Patent · US Expired

Power output stage with limited current absorption during high-impedance phase

US5631588A · kind A · utility

14Cited by
3References
64Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateApr 29, 1994
Grant dateMay 20, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 29, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03K2217/0036
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A power stage of quasi-complementary symmetry, including a common-source FET and a common-drain FET, with a reduced absorption of current under the conditions of high impedance of the output. The driving node of the upper (common-drain) transistor from is decoupled from the output node of the stage, preventing the current generator Id, which discharges the control node, from absorbing current from the load connected to the output stage, during a phase of high output impedance. This is preferably realized by using a field effect transistor which has its gate connected to the output node of the stage, and is connected to provide the current drawn from the discharge generator of the driving node of the upper common-drain transistor, absorbing it from the supply node VDD instead of absorbing it from the voltage overdriven node Vb. This alternative solution avoids excessive loading of the high-voltage supply, and is particularly useful when the overdriven node Vb drives multiple output stages.

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