Low voltage multi-stage amplifier
AssigneeQUALCOMM Incorporated
InventorVijayakumar Dhanasekaran
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A low voltage multi-stage amplifier is described. The low voltage multi-stage amplifier includes one or more prior stages. The low voltage multi-stage amplifier also includes a supply stage. The low voltage multi-stage amplifier further includes an output stage that operates with a supply voltage as low as a sum of a threshold voltage of a first transistor in the output stage and a saturation voltage of a second transistor of the supply stage. The supply stage supplies the output stage.
Claims40
A low voltage multi-stage amplifier, comprising:
- one or more prior stages;
- a supply stage;
- an output stage, wherein the supply stage supplies the output stage;
- and
- biasing circuitry that sets quiescent current for proper operation of the output stage via the supply stage, wherein the biasing circuitry comprises a replica current stage, a minimum selector and an error amplifier.
A method for amplification, the method comprising:
- obtaining an input signal;
- and
- amplifying the input signal using a low voltage multi-stage amplifier that comprises:
- one or more prior stages;
- a supply stage;
- an output stage, wherein the supply stage supplies the output stage;
- and
- biasing circuitry that sets quiescent current for proper operation of the output stage via the supply stage, wherein the biasing circuitry comprises a replica current stage, a minimum selector and an error amplifier.
An apparatus, comprising:
- means for obtaining an input signal;
- and
- means for amplifying the input signal, wherein the means for amplifying the input signal comprise:
- one or more prior stages;
- a supply stage;
- an output stage, wherein the supply stage supplies the output stage;
- and
- biasing circuitry that sets quiescent current for proper operation of the output stage via the supply stage, wherein the biasing circuitry comprises a replica current stage, a minimum selector and an error amplifier.
A computer-program product configured for amplifying an input signal, the computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions thereon, the instructions comprising:
- code for causing a low voltage multi-stage amplifier to obtain an input signal;
- and
- code for causing the low voltage multi-stage amplifier to amplify the input signal,
- wherein the low voltage multi-stage amplifier comprises:
- one or more prior stages;
- a supply stage;
- an output stage, wherein the supply stage supplies the output stage;
- and
- biasing circuitry that sets quiescent current for proper operation of the output stage via the supply stage, wherein the biasing circuitry comprises a replica current stage, a minimum selector and an error amplifier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.