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. 04, 1998
Filed:
Sep. 25, 1996
Raymond Louis Giordano, Flemington, NJ (US);
Harold Allen Wittlinger, Pennington, NJ (US);
Harris Corporation, Melbourne, FL (US);
Abstract
A transconductance amplifier suitable for the input stage of a comparator with the capability of amplifying input signals with common mode voltage components in a range including the entirety of its operating voltage. Operation at one voltage extreme is accomplished by use of a long tailed pair connection of a pair of bulk modulated FETs with gates at the input terminals of the amplifier. Operation at the other voltage extreme is accomplished by the use of a pair of FETs in a source follower mode to drive common gate transistors of opposite polarity, the gates of the FETs also being connected to the input terminals of the amplifier. A common high impedance load for the comparator is connected to current mirrors of the drains of both pairs of FETs in the amplifier. The circuit may be implemented with bipolar transistors and additional amplification provided. Methods of comparing voltages are also disclosed.