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US 4,361,816 AGranted
Current mirror amplifiers with programmable gain
AssigneeRCA Corporation
InventorOtto H. Schade, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A current mirror amplifier includes first and second transistors connected together at their common electrodes, the first transistor being connected for receiving input signal current at its output electrode, and the control electrodes of the transistors being connected for conditioning the second transistor for conducting a current responsive to the input signal current. Switch means, responsive to a control signal, selectively connects the output electrode of the second transistor to a supply terminal so the current gain between the input signal current and the current in the connection of their common electrodes switches responsive to the control signal.
Claims27
Programmable current amplifying circuitry comprising:
- first and second supply voltage terminals;
- an input signal current terminal;
- an output signal current terminal;
- a source of input signal current connected between said first supply voltage terminal and said input signal current terminal;
- load means connected between said output signal current terminal and said second supply voltage terminal;
- a plurality of transistors of like conductivity type having respective input and output electrodes, and having respective common electrodes connected to said output signal current terminal, the output electrode of a first one of said plurality of transistors connecting to said input signal current terminal for receiving said input signal current;
- direct-coupled feedback means having an input connection at the output electrode of the first one of said transistors and having an output connection for establishing a potential at the respective input electrodes of said plurality of transistors to condition them for conduction;
- and
- respective switch means selectively connecting the output electrode of an associated other one of said plurality of transistors to said first supply voltage terminal, for conditioning its associated transistor to conduct to augment the conduction of said first one of said transistors and thus increment the current gain between said input signal current and said output signal current terminals.
6 more elements
Programmable current mirror amplifying circuitry comprising:
- first and second supply voltage terminals;
- an input signal current terminal;
- an output signal current terminal;
- an intermediate node;
- a source of input signal current connected between said first supply voltage terminal and said input signal current terminal;
- load means connected between said output signal current terminal and said first supply voltage terminal;
- current mirror amplifying means having an input connection connected to said input signal current terminal for receiving said input signal current, having a common connection connected to said second supply voltage terminal, and having an output connection connected to said intermediate node;
- a plurality of transistors of like conductivity type having respective input and output electrodes, and having respective common electrodes connected to said output signal current terminal, the output electrode of a first one of said transistors connecting to said intermediate node;
- direct-coupled feedback means having an input connection at the output electrode of the first one of said transistors and having an output connection for establishing a potential at the respective input electrodes of said plurality of transistors to condition them for conduction;
- and
- respective switch means selectively connecting the output electrode of an associated other one of said plurality of transistors to said second supply voltage terminal for conditioning its associated transistor to augment the conduction of said first transistors and thus increment the current gain between said input signal current and said output signal current terminals.
8 more elements
Programmable current mirror amplifying circuitry comprising:
- first and second supply voltage terminals;
- an input signal current terminal;
- an output signal current terminal;
- an intermediate node;
- a source of input signal current connected between said first supply voltage terminal and said input signal current terminal;
- load means connected between said output signal current terminal and said first supply voltage terminal;
- a plurality of transistors of like conductivity type having respective input and output electrodes, and having respective common electrodes connected to said intermediate node, the output electrode of a first one of said transistors connecting to said input signal current terminal for receiving said input signal current;
- direct-coupled feedback means having an input connection at the output electrode of the first one of said transistors and having an output connection for establishing a potential at the respective input electrodes of said plurality of transistors to condition them for conduction;
- current mirror amplifying means having an input connection to which said intermediate node connects, having a common connection connected to said second supply voltage terminal, and having an output connection connected to said output signal current terminal;
- and
- respective switch means selectively connecting the output electrode of an associated other one of said plurality of transistors to said first supply voltage terminal for conditioning its associated transistor to augment the conduction of said first transistor and thus increment the current gain between said input signal current and said output signal current terminals.
8 more elements
Programmable current splitting circuitry comprising:
- first and second supply voltage terminals;
- an input signal current terminal;
- an output signal current terminal;
- a source of input signal current connected between said first supply voltage terminal and said input signal current terminal;
- load means connected between said output signal current terminal and said second supply voltage terminal;
- a plurality of transistors of like conductivity type, having respective input and output electrodes, and having respective common electrodes to which said input signal current terminal connects, the output electrode of a first one of said plurality of transistors connecting to said output signal current terminal;
- direct-coupled feedback means having an input connection at the output electrode of the first one of said plurality of transistors, and having an output connection for establishing a potential at the respective input electrodes of said plurality of transistors to condition at least said first one thereof to conduct at least a portion of said input signal current;
- and
- respective switch means selectively connecting the output electrode of an associated other one of said plurality of transistors to said second supply voltage terminal for conditioning its associated transistor to conduct to decrease the conduction of said first one of said plurality of transistors and thus decrement the current gain between said input signal current and said output signal current terminals.
6 more elements
Programmable current mirror amplifying circuitry comprising:
- first and second supply voltage terminals;
- an input signal current terminal;
- an output signal current terminal;
- a source of input signal current connected between said first supply voltage terminal and said input signal current terminal;
- load means connected between said output signal current terminal and said first supply voltage terminal;
- current mirror amplifying means having input and output connections, and having a common connection to said second supply voltage terminal;
- a plurality of transistors of like conductivity type, having respective input and output electrodes, and having respective common electrodes to which said input signal current terminal connects, the output electrode of a first one of said plurality of transistors connecting to the input connection of said current mirror amplifying means;
- direct-coupled feedback means having an input connection at the output electrode of the first one of said plurality of transistors, and having an output connection for establishing a potential at the respective input electrodes of said plurality of transistors to condition at least said first one thereof to conduct at least a portion of said input signal current;
- a plurality of further transistors of like conductivity type to that of said plurality of transistors, having respective input and output electrodes, and having respective common electrodes connected to said output signal current terminal, the output electrode of a first one of said plurality of further transistors connecting to the output connection of said current mirror amplifying means;
- respective switch means selectively connecting the output electrode of an associated other one of said plurality of transistors of said second supply voltage terminal for conditioning its associated transistor to conduct to decrease the conduction of the first one of said plurality of transistors and thus decrement the current gain between said input signal current and said output signal current terminals;
- and
- respective further switch means selectively connecting the output electrode of an associated other one of said plurality of further transistors to said second supply voltage terminal for conditioning its associated further transistor to conduct to augment the conduction of said first one of said plurality of further transistors and thus increment the current gain between said input signal current and said output signal current terminals.
9 more elements
A programmable current amplifying circuit comprising:
- input signal and output signal terminals;
- a current mirror amplifier having input and common connections and an input circuit coupled therebetween for receiving an input current, and having at least one output connection and an output circuit coupled between said output and common connections, said output circuit for providing a current G times said input current, where G is a positive number;
- means for connecting the input and common connections of said current mirror amplifier to said input signal and output signal terminals, respectively;
- switch means responsive to a control signal for selectively connecting at least one said output connection of said current mirror amplifier to a source of operating potential;
- and
- means for selectively applying said control signal to said switch means.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.