Apparatus to convert electrical signals from small-signal format to rail-to-rail format
US9209789B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 13, 2014 |
| Grant date | Dec 8, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 13, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03F2203/45702
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Techniques for converting a signal from a small-signal format into a rail-to-rail format are described herein. In one embodiment, a receiver comprises a voltage-level shifter configured to shift a common-mode voltage of a differential signal to obtain a level-shifted differential signal, an amplifier configured to amplify the level-shifted differential signal into an amplified differential signal, and a driver stage configured to convert the amplified differential signal into a rail-to-rail signal. The receiver also comprises a common-mode feedback circuit configured to generate a feedback voltage that is proportional to an output common-mode voltage of the amplifier, and to generate a bias voltage for input to the amplifier based on a difference between the feedback voltage and a reference voltage, wherein the output common-mode voltage of the amplifier depends on the bias voltage.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.