Patent · US Active

Variable gain amplifier having dual gain control

US7592869B2 · kind B2 · utility

6Cited by
2References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 17, 2007
Grant dateSep 22, 2009
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 17, 2027

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03F2203/45728
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An electronic amplifier circuit that provides improved gain control linearity characteristics resulting from having a controllable field effect transistor (FET) acting as a degeneration resistance (degeneration resistance FET) and a controllable load resistance FET. The overall gain function of the amplifier exhibits improved linearity in part due to the presence of the load FET, which tends to cancel the nonlinear behavior emanating from the degeneration FET. The circuit also includes a control circuit for generating non-linear control signals that are responsive to process characteristics of the FETs, such that the degeneration resistance FET and load resistance FETs may be controlled more consistently and independently from process variations.

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