Managing a shoot-through condition in a component containing a push-pull output stage

A component comprising:

• an amplifier containing a push-pull output stage, said output stage comprising a source-side transistor and a sink-side transistor;
• said push-pull output stage to provide an amplified signal by amplifying an input signal,
• wherein said amplifier comprise an analog shoot-through control block operable to:
• mirror a first current in said source-side transistor to generate a first mirrored current;
• mirror a second current in said sink-side transistor to generate a second mirrored current;
• generating a sum of said first mirrored current and said second mirrored current;
• and
• when a magnitude of said sum begins exceeds a first pre-determined threshold, adjusting a respective control voltage of said first transistor and said second transistor to reduce said first current and said second current at least until said sum falls below a second pre-determined threshold.

The component of claim 9, wherein said analog shoot-through control block is operable to perform said mirroring said first current, said mirroring said second current, said generating, and said adjusting continuously and concurrently, wherein said first pre-determined threshold equals said second pre-determined threshold, wherein said analog shoot-through control block comprises a sensing block, said sensing block comprising:

• a first transistor coupled to said source-side transistor to form a first current mirror, said first transistor to generate said first mirrored current;
• a second transistor coupled to said sink-side transistor to form a second current mirror, said second transistor to generate said second mirrored current;
• a current source to generate a reference current;
• a first current comparator to process said reference current and said first mirrored current to generate a first error current, wherein a magnitude of said first error current equals a magnitude of said first mirrored current when said magnitude of said first mirrored current is less than a magnitude of said reference current, said magnitude of said first error current being equal to the magnitude of the reference current when said magnitude of said first mirrored current is greater than or equal to said magnitude of said reference current;
• a second current comparator to process said reference current and said second mirrored current to generate a second error current, wherein a magnitude of said second error current equals a magnitude of said second mirrored current when said magnitude of said second mirrored current is less than said magnitude of said reference current, said magnitude of said second error current being equal to the magnitude of the reference current when said magnitude of said second mirrored current is greater than or equal to said magnitude of said reference current;
• and
• a current summer to generate, on an output terminal of said sensing block, a sum current of said first error current and said second error current.

The component of claim 10, wherein said analog shoot-through control block further comprises:

• a current sink coupled between said output terminal and a constant reference potential, said current sink to sink a current having a magnitude equal to said first pre-determined threshold;
• a third current mirror coupled to said output terminal, said third current mirror to sink a third current from a control terminal of said source-side transistor when said sum exceeds said first pre-determined threshold, said third current mirror being switched off when said sum falls below said first pre-determined threshold;
• a fourth current mirror coupled to said output terminal, said fourth current mirror to sink a fourth current from a control terminal of said sink-side transistor when said sum exceeds said first pre-determined threshold, said fourth current mirror being switched off when said sum falls below said first pre-determined threshold;
• and
• a detection block to assert a detect signal to indicate that a shoot-through condition exists when said sum begins to exceed said first pre-determined threshold, said detection block to de-assert said detect signal when said sum begins to fall below said first pre-determined threshold.