Patent · US Expired

Electret condensor microphone preamplifier that is insensitive to leakage currents at the input

US7110560B2 · kind B2 · utility

85Cited by
12References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 8, 2002
Grant dateSep 19, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 18, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03G11/02
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A preamplifier having extremely high input impedance amplifies the electrical signal output from an electret condenser microphone (ECM) without suffering from the effects of a DC leakage current at the input. The preamplifier circuit includes a pair of cross-coupled PN junction diodes setting the input impedance, a PMOS device, and a load resistor configured similarly to a conventional preamplifier. A capacitor is placed between the input and the cross-coupled diodes such that a DC path no longer exists to bias the cross-coupled diodes. Therefore, leakage currents are prevented from upsetting the DC operating point of the preamplifier and biasing the cross-coupled diodes. Consequently, small signal gain distortion, excessive demodulation products and increased noise can be avoided.

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