Patent · US Expired

Switched capacitor analog circuits with low input capacitance

US5617093A · kind A · utility

27Cited by
6References
24Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateSep 30, 1994
Grant dateApr 1, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 30, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C27/026
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In a circuit cell of a type which transfers packets of charge through the circuit that are proportional to the magnitude of periodic samples of a signal, a technique for maximizing the circuit cell's input impedance, and particularly to minimize its effective input capacitance, by providing a supplemental source to charge its input capacitor to a level that approximates that which a current sample of the input voltage would cause it to reach. This minimizes the amount of input current drawn by the circuit to charge its input capacitor, the input current during one signal sample generally being only an amount required to increase or decrease the charge level of the prior sample which is provided by the supplemental charge source. Thus, the input capacitor may be made large enough to provide a desired signal-to-noise level and sufficient accuracy, while still providing a high impedance input characteristic. In one embodiment, the supplemental charge comes from an output of the circuit. In another embodiment, the supplemental charge comes from an extra amplifier connected to the input signal.

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