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US 8,319,552 B1Granted
Rail-to-rail output stage with balanced drive
AssigneeAnalog Devices, Inc.
InventorBarrie Gilbert
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An amplifier having an imbalance between pull-up and pull-down sections may include a counterpart section to balance the output sections and/or enable them to be driven by balanced drive signals. In one embodiment, a rail-to-rail output stage may include a current minor to drive one side of the circuit. The other side may be driven by a transistor having a counterpart transistor to balance the circuit. A drive section may include a balance point to facilitate balancing the drive signals.
Claims15
An amplifier comprising:
- a first output section to drive an output in response to a first drive signal;
- a second output section to drive the output in response to a second drive signal;
- a counterpart section to balance the first output section with the second output section;
- and
- a balanced drive section to generate the first and second drive signals in response to an input signal;
- where the balanced drive section comprises a balance point.
3 more elements
An amplifier comprising:
- a first output section to drive an output in response to a first drive signal;
- a second output section to drive the output in response to a second drive signal;
- a counterpart section to balance the first output section with the second output section;
- and
- a balanced drive section to generate the first and second drive signals in response to an input signal;
- where the counterpart section is coupled between the balanced drive section and the second output section;
- where the balanced drive section comprises:
- an input stage;
- a first drive circuit coupled between the input stage and the first output section;
- and
- a second drive circuit coupled between the input stage and the counterpart section;
- where the input stage comprises:
- an input cell;
- and
- a load coupled to the input cell;
- and
- where the input stage comprises a balance point.
14 more elements
An amplifier comprising:
- a first output section to drive an output in response to a first drive signal;
- a second output section to drive the output in response to a second drive signal;
- a counterpart section to balance the first output section with the second output section;
- and
- a balanced drive section to generate the first and second drive signals in response to an input signal;
- where the second output section comprises a mirror circuit;
- where the first output section and the counterpart section comprise transistors of the same type and configuration;
- and
- where the balanced drive section comprises a balance point.
6 more elements
A rail-to-rail output circuit comprising:
- a first transistor coupled to a first power supply to provide a first output current;
- a second transistor coupled to a second power supply to provide a second output current;
- a third transistor arranged to form a current minor with the first transistor;
- a fourth transistor coupled between the current mirror and the second power supply;
- and
- a drive circuit arranged to drive the second and fourth transistors with balanced drive signals;
- where:
- the drive circuit comprises an input cell and a load coupled to the input cell;
- the second transistor is coupled to a first output of the input cell;
- and
- the fourth transistor is coupled to a second output of the input cell;
- and
- where:
- the input cell comprises a transconductance cell;
- and
- the load comprises fifth and sixth transistors arranged symmetrically about a pivot point.
13 more elements
A rail-to-rail output circuit comprising:
- a first transistor coupled to a first power supply to provide a first output current;
- a second transistor coupled to a second power supply to provide a second output current;
- a third transistor arranged to form a current minor with the first transistor;
- a fourth transistor coupled between the current mirror and the second power supply;
- and
- a drive circuit arranged to drive the second and fourth transistors with balanced drive signals;
- where:
- the current mirror has a ratio;
- and
- the second and fourth transistors have the same ratio as the current mirror.
7 more elements
A method comprising
- driving an output node with a first current from a first power supply;
- driving the output node with a second current from a second power;
- generating the second current in response to a third current;
- generating the first current in response to a first drive signal and the third current in response to a second drive signal;
- balancing the first current and the third current;
- and
- generating the first drive signal and the second drive signal in response to an input signal using a balanced drive section;
- where the balanced drive section comprises a balance point.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.