MOS voltage to current converter
US4835487A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 14, 1988 |
| Grant date | May 30, 1989 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 14, 2008 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03F3/345
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A voltage to current converter circuit manufactured with a MOS process generates a linear reference current over a wide bandwidth and operates with an input signal that varies to either supply rail. A voltage divider network scales an input voltage for conversion to a linear current by a cascode current mirror and a gain resistor. The value of the gain resistor determines the transconductance of the conversion from voltage to current. A second current mirror provides feedback to keep the reference current accurate. An output stage makes available high impedance source and sink current output terminals wherein a source current and a sink current relative to the reference current are provided. Several voltage to current converter circuits may be coupled together to provide a addition, subtraction, multiplication, and other circuit and system functions.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.