node of the first amplifier, wherein the first current mirror circuitry comprises a first current mirror output node;
- second current mirror circuitry comprising a second input transistor having a second control terminal coupled to the second output node of the second amplifier, wherein the second current mirror circuitry comprises a second current mirror output node;
- and
- first and second current sensing circuitry having first and second current output nodes, wherein the first and the second current sensing circuitry is coupled to the first current mirror output node and to the second current mirror output node, respectively, wherein the first and second current output nodes are configured to provide therebetween a current that is a function of the voltage signal between the homologous first input nodes of the first and the second amplifiers;
- and
- collecting a current-converted replica of the voltage signal between the first and second current output nodes in the circuit.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.