Methods and apparatus for enabling or disabling an amplifier
US6785392B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 11, 2001 |
| Grant date | Aug 31, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 3, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03F3/72
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Apparatus and methods for enabling and disabling an amplifier is described. Amplifiers can be enabled and disabled for the sake of power and energy savings and reduction of dissipated heat. The circuit is based on a gain stage and threshold circuitry. A signal associated with an amplifier is introduced into the gain stage. The gain stage amplifies the signal level and provides the amplified signal level to threshold circuitry. The threshold circuitry references the amplified signal level and determines signal states. The control circuitry interprets these signal states to determine when to enable or disable an amplifier. The output of the threshold circuitry can be used to adjust the amplified signal level to oppose drift in the gain stage.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.