Patent · US Expired

Sensitive amplifier having a high voltage switch

US4477846A · kind A · utility

5Cited by
4References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 21, 1981
Grant dateOct 16, 1984
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 21, 2001

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03K5/02
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

This invention provides an amplifier circuit having first and second transistors interconnected by a third transistor which is symmetrically constructed. A current source is selectively connected to the base of the third transistor. When the current source is connected to the base of the third transistor, the third transistor is saturated, forming a very low impedance path between the first and second transistors. However, when the current source is disconnected from the base of the third transistor, the third transistor impedes the voltage breakdown path between the bases of the first and second transistors. The amplifier circuit is particularly useful in an improved compact magnetic media system wherein both the stored signal and the write signal or voltage are applied to the bases of the first and second transistor of the amplifier without the high write voltages destroying the high performance first and second transistors.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.