Voltage-to-current converters
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorsBharath Karthik VASAN, Srinivas K. PULIJALA, Steven G. BRANTLEY
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A voltage-to-current converter that reduces third harmonic distortion. An amplifier includes an input stage. The input stage includes a first voltage-to-current conversion stage and a second voltage-to-current conversion stage. The first voltage-to-current conversion stage is configured to provide an input to output gain with compressive nonlinearity. The second voltage-to-current stage is cascaded with the first voltage-to-current conversion stage. An input of the second voltage-to-current stage is connected to an output of the first voltage-to-current conversion stage. The second voltage-to-current conversion stage is configured to provide an input to output gain with expansive nonlinearity.
Claims20
An amplifier, comprising:
- an input stage, comprising:
- a first voltage-to-current conversion stage, the first voltage-to-current conversion stage configured to provide an input-to-output gain with compressive nonlinearity;
- a second voltage-to-current conversion stage cascaded with the first voltage-to-current conversion stage, wherein:
- an input of the second voltage-to-current conversion stage is connected to an output of the first voltage-to-current conversion stage;
- and
- the second voltage-to-current conversion stage is configured to provide an input-to-output gain with expansive nonlinearity.
A voltage-to-current converter, comprising:
- a first stage, comprising a first transistor and a second transistor connected as a differential pair;
- a second stage cascaded with the first stage, the second stage comprising:
- a third transistor coupled to the first transistor, the third transistor connected to an output terminal of the first transistor and connected to generate a first current output of the second stage at an output terminal of the third transistor;
- and
- a fourth transistor coupled to the second transistor, the fourth transistor connected to an output terminal of the second transistor and connected to generate a second current output of the second stage at an output terminal of the fourth transistor.
A voltage-to-current converter, comprising:
- a first stage, comprising a first transistor and a second transistor connected as a differential pair;
- a second stage cascaded with the first stage, the second stage comprising:
- a third transistor coupled to the first transistor, the third transistor comprising:
- an emitter terminal connected to a collector terminal of the first transistor;
- a collector terminal to provide a first current output of the second stage;
- a fourth transistor coupled to the second transistor, the fourth transistor comprising:
- an emitter terminal connected to a collector terminal of the second transistor;
- a collector terminal to provide a second current output of the second stage;
- a fifth transistor connected as a diode, the fifth transistor comprising an emitter terminal connected to the collector terminal of the second transistor and connected to the emitter terminal of the fourth transistor;
- and
- a sixth transistor connected as a diode, the sixth transistor comprising an emitter terminal connected to the collector terminal of the first transistor and connected to the emitter terminal of the third transistor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.