US 8,823,450 B2Granted

Multiple-output transconductance amplifier based instrumentation amplifier

AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.

InventorPaul M. Werking

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

This disclosure is directed to devices and integrated circuits for instrumentation amplifiers. In one example, an instrumentation amplifier device uses two non-inverted outputs of a first multiple-output transconductance amplifier, and a non-inverted output and an inverted output of a second multiple-output transconductance amplifier. Both multiple-output transconductance amplifiers have a non-inverted output connected to an inverting input, and a non-inverting input connected to a respective input voltage terminal. A first resistor is connected between the inverting inputs of both multiple-output transconductance amplifiers. The outputs of both multiple-output transconductance amplifiers are connected together, connected through a second resistor to ground, and connected to an output voltage terminal. In other examples, two pairs of outputs from triple-output transconductance amplifiers are connected to provide two voltage output terminals, and may also be connected to buffers or a differential amplifier. These provide various advantages over traditional instrumentation amplifiers.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A device comprising:

a first multiple-output transconductance amplifier that comprises a non-inverting input, an inverting input, a first non-inverted output, and a second non-inverted output, wherein the first non-inverted output is connected to the inverting input, and the non-inverting input is connected to a first input voltage terminal;
a second multiple-output transconductance amplifier that comprises a non-inverting input, an inverting input, a first non-inverted output, and an inverted output, wherein the first non-inverted output is connected to the inverting input, and the non-inverting input is connected to a second input voltage terminal;
a first resistor, wherein a first end of the first resistor is connected to the inverting input of the first multiple-output transconductance amplifier, and a second end of the first resistor is connected to the inverting input of the second multiple-output transconductance amplifier;
a second resistor, wherein a first end of the second resistor is connected to both the second non-inverted output of the first multiple-output transconductance amplifier and the inverted output of the second multiple-output transconductance amplifier, and a second end of the second resistor is connected to ground if the first end of the second resistor has a non-inverted input, or to an amplifier output node of an amplifier if the first end of the second resistor has an inverted input;
and
a first output voltage terminal connected to both the second non-inverted output of the first multiple-output transconductance amplifier and the inverted output of the second multiple-output transconductance amplifier.

3 more elements

An integrated circuit comprising:

a first triple-output transconductance amplifier that comprises a non-inverting input, an inverting input, a first non-inverted output, a second non-inverted output, and an inverted output, wherein the first non-inverted output is connected to the inverting input, and the non-inverting input is connected to a first input voltage terminal;
a second triple-output transconductance amplifier that comprises a non-inverting input, an inverting input, a first non-inverted output, a second non-inverted output, and an inverted output, wherein the first non-inverted output is connected to the inverting input, and the non-inverting input is connected to a second input voltage terminal;
a first node connected to both the second non-inverted output of the first multiple-output transconductance amplifier and the inverted output of the second multiple-output transconductance amplifier;
a second node connected to both the inverted output of the first multiple-output transconductance amplifier and the second non-inverted output of the second multiple-output transconductance amplifier;
a first resistor connected to the inverting input of the first triple-output transconductance amplifier and the inverting input of the second triple-output transconductance amplifier;
a second resistor, wherein a first end of the second resistor is connected to the first node;
a third resistor, wherein a first end of the third resistor is connected to the second node;
a first output voltage terminal, downstream of the first node;
and
a second output voltage terminal, downstream of the second node.

7 more elements

An integrated circuit comprising:

a first triple-output transconductance amplifier that comprises a non-inverting input, an inverting input, a first non-inverted output, a second non-inverted output, and an inverted output, wherein the first non-inverted output is connected to the inverting input, and the non-inverting input is connected to a first input voltage terminal;
a second triple-output transconductance amplifier that comprises a non-inverting input, an inverting input, a first non-inverted output, a second non-inverted output, and an inverted output, wherein the first non-inverted output is connected to the inverting input, and the non-inverting input is connected to a second input voltage terminal;
a first node connected to both the second non-inverted output of the first multiple-output transconductance amplifier and the inverted output of the second multiple-output transconductance amplifier;
a second node connected to both the inverted output of the first multiple-output transconductance amplifier and the second non-inverted output of the second multiple-output transconductance amplifier;
a first resistor connected to the inverting input of the first triple-output transconductance amplifier and the non-inverting input of the second triple-output transconductance amplifier;
a second resistor connected to the inverting input of the second triple-output transconductance amplifier and the non-inverting input of the first triple-output transconductance amplifier;
a third resistor, wherein a first end of the third resistor is connected to the first node;
a fourth resistor, wherein a first end of the fourth resistor is connected to the second node;
a first output voltage terminal, downstream of the first node;
and
a second output voltage terminal, downstream of the second node.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/553,503Filed 19 Jul 2012
Published: US 2014/0022015 A123 Jan 2014
Granted: 2 Sep 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

H03F 3/45
Amplifiers with only discharge tubes or only semiconductor devices as amplifying elements: differential amplifiers
H03F 3/45183
Using MOSFET transistors as the active amplifying circuit: long tailed pairs
H03F 3/45475
Characterised by the way of implementation of the active amplifying circuit in the differential amplifier: using IC blocks as the active…
H03F 2203/45644
Indexing scheme relating to differential amplifiers: the LC comprising a cross coupling circuit, e.g. comprising two cross-coupled transistors