Scaled voltage level translator circuit
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsKenneth G. Lobb, Timothy J. Schmerbeck, Brian A. Schuelke, Manning O. Sutton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A circular translates an input signal about an input reference voltage to an output signal referenced to a different voltage. The input signal may be scaled, and multiple inputs may be scaled independently and summed. Shift networks transfer the input signal across a resistor on the input of a current mirror; the output signal appears across a resistor in an output of the mirror.
Claims15
A circuit for translating an input signal voltage in series with an input reference voltage to an output signal voltage in series with an output reference voltage with respect to a ground potential, comprising:
- a current mirror having an input and first and second outputs;
- a first shift network coupled to said first current-mirror output and to said input signal voltage for translating said input signal voltage in a first direction by a predetermined amount to produce a shifted signal voltage;
- a second shift network including an input-dropping resistor, said second shift network being coupled to said current-mirror input and to said first shift network for translating said shifted signal voltage in a direction opposite said first direction and by said predetermined amount so as to produce a replica of said input signal voltage across said input-dropping resistor;
- an output-dropping resistor coupled to said second current-mirror output, and further coupled in series with said output reference voltage, said output-dropping resistor being matched to said input-dropping resistor for producing said output voltage thereacross.
A circuit for translating and summing at least first and second input signal voltages in series with first and second reference voltages, respectively, to produce an output sum signal voltage in series with an output reference voltage with respect to a ground potential, comprising:
- at last first and second circuits, each including
- a current mirror having an input and first and second outputs,
- a first shift network coupled to said first current-mirror output and to said input signal voltage for translating said input signal voltage in a first direction by a predetermined amount to produce a shifted signal voltage,
- a second shift network including an input-dropping resistor, said second shift network being coupled to said current-mirror input and to said first shift network for translating said shifted signal voltage in a direction opposite said first direction and by said predetermined amount so as to produce a replica of said input signal voltage across said input-droping resistor;
- an output-dropping resistor coupled to said second current-mirror outputs of both said first and said second circuits, and further coupled in series with said output reference voltage, said output-dropping resistor being matched to said input-dropping resistors of said first and second circuits for producing said output sum signal voltage thereacross.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.