Comparison of a Voltage Signal to a Reference
AssigneeArm Limited
InventorsBenoit Labbe, Parameshwarappa Anand Kumar Savanth, James Edward Myers
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Briefly, embodiments of claimed subject matter relate to comparison of a signal amplitude, such as a signal originating from a battery, for example, with a reference signal. A reference signal may be generated via body-biasing of one or more transistors, for example, which permit operation of the one or more transistors in a sub-threshold state, in which current through the one or more transistors comprises an exponential relationship to an applied voltage. Thus, at least in particular embodiments, detection of low battery voltage or battery overvoltage may be performed utilizing only a very small amount of electrical power
Claims20
An apparatus to compare an amplitude of a first signal with an amplitude of a second signal, comprising:
- one or more current-mirroring circuits to substantially replicate an electric current, or to generate a multiple of the electric current, through one or more devices induced via applying the first signal to at least one of the one or more devices;
- and
- an output signal node, connected to at least one of the one or more current-mirroring circuits, to provide a first signal level when the amplitude of the first signal is greater than the amplitude of the second signal and to provide a second signal level when the amplitude of the first signal is less than the amplitude of the second signal, wherein the amplitude of the second signal is generated via an electric current flow through one or more body-biased transistors.
(canceled)
An apparatus to compare an amplitude of a first signal with an amplitude of a second signal, comprising:
- one or more current-mirroring circuits to substantially replicate an electric current, or to generate a multiple of the electric current, through one or more devices induced via applying the first signal to at least one of the one or more devices, wherein the one or more current-mirroring circuits comprise one or more transistors formed via a deposition process that brings about a gate thickness of the one or more transistors that varies between about + or −20.0% of a nominal value;
- and
- an output signal node, connected to at least one of the one or more current-mirroring circuits, to provide a first signal level when the amplitude of the first signal is greater than the amplitude of the second signal and to provide a second signal level when the amplitude of the first signal is less than the amplitude of the second signal.
A method, comprising:
- replicating an electric current, or generating a multiple of the electric current, through one or more devices induced via applying a first signal to at least one of one or more devices;
- generating a second signal via body-biasing one or more transistors;
- indicating, via providing a first output signal state, when the amplitude of the first signal is greater than the amplitude of the second signal;
- and
- indicating, via providing a second output signal state, when the amplitude of the first signal is less than the amplitude of the second signal.
(canceled)
An apparatus, comprising:
- a current generator to generate a first electric current based, at least in part, on a second electric current through one or more transistor devices operating in a sub-threshold state;
- and
- a voltage detector, coupled to the current generator, to provide an output signal having a first level when the current through a plurality of transistor devices is relatively high, and to provide an output signal having a second level when the current through the plurality of transistor devices is relatively low.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.