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:
Nov. 14, 2006
Filed:
Sep. 13, 2002
Marc Gerardus Maria Stegers, Delft, NL;
Rudolphe Gustave Hubertus Eschauzier, Bergschenhoek, NL;
Marc Gerardus Maria Stegers, Delft, NL;
Rudolphe Gustave Hubertus Eschauzier, Bergschenhoek, NL;
National Semiconductor Corporation, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A dual-output current driver includes a pair of output stages that provide output current to various devices such as LEDs and laser diodes. An output-stage selector circuit that includes a differential pair is arranged to activate one of the output stages at a time. A pair of push-pull circuits may be employed to drive the differential pair such that high speed switching is possible. A single-ended to differential conversion circuit controls the push-pull circuits. The selected output stage receives a drive current from a differential pair circuit in a current driver circuit. The current driver circuit includes another pair of push-pull circuits that drive its differential pair circuit, and one or more additional differential circuits that are arranged to activate the push-pull circuits. The various differential pair circuits in the current driver circuit can be arranged to provide phase reversal, or modulation of the drive current in the output stages.