US 5,705,953 AGranted

Device bias based supplemental amplification

AssigneeItron, Inc.

InventorEdward A. Jesser

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Abstract

An amplifier having a current determiner to provide an operating current depending on a reference current, the operating current being used to operate an input amplifying device. The output of the input amplifying device is further amplified by one or more devices in the current determiner. The current determiner has a pair of matched devices used to set the output current in response to the supplied reference current.

Claims16

Dependent claims

An amplifier for amplifying electrical signals having an input and an output, said amplifier comprising:

a current determiner having an input suited for conducting therethrough selected reference currents which are selectable independently of said electrical signals on said amplifier input and having an output for conducting therethrough corresponding output currents, said current determiner having therein a plurality of controlled circuit devices electrically interconnected in a determiner circuit therein through at least one of which said reference currents are at least in part conducted and through at least one of which said output currents are at least in part conducted such that a said output current has a magnitude selectable by selection of a magnitude for a corresponding reference current, said plurality of controlled circuit devices each having first and second terminating regions and a control region therein by which that said device is capable of being directed, through electrical energization thereof, to effectively provide a conductive path of a selected conductivity between said first and second terminating regions thereof with at least one of said first and second terminating regions of at least one of said controlled circuit devices being electrically connected to said amplifier output;
and
an input signal receiver having an operating current region electrically connected to said current determiner output, an input electrically coupled to said amplifier input and an output, said input signal receiver having therein an amplifying device through which, at least in part, said current determiner output currents are conducted, said amplifying device having first and second terminating regions and a control region therein by which said amplifying device is capable of being directed, through electrical energization thereof, to effectively provide a conductive path of a selected conductivity between said amplifying device first and second terminating regions, said amplifying device control region being electrically coupled to said input signal receiver input and at least one of said amplifying device first and second terminating regions being electrically connected to said control region of one of said plurality of said controlled circuit devices.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

An amplifier for amplifying electrical signals having an input and an output, said amplifier comprising:

a current determiner having an input suited for conducting therethrough selected reference currents which are selectable independently of said electrical signals on said amplifier input and having an output for conducting therethrough corresponding output currents, said current determiner having therein a plurality of controlled circuit devices electrically interconnected in a determiner circuit therein through at least one of which said reference currents are at least in part conducted and through at least one of which said output currents are at least in part conducted such that a said output current has a magnitude selectable by selection of a magnitude for a corresponding reference current, said plurality of controlled circuit devices each having first and second terminating regions and a control region therein by which that said device is capable of being directed, through electrical energization thereof, to effectively provide a conductive path of a selected conductivity between said first and second terminating regions thereof with at least one of said first and second terminating regions of at least one of said controlled circuit devices being electrically connected to said amplifier output;
and
an input signal receiver having an operating current region electrically connected to said current determiner output, an input electrically coupled to said amplifier input and an output, said input signal receiver having therein an amplifying device through which, at least in part, said current determiner output currents are conducted, said amplifying device having first and second terminating regions and a control region therein by which said amplifying device is capable of being directed, through electrical energization thereof, to effectively provide a conductive path of a selected conductivity between said amplifying device first and second terminating regions, said amplifying device control region being electrically coupled to said input signal receiver input and at least one of said amplifying device first and second terminating regions being electrically connected to said control region of one of said plurality of said controlled circuit devices.