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US 7,038,544 B2Granted
Use of analog-valued floating-gate transistors for parallel and serial signal processing
AssigneeImpinj, Inc.
InventorsChristopher J. Diorio, Todd E. Humes, Ronald A. Oliver, William T. Colleran, Scott A. Cooper
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Analog-valued floating-gate transistors are used as trimmable circuit components for modifying and/or controlling the gain, phase, offset, frequency response, current consumption, and/or transfer function of signal pathways in parallel and/or serial processing circuits in radio frequency, analog, or mixed-signal integrated circuits.
Claims8
A circuit for controlling a variable gain amplifier, said circuit comprising:
- a system gain control input node coupled to the gate of a first floating gate transistor;
- a bias control node coupled to the gate of a second floating gate transistor;
- a floating gate threshold control node coupled to the gate of a third floating gate transistor;
- the first and third floating gate transistors each including a source, said sources coupled to a drain of said second floating gate transistor;
- a source of said second floating gate transistor electrically coupled to a source of a first potential;
- and
- a drain of said third floating gate transistor providing an output to a variable gain amplifier.
4 more elements
An amplifier comprising:
- a variable gain amplifier having a signal input, a gain control input and a signal output, said gain control input coupled to a circuit having at least one floating gate transistor for storing charge controlling said variable gain, said circuit including a readout device configured to add charge to the floating gate by way of an injection mechanism, and a tunneling junction device configured to remove charge from the floating date by way of a tunneling mechanism.
An amplifier comprising:
- a first variable gain amplifier having a first signal input, a first gain control input and a first signal output;
- and
- a second variable gain amplifier having a second signal input, a second gain control input and a second signal output, said first signal output coupled to said second signal input, said first gain control input coupled to a first circuit having at least one floating gate transistor for storing charge controlling said variable gain of said first variable gain amplifier, and said second gain control input coupled to a second circuit having at least one floating gate transistor for storing charge controlling said variable gain of said second variable gain amplifier,
- wherein at least one of said first and second circuits includes a readout device configured to add charge to the floating gate by way of an injection mechanism, and a tunneling junction device configured to remove charge from the floating date by way of a tunneling mechanism.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.