Digitally controlled element sizing
US5243229A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 28, 1991 |
| Grant date | Sep 7, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 28, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03K19/0005
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Effective control of impedance values in integrated circuit applications is achieved with an integrated circuit transistor whose size is digitally controlled. The digitally controlled size is achieved, for example, with a parallel interconnection of MOS transistors. In one application, the digitally controlled transistor serves as a controlled impedance connected to an output terminal of an integrated circuit. In that application, a number of transistors are enabled with control signals, and the collection of enabled transistors is responsive to the input signal that normally is applied to a conventional transistor. In another application, where the digitally controlled transistor serves as a controlled impedance at the input of a circuit, only the control signals that enable transistors and thereby determine the effective developed impedance are employed. In still another application, the digital control of the transistor's size is employed to control the speed or power consumption of the effective transistor. Such control is exercised to erase the manufacturing variability of the integrated circuit. Alternatively, such control is exercised as part of a feedback control of the ope…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.