Method of programming a desired source resistance for a driver stage
US5581197A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 31, 1995 |
| Grant date | Dec 3, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 31, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03K19/0005
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The output impedance in a CMOS output driver stage is programmed and compensated by complementary current mirrors that are MOS devices in series with each of the conventional pull-up and pull-down devices. The conduction of these additional complementary devices is controlled according to complementary programming signals that are compensated for variations in manufacturing process parameters as well as for changes in temperature. A P-type programming signal may be referenced to +VDD and be produced from an N-type programming signal referenced to GND by the action of a gate voltage mirror that includes symmetrical N-type and P-type FET's in series. The N-type programming signal may be produced in the first instance from the gate voltage of an N-type FET used in a feedback loop that servos an external programming voltage to track an internally generated reference voltage. That gate voltage exhibits variations that reflect differences attributable to both process variations and to temperature. Those exhibited variations are communicated by a current mirror to a gate voltage mirror that produces the complementary programming signals, and which themselves constitute negative feedback. …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.