Circuits and methods for sharing bias current
AssigneeViaSat, Inc.
InventorsMichael R Lyons, Kenneth V Buer, Qiang Richard Chen, Algirdas Navickas
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Abstract
The present disclosure includes systems and methods for sharing bias current. In one embodiment, shared bias current passes through a first level device to one or more second level devices along a bias current path. Multiple active devices may share bias current along a bias current path and process signal along the same or different signal paths. In one embodiment, bias current from one device is split among multiple devices. In another embodiment, bias current is combined from multiple devices into a device. Embodiments may include an interstage circuit along a signal path that improves stability of the circuit.
Claims20
A circuit comprising:
- a bias circuit configured to establish a first bias current;
- a first level device coupled to the bias circuit, wherein the first bias current passes through the first level device to establish an operating point of the first level device, the first level device being an active device;
- a plurality of N second level devices coupled to the bias circuit through the first level device, at least one of the second level devices being an active device, wherein the first bias current is split into N portions, and each one of the N portions passes through one of the plurality of N second level devices to establish an operating point of the at least one active device of the plurality of second level devices;
- and
- a plurality of M third level devices coupled to the bias circuit through the first level device and one or more of the second level devices, at least one of the third level devices being an active device, wherein one of the N portions is split into M portions, and each one of the M portions passes through one of the M third level devices to establish an operating point of the at least one active device of the plurality of third level devices.
A circuit comprising:
- a bias circuit configured to establish a first bias current;
- a first level device coupled to the bias circuit, wherein the first bias current passes through the first level device to establish an operating point of the first level device, the first level device being an active device;
- a plurality of N second level devices coupled to the bias circuit through the first level device, at least one of the second level device being an active device, wherein the first bias current is split into N portions, and each one of the N portions passes through one of the plurality of N second level devices to establish an operating point of the at least one active device of the plurality of N second level devices;
- and
- a third level device coupled to at least two of the N second level devices, the third level device being an active device, wherein at least two of the N portions are combined and pass through the third level device to establish an operating point of third level device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.