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:
Apr. 02, 2002
Filed:
Jan. 02, 2001
Chris W. Angell, Raleigh, NC (US);
Erik L. Bengtsson, Cary, NC (US);
Scott R. Justice, Durham, NC (US);
Aristotele Hadjichristos, Apex, NC (US);
Ericsson Inc., Research Triangle Park, NC (US);
Abstract
An input buffer circuit is operable to selectively present either low or high input impedance while maintaining uniform output impedance. The buffer is characterized by first and second amplifier circuits connected in parallel between an input to and an output from the buffer. The amplifiers are individually controlled between enabled and disabled states. When enabled, the first amplifier has low input impedance and predetermined output impedance and the second amplifier has high input impedance and the predetermined output impedance, and when disabled each amplifier has high input and output impedance. To operate the buffer to have low input impedance, the first amplifier is enabled while the second amplifier is disabled. To operate the buffer to have high input impedance, the second amplifier is enabled while the first amplifier is disabled. When an amplifier is disabled, its input and output impedances are sufficiently large that the disabled amplifier does not interfere with operation of the enabled amplifier.