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US 11,539,356 B2Granted
Voltage comparator
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS
InventorsHelene Esch, David Chesneau
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In an embodiment, a voltage comparator includes: a first switch having a conduction terminal coupled to an internal node that is coupled to an output of the voltage comparator; a current source; a capacitor; and a second switch connected in parallel with the capacitor, wherein the current source, the capacitor, and the first switch are coupled in series.
Claims20
A voltage comparator comprising:
- an output terminal;
- a first switch having a conduction terminal coupled to an internal node, the internal node coupled to the output terminal;
- a current source;
- a capacitor;
- and
- a second switch coupled in parallel with the capacitor, wherein the current source, the capacitor, and the first switch are series-connected, wherein the current source comprises a first terminal coupled to the capacitor, and a second terminal coupled to a first node, the first node configured to receive a first voltage, and wherein the first switch is configured to turn on and the second switch is configured to turn off after the turning on of the first switch when a variation of an internal voltage of the internal node towards the first voltage causes a switching of an output voltage of the output terminal.
3 more elements
A voltage comparator comprising:
- an output terminal;
- a first switch having a conduction terminal coupled to an internal node, the internal node coupled to the output terminal;
- a current source;
- a capacitor;
- and
- a second switch coupled in parallel with the capacitor, wherein the current source, the capacitor, and the first switch are series-connected, wherein the current source comprises a first terminal coupled to the capacitor, and a second terminal coupled to a first node, the first node configured to receive a first voltage, and wherein the first node is connected to ground.
3 more elements
A voltage comparator comprising:
- an output terminal;
- a first switch having a conduction terminal coupled to an internal node, the internal node coupled to the output terminal;
- a current source;
- a capacitor;
- a second switch coupled in parallel with the capacitor, wherein the current source, the capacitor, and the first switch are series-connected, wherein the current source comprises a first terminal coupled to the capacitor, and a second terminal coupled to a first node, the first node configured to receive a first voltage;
- and
- first and second transistors in series between the first node and a second node, the second node configured to receive a second voltage.
4 more elements
A voltage comparator comprising:
- an output terminal;
- a first switch having a conduction terminal coupled to an internal node, the internal node coupled to the output terminal;
- a current source;
- a capacitor;
- and
- a second switch coupled in parallel with the capacitor, wherein the current source, the capacitor, and the first switch are series-connected, wherein the current source comprises a first terminal coupled to the capacitor, and a second terminal coupled to a first node, the first node configured to receive a first voltage, and
- wherein the first voltage is a ground voltage, and wherein the first and second switches are metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistors of the N-type, or
- wherein the first voltage is a power supply voltage, and wherein the first and second switches are metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistors of the P-type.
5 more elements
A voltage converter comprising:
- an output stage;
- a comparator having a first input coupled to an output of the output stage, a second input configured to receive a reference voltage, and an output;
- and
- a control circuit configured to control the output stage based on the output of the comparator, the comparator comprising:
- a first switch having a conduction terminal coupled to an internal node, the internal node coupled to the output of the comparator and configured to have an internal voltage that is representative of a comparison between the reference voltage and an input voltage at the first input of the comparator,
- a current source,
- a capacitor, and
- a second switch coupled in parallel with the capacitor, wherein the current source, the capacitor, and the first switch are series-connected.
5 more elements
A method of operating a voltage comparator, the method comprising:
- receiving first and second input voltages;
- generating an internal voltage at an internal node based on comparing the first and second input voltages;
- when the internal voltage has a first voltage that is different from a threshold voltage,
- turning off a first transistor having a first conduction terminal coupled to the internal node, and a control terminal coupled to an output of a first inverter, the first inverter having an input coupled to the internal node, and
- turning on a second transistor having a first conduction terminal coupled to a second conduction terminal of the first transistor, and a control terminal coupled to the control terminal of the first transistor via a plurality of inverters;
- when the internal voltage transitions from the first voltage to a second voltage, turning on the first transistor, wherein the threshold voltage is between the first and second voltages;
- a first time after turning on the first transistor, turning off the second transistor;
- and
- generating an output voltage at an output terminal of the voltage comparator, the output terminal coupled to the control terminal of the second transistor.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.