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:
Sep. 03, 2002
Filed:
Mar. 10, 2000
Joe Martin Poss, Rochester, MN (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
An input driver for use with a differential folder in a flash A/D converter having a static ladder that provides an array of reference voltages and a method of operation thereof. The input driver includes a differential signal driver, coupled to an AC input signal, that generates first and second complementary drive signals for a differential folder stage. A tracking circuit, coupled to the differential signal driver, is utilized to maintain a voltage at the center of the static ladder to improve common mode rejection of the input driver without reducing bandwidth. In a related embodiment, the voltage at the center of the static ladder is an average DC voltage of the first and second drive signals.