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:
Feb. 25, 2003
Filed:
Mar. 27, 2002
Juergen Eckert, Neckarsulm, DE;
Juergen Schnabel, Leingarten, DE;
ATMEL Germany GmbH, Heilbronn, DE;
Abstract
A control unit and two negative feedback branches limit the amplitudes of the output signal of an inverting differential amplifier. Each feedback branch includes a threshold value switch including a transistor as well as an adjustable current source and a resistor forming a voltage divider between a supply voltage and the amplifier output. The voltage divider output is connected to the transistor's base. The transistor selectively connects or disconnects the input of the amplifier with either the supply voltage or the amplifier output. The control unit controls the two current sources based on external programming commands, to establish two adjustable threshold values within which the negative and positive amplitudes of the output signal are limited, symmetrically or independently, in a hard or soft clipping manner. Even with small supply voltages, the limited output will not overdrive subsequent amplifier input stages and will not superimpose harmonics on the useful signal.