Signal dependent biasing scheme for an amplifier
AssigneeSilicon Laboratories Inc.
InventorsYunteng Huang, Susumu Hara
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Abstract
In one embodiment, the present invention includes an apparatus having a first amplifier stage to receive an input voltage and to provide an amplified output voltage at an output terminal, where the first amplifier stage is controlled by a first bias current. The apparatus may further include a second amplifier stage coupled to receive a control voltage and to provide an offset voltage to the output terminal, where the second amplifier stage is controlled by a second bias current. The first and second bias currents may be controlled by a single bias controller.
Claims26
An apparatus comprising:
- a first amplifier stage to receive an input voltage and to provide an amplified output voltage at an output terminal, the first amplifier stage controlled by a first bias current;
- a second amplifier stage coupled to receive a control voltage and to provide an offset voltage to the output terminal, the second amplifier stage controlled by a second bias current;
- and
- a bias controller to adjust the first bias current and the second bias current.
A method comprising:
- receiving a control voltage corresponding to an offset level of an amplifier;
- generating a first bias current and a second bias current based on a level of the control voltage;
- biasing a signal path of the amplifier using the first bias current;
- and
- biasing an offset path of the amplifier using the second bias current.
A limit amplifier comprising:
- a signal path including a first amplifier stage to receive a data signal and provide an amplified data signal to an output terminal;
- a slice path including a second amplifier stage to receive a control signal and provide an amplified slice level to the output terminal;
- and
- wherein the first amplifier stage is biased by a first bias current generated in response to a level of the control signal, and the second amplifier stage is biased by a second bias current generated in response to the level of the control signal.
A system comprising:
- a transimpedance amplifier (TIA) to generate an output voltage from an input current;
- and
- a limit amplifier coupled to an output of the TIA, the limit amplifier comprising:
- a first amplifier stage to receive the output voltage and to provide an amplified output voltage at an output terminal, the first amplifier stage controlled by a first bias current;
- a second amplifier stage coupled to receive a control voltage and to provide an offset voltage to the output terminal, the second amplifier stage controlled by a second bias current;
- and
- a bias controller to adjust the first bias current and the second bias current.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.