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. 25, 2003
Filed:
Jul. 30, 2001
Ka Y. Leung, Austin, TX (US);
James L. Todsen, Tucson, AZ (US);
Binan Wang, Tucson, AZ (US);
Abdullah Yilmaz, Tucson, AZ (US);
Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
An input buffer circuit for use with an analog-to-digital converter is provided. The input buffer circuit comprises a first amplifier configured with a second amplifier to improve the overall gain of the input buffer circuit. The first amplifier comprises a differential pair of transistors configured with a second pair of transistors comprising a current mirror arrangement, wherein one of the differential pair of transistors of the first amplifier is configured in a diode-connected arrangement to provide a first feedback loop, while the second amplifier comprises a differential pair of transistors configured with another pair of transistors also comprising a current mirror arrangement, with the second amplifier and the current mirror arrangement of the first amplifier comprising a second feedback loop. Further, the first amplifier is configured such that the differential pair of transistors comprise different sized transistor devices, thus creating an offset voltage which permits the input voltage to swing close to ground, and which maintains the output voltage at voltage level higher than the input voltage by the amount of the offset voltage.