System and method for a transducer interface
AssigneeInfineon Technologies AG
InventorsWilfried Florian, Andreas Wiesbauer, Richard Gaggl
Life of this patent
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Abstract
According to an embodiment, an interface circuit includes a current replicator and a receiver. The current replicator includes a power terminal coupled to a first reference node, an output terminal configured to output a signal proportional to a signal received from a transducer, and an interface terminal coupled to the transducer. Using a single interface terminal, the current replicator may be configured to provide power to the transducer and receive output signals from the transducer. The receiver may include a first input terminal coupled to the output terminal, a second input terminal coupled to a second reference node, and a current converter circuit coupled to the first input terminal.
Claims28
A transducer system comprising:
- a transducer;
- an amplifier comprising a power supply terminal, a signal input terminal coupled to the transducer, and a signal output terminal;
- and
- a current replicator coupled to the power supply terminal and not to the signal output terminal, the current replicator configured to
- receive a current draw signal from the power supply terminal, and
- generate a current output signal based on the current draw signal, wherein the current output signal is proportional to a physical signal received by the transducer.
A method of operating a transducer system, the method comprising:
- receiving a physical signal at a transducer;
- generating a transduced signal at the transducer based on the physical signal;
- supplying the transduced signal to a signal input terminal of an amplifier, the amplifier comprising the signal input terminal, a signal output terminal, and a power supply terminal;
- generating a current draw signal at the power supply terminal;
- receiving the current draw signal at a current replicator, the current replicator not being coupled to the signal output terminal;
- generating a current output signal based on the current draw signal in the current replicator, wherein the current output signal is proportional to the physical signal;
- and
- providing the current output signal at an output of the current replicator.
A transducer system comprising:
- a first integrated circuit die comprising:
- a first interface pin,
- a second interface pin coupled to a first reference voltage node,
- a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) transducer, and
- an amplifier comprising a power supply terminal coupled to the first interface pin, a signal input terminal coupled to the MEMS transducer, and a signal output terminal coupled to the second interface pin;
- and
- a second integrated circuit die comprising:
- a current interface pin coupled to the first interface pin, and
- a current mirror coupled to the current interface pin, the current mirror configured to receive a current draw signal from the power supply terminal through the current interface pin, and supply a current output signal to an output node, wherein the current output signal mirrors the current draw signal and is proportional to a physical signal received by the MEMS transducer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.