Patent · US Expired

Comparator circuit and method

US6133764A · kind A · utility

18Cited by
11References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 27, 1999
Grant dateOct 17, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 27, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03K5/2472
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A comparator circuit (10) with hysteresis having transistors with the same threshold voltage and a method for comparing input signals. The comparator circuit (10) includes a current mirror (11) coupled to a common electrode differential pair (12) and to a feedback circuit (13). The current mirror (11) has a large output impedance and provides a plurality of output currents (I.sub.21, I.sub.26, I.sub.31). Some (I.sub.21, I.sub.26) of the currents are transmitted to the common electrode differential pair and one (I.sub.31) of the currents is transmitted to the feedback circuit (13). The output currents (I.sub.21, I.sub.26, I.sub.31) are modulated to generate positive feedback signals that control changing the output state of the comparator circuit (10) as well as provide hysteresis for the comparator circuit (10).

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