Texas Instruments Corporation

Charles Parkhurst

Mark Bryan Hamlyn

Hector Torres

Julio E Acosta

Maria-Flora Carreto

Gabriel Eugenio De La Cruz Hernandez

Dimitar Trifonov

Keith Ryan Green

Dolly Y Wu

Muhammad Islam

Chao-Hsuian Tsay

A Hall effect sensor including a Hall element disposed at a surface of a semiconductor body, including a first doped region of a first conductivity type disposed over and abutted by an isolated second doped region of a second conductivity type. First through fourth terminals of the Hall element are in electrical contact with the first doped region, and a fifth terminal in electrical contact with the second doped region. A Hall effect sensor includes a first current source coupled to the first terminal of the Hall element, and common mode feedback regulation circuitry. The common mode feedback regulation circuitry has an output coupled to the third terminal and a ground node, and having an input coupled to the second and fourth terminals of the Hall element, and an output coupled to the third terminal and a ground node, where the second doped region is coupled to the third terminal.

Hall effect sensor with reduced JFET effect

A two-stage differential amplifier with cross-coupled compensation capacitors. The differential amplifier includes first amplifier circuitry receiving a differential input voltage and presenting first and second intermediate outputs. The amplifier further includes a second amplifier stage with a first leg having an input coupled to the second intermediate output of the first amplifier circuitry, and a second leg having an input coupled to the first intermediate output of the first amplifier circuitry. A compensation capacitor is provided for each leg of the second amplifier stage, each coupled between the output of that amplifier leg and its input. A first cross-coupled capacitor is coupled between the output of the first amplifier leg to the input of the second amplifier leg, and a second cross-coupled capacitor is coupled between the output of the second amplifier leg and the input of the first amplifier leg.

Split miller compensation in two-stage differential amplifiers

A chopper-stabilized current feedback amplifier includes an input buffer having a non-inverting input and an inverting input. A first group of chopper circuits modulate current at the non-inverting and inverting inputs. The current feedback amplifier further includes a plurality of current mirrors coupled to the input buffer. A second group of chopper circuits modulate current in the current mirrors. The current feedback amplifier also includes phase detector circuitry coupled to the current mirrors and configured to detect a transition current in the current mirrors. The current feedback amplifier also includes a switched capacitor filter having an input coupled to the current mirrors. The switched capacitor filter is turned OFF responsive to the detection of the transition current by the phase detector circuitry. The current feedback amplifier also includes an output stage having an input coupled to the switched capacitor filter and is configured to produce an output signal.

Chopper-stabilized current feedback amplifier

An amplifier includes a dynamic bias circuit and an amplification circuit coupled to the dynamic bias circuit. The dynamic bias circuit includes a plurality of transistors coupled to a plurality of resistors. The dynamic bias circuit is configured to generate a bias current with a magnitude that increases in response to the dynamic bias circuit receiving a falling edge of an input signal and decreases in response to the dynamic bias circuit receiving a rising edge of the input signal. The amplification circuit is configured to receive the bias current and amplify the input signal based on the bias current to generate an output signal that has a higher slew rate for a falling signal than for a rising signal.

Analog driver with built-in wave shaping

Apparatus disclosed herein implement a fast transient precision current limiter such as may be included in an electronic voltage regulator. The current limiter includes two current sense element/current clamp control loops. A fast response time control loop first engages and clamps a current spike. A precision control loop then engages to more accurately clamp the output current to a programmed set point. The precision clamping loop includes an inner loop to linearize the precision current sense element. The inner loop forces the drain-to-source voltage (VDS) of the precision sense element to track the VDS of the regulator pass element. A more precise clamping operation results. Overall speed is not sacrificed as the fast response time clamping loop operates in parallel to protect circuitry while the precision clamping loop engages.

Fast transient precision power regulation apparatus

An instrumentation amplifier (INA) that includes a first amplifier and a second amplifier coupled to the first amplifier. The first amplifier includes a first transistor. The first amplifier is configured to receive a positive phase signal of a differential signal. The second amplifier includes a second transistor and is configured to receive a negative phase signal of the differential signal. The first and second transistors each include a gate, source, and drain. The first transistor drain is connected to the second transistor drain.

Reducing common mode transconductance in instrumentation amplifiers

Apparatus and methods operate to disable a dynamically biased apparatus and a dynamic bias current source providing dynamic bias current to the apparatus at the beginning of a static bias startup period shortly after power-on. The dynamically biased apparatus is then gradually enabled in a static bias mode of operation during the static bias startup period. Following the end of the static bias startup period, operation of the dynamically biased apparatus in a dynamic transconductance mode is gradually enabled during a dynamic bias startup period. Such startup sequence operates to prevent damaging in-rush currents in a system employing the dynamically biased apparatus in a feedback control loop.

Dynamic bias soft start control apparatus and methods

Embodiments and methods herein operate as two-stage voltage controlled current sources (i.e., dynamic current sources) operating in class AB mode. Phase-delayed current injection circuits are associated with first-stage bias, second-stage bias, or both. The current injection circuits operate to quickly re-charge inter-stage parasitic capacitance associated with the active side of the class AB dynamic current source shortly after that side becomes inactive. Doing so quickly dissipates an otherwise slowly-decaying residual drive signal to prevent the output stage from continuing to conduct after the associated side of the current source becomes inactive. Excessive current consumption and possible destructive operation of the output stage are mitigated as a result.

Power efficient transconductance amplifier apparatus and systems

Systems and methods for radiation-tolerant overcurrent detection are disclosed. In some embodiments, an integrated circuit may include a plurality of overcurrent detectors, each of the plurality of overcurrent detectors configured to detect a candidate overcurrent event. The integrated circuit may also include a voting circuit coupled to the overcurrent detectors, the voting circuit configured to indicate an overcurrent in response to receiving a selected number of candidate overcurrent events from the overcurrent detectors. At least one of the overcurrent detectors may be subject to detecting the candidate overcurrent in error, at least in part, due to exposure to ionizing radiation.

Radiation-tolerant overcurrent detection

Apparatus and methods disclosed herein operate to receive a differential input signal at a first-stage pair of transconductance devices. The differential signal is amplified by a second-order factor at a positive-side or a negative-side first-stage transconductance device, depending upon the polarity of the differential input signal, to create a second-order signal at the output of the appropriate first-stage device. The second-order output signal is then amplified by another second-order factor at a corresponding second-stage transconductance device. A resulting fourth-order signal is made available at an output node as a quartic-response current source. The quartic-response current source may be utilized as a dynamic bias source in conjunction with a linear amplifier to provide a high slew rate amplifier.

Fourth-order electrical current source apparatus, systems and methods

A system and method for radiation-tolerant level shifting are disclosed. In some embodiments, an integrated circuit may include a plurality of level shifters, where each of the plurality of level shifters configured receive a same logic level in a first voltage domain and to output candidate logic levels in a second voltage domain, and where at least one of the candidate logic levels subject to being different from another one of the candidate logic levels. The integrated circuit may also include a voting circuit coupled to the plurality of level shifters, where the voting circuit is configured to evaluate the candidate logic levels and output a selected logic level based, at least in part, upon the evaluation.

Radiation-tolerant level shifting

A level formatter is provided that has differentially coupled closed loop current sources, each configured to precisely establish a current proportional to a reference voltage. A bridge circuit is differentially coupled to two supplementary current sources and controlled to rapidly switch the current from the supplementary current sources to produce output voltages at respective outputs that are approximately equal to respective one of two reference voltages.

High speed fully differential resistor-based level formatter

A linear amplifier is configured with a current-feedback amplifier followed by a voltage-feedback amplifier to drive a totem-pole output stage. The output stage includes a series arrangement of an npn transistor and a pnp transistor with their emitters coupled in series and to an output node. The voltage amplifier driving the output stage is also configured with totem-pole elements, wherein a conductive path between the voltage-feedback amplifier and an output transistor is included to reduce conduction of the output transistor when the opposing output transistor is driven to increase conduction as a result of a high-frequency input signal. A capacitor may be included between the collector and base of a transistor in the circuit path that drives an output transistor in the output stage to briefly reduce its conduction when the opposing output transistor is driven to increase conduction.

High efficiency linear amplifier

An apparatus for affecting operation of a signal treating device that is provided an operating voltage ranging between an upper voltage limit and a lower voltage limit for treating at least one input signal includes: a respective dynamic bias unit coupled with the signal treating device for each respective input signal of the at least one input signal; and a respective transconductance control unit coupled with each the respective dynamic bias unit. Each respective dynamic bias unit and transconductance control unit cooperates to operate the signal treating device responsive to the at least one input signal approaching at least one of the upper voltage limit and the lower voltage limit.

Apparatus and method for affecting operation of a signal treating device

An IC package includes a package body of non-conductive material. A conductive heat-sink pad includes an interior pad portion located within an interior of the package body. An exterior pad portion is located external to the package body. The exterior pad portion includes at least two pad pieces that are spaced apart to define at least one channel that separates the at least two pad pieces, the at least two pad pieces being electrically connected with each other. The at least two pad pieces may be flush with an underside surface of the package body or one or more of the pad pieces may extend outwardly from the package body.

Growing community of inventors

Murphy, TX, United States of America

Charles Parkhurst