Current and voltage-sensing
US5892355A · kind A · utility
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 29, 1997 |
| Grant date | Apr 6, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 29, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH02M1/0009
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An integrated circuit (1) includes a voltage-sensing circuit (2) and a current mirror (3) for sensing both a voltage (Vi) and a current (Ii) at one input terminal (T) of the integrated circuit. The voltage-sensing circuit (2) has an input which is connected to the input terminal (T) and an output which supplies a voltage level indication (Vu). The current mirror (3) has an input which is also connected to the input terminal (T), a reference terminal which is connected to a reference potential, and an output which supplies an output current (Iu). The input of the current mirror has a high impedance as long as the voltage level (Vi) is below a threshold voltage (Vth) of the current mirror (3). Within a voltage range determined by this threshold voltage (Vth), the voltage level indication (Vu) is a measure of the voltage level (Vi). The current mirror (3) becomes active and the output current (Iu) is a mirrored input current (Ii) if the voltage level (Vi) exceeds the threshold voltage (Vth). The threshold voltage may be determined by an input transistor (T1) of the current mirror (3). This input transistor (T1), which is arranged as a diode, starts conducting when the voltage level (V…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.