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:
Mar. 18, 2003
Filed:
May. 05, 2000
Mark S. Ziermann, Bolingbrook, IL (US);
Westell, Inc., Aurora, IL (US);
Abstract
A peak detector circuit providing a comparator that produces a low voltage output by pulling the output to common when an input signal exceeds a reference voltage and that produces a floating output by not conducting when the input signal does not exceed the reference voltage. A low output from the comparator generates a base current sufficient to drive a PNP transistor, which in turn drives current to a DC output capacitor. Until the input signal exceeds the reference voltage, neither the comparator nor the PNP transistor need to conduct and, consequently, the peak detector consumes relatively little power. The peak detector can be beneficially employed in a network interface unit or other transmission line unit.