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:
Jan. 14, 1997
Filed:
Jun. 07, 1995
James A Komarek, Newport Beach, CA (US);
Clarence W Padgett, Westminster, CA (US);
Robert D Amneus, Harbor City, CA (US);
Scott B Tanner, Irvine, CA (US);
Creative Integrated Systems, Inc., Santa Ana, CA (US);
Abstract
A circuit which differentially amplifies voltages that are close to ground with differences of about 0.15 volts uses voltage level shifters, a cross coupled current source and inverters to provide increased speed, accuracy, and gain. Symmetric cross coupled current sources are used in a differential amplifier to provide the differential amplifier with a balanced load. A symmetric and balanced layout senses smaller voltage differences and operates faster than would otherwise be possible. The gain of the cross coupled current source is controlled by four FETs. Voltage level shifters at the input to the differential amplifier allow the differential amplifier to sense signals that are close to ground with a voltage difference of about 0.15 volts. The voltage level shifters also shift the signals to a voltage that increases the gain of the differential amplifier. Two inverters block half level signals from being outputted until the sense amplifier data has been latched. By blocking half level outputs of the differential amplifier, a race condition is eliminated and output enable signal, OE, which may then switch sooner than would otherwise be possible.