Integrated circuit input stage
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorFrancois Tailliet
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An input stage of an integrated circuit, includes a comparator for comparing the voltage of an input signal of the input stage with a reference voltage, and supplying a binary output signal the value of which depends on the result of the comparison of the input signal with the reference voltage. The input stage comprises a feedback circuit measuring a parameter representative of the operation of the comparator, and raising the reference voltage while the measured parameter reveals a faulty operation of the comparator.
Claims23
A device comprising:
- a comparator for comparing a voltage of an input signal to the comparator with a reference voltage, and for supplying a binary output signal the value of which depends on a result of a comparison of the input signal with the reference voltage;
- and
- a feedback circuit measuring a parameter representative of an operation of the comparator, and raising the reference voltage while the measured parameter reveals a faulty operation of the comparator.
An acquisition method for acquiring an input signal in an integrated circuit, comprising:
- comparing a voltage of an input signal with a reference voltage:
- supplying a binary output signal, the binary output signal having a value based upon the comparison of the input signal with the reference voltage;
- measuring a parameter representative of an operation of a comparator having performed the comparison and
- raising the reference voltage, while the measured parameter reveals a faulty operation of the comparator.
An input stage comprising:
- a differential amplifier having an input branch and a reference branch, the input branch receiving an input potential, the reference branch receiving a reference potential, the differential amplifier providing an output based upon the input potential and the reference potential;
- and
- a feedback circuit connected to at least one of the input branch and the reference branch of the differential amplifier via a first connection and connected to the reference branch of the differential amplifier via a second connection, the feedback circuit providing the reference potential, via the second connection, to the reference branch, wherein the reference potential is based upon an electrical characteristic in the differential amplifier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.