Patent · US Expired

Current boost for differential flash analog to digital converter driver

US5736952A · kind A · utility

7Cited by
6References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 9, 1996
Grant dateApr 7, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 9, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03M1/362
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A high speed differential analog to digital converter (ADC) is provided. The high speed differential ADC includes a driver section, a comparator section and a decoder section. The driver section includes a pair of series connected resistor ladders. A positive phase and negative phase emitter follower transistor pair is connected to the pair of series connected resistor ladders. The positive phase and negative phase emitter follower transistor has a collector connected to a supply voltage and has an emitter coupled to a respective one of the pair of series connected resistor ladders. A respective positive phase and negative phase AC current source drives the base of the respective positive phase and negative phase emitter follower transistor. A reference DC current source is coupled to the base of the positive phase and negative phase emitter follower transistors for determining a range of the ADC. A current source transistor pair biases the emitter follower transistor pair. A first transistor of the current source transistor pair supplies current to the positive phase emitter follower transistor and a second transistor of the current source transistor pair supplies current to the n…

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