US 8,786,316 B2Granted

Comparator with self-limiting positive feedback

AssigneeRobert Bosch GmbH

InventorsRobert Wolf, Christoph Lang, Xinyu Xing, Sam Kavusi

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A method and circuit for attenuating positive feedback in a comparator in one embodiment includes an amplifier configured to compare a first input signal with a second input signal and to provide an output based upon the comparison, a non-linear function with a first input operably connected to an output of the amplifier, and a feedback loop operably connected to the output of the non-linear function and to a second input of the non-linear function, the feedback loop including a feedback limiting circuit configured to attenuate a feedback signal to the second input of the non-linear function.

Claims5

Dependent claims

A comparator circuit comprising:

an amplifier configured to compare a first input signal with a second input signal and to provide an output signal at an output of the amplifier based upon the comparison;
a positive feedback circuit operatively connected to the output of the amplifier and configured to generate a positive feedback signal, the positive feedback circuit including a MOSFET with a gate operatively connected to the output of the amplifier, the MOSFET being configured to generate the positive feedback signal;
and
a capacitor in direct electrical communication with either a source of the MOSFET, which is not directly electrically connected to electrical ground, or between a drain of the MOSFET and electrical ground, the capacitor attenuating the positive feedback signal generated by the MOSFET.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/933,499Filed 2 Jul 2013 · continuation
Priority: 2 Jul 2009
Published: US 2013/0293306 A17 Nov 2013
Granted: 22 Jul 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

H03F 1/38
Details of amplifiers with only discharge tubes, only semiconductor devices or only unspecified devices as amplifying elements: positive-feedback…
H03K 5/08
Shaping pulses: by limiting; by thresholding; by slicing, i.e. combined limiting and thresholding
H03K 5/2481
Using field effect transistors: with at least one differential stage
H03F
Amplifiers

Family

Application12/497,216Parent of this continuation · filed 2 Jul 2009
US 2013/0293306 A1Pre-grant publication · published 7 Nov 2013
US 8,476,935 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2011/0001515 A1Published application
US 8,786,316 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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