Voltage comparator and method for comparing input voltages
AssigneeRenesas Design (UK) Limited
InventorJindrich SVORC
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present document describes a voltage comparator (100) which comprises a differential stage (110) configured to provide a comparator current (203) at an output node (103) of the differential stage (110) in dependence of a first input voltage at a first input node (101) and a second input voltage at a second input node (102) of the voltage comparator (100). The voltage comparator (100) further comprises a current comparator (200) which is configured to provide an output voltage at an output node (206) of the current comparator (200) in dependence of the comparator current (203), and an output stage (220) which is configured to provide an output signal of the voltage comparator (100) in dependence of the output voltage at the output node (206) of the current comparator (200).
Claims15
1) A voltage comparator which comprises,
- a differential stage configured to provide a comparator current at an output node of the differential stage in dependence of a first input voltage at a first input node and a second input voltage at a second input node of the voltage comparator;
- a current comparator having an input that is coupled with the output node of the differential stage;
- wherein the current comparator is configured to provide an output voltage at an output node of the current comparator in dependence of the comparator current;
- and
- an output stage which is configured to provide an output signal of the voltage comparator in dependence of the output voltage at the output node of the current comparator;
- wherein the output signal is indicative on whether the first input voltage is greater or smaller than or equal to the second input voltage.
A method for comparing a first input voltage and a second input voltage;
- wherein the method comprises,
- providing a comparator current at an output node of a differential stage, in dependence of the first input voltage at a first input node and the second input voltage at a second input node of the differential stage;
- providing an output voltage at an output node of a current comparator in dependence of the comparator current;
- wherein an input of the current comparator is coupled with the output node of the differential stage;
- and
- providing an output signal which is indicative on whether the first input voltage is greater or smaller than or equal to the second input voltage, in dependence of the output voltage at the output node of the current comparator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.