The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 13, 1991
Filed:
Apr. 20, 1990
Daniel M Dreps, Endicott, NY (US);
Raymond P Rizzo, Vestal, NY (US);
International Business Machines Corp., Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
An amplifier circuit comprises first and second gain cells connected in cascade. Each of the gain cells comprises first and second common emitter differential transistors, a current source coupled to the emitters of the transistors, a first plurality of forward biased, series diodes connected between a power supply terminal and a base of the first transistor, and a second plurality of forward biased, series diodes connected between the power supply terminal and a base of the second transistor. A collector of the first transistor of the first gain cell is connected to the base of the first transistor of the second gain cell, and a collector of the second transistor of a first gain cell is connected to the base of the second transistor of the second gain cell. Because of the low inherent resistance of the biasing diodes, the operating speed of the amplifier is large, and the current amplification can be large without exceeding the power supply voltage. The current source limits the gain for high level signals without causing saturation of the transistors and therefore, does not comprise operating speed. The gain of each cell equals the numbers of diodes connected to the base of the transistor until the level of the current source.