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Title: US6940318: Accurate voltage comparator with voltage-to-current converters for both reference and input voltages
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Country: US United States of America

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Inventor: Wong, Anthony Yap; Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Assignee: Pericom Semiconductor Corp., San Jose, CA, United States of America
other patents from PERICOM SEMICONDUCTOR CORP. (713978) (approx. 58)
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Published / Filed: 2005-09-06 / 2003-10-06

Application Number: US2003000605534

IPC Code: Advanced: H03K 5/08; H03K 5/153; H03K 5/24;
Core: H03K 5/22; more...
IPC-7: H03K 5/153;

ECLA Code: H03K5/08; H03K5/24F;

U.S. Class: 327/077; 327/078; 327/083;

Field of Search: 327/050,51,68,70,77,78,143,539,83,80,81,512,513 323/313,315 374/170,181,182,183

Priority Number:
2003-10-06  US2003000605534

Abstract:     A stable voltage that is independent of supply voltage is applied to a pair of current sources. A first current source generates a first current that passes through a first resistor, setting a compare-in-put voltage. A source-input voltage is applied to the first current source to vary the first current and the compare-input voltage. A second current source generates a stable current that passes through a second resistor, setting a reference voltage. The compare-input voltage and the reference voltage are applied to inputs of a comparator that generates an output voltage that indicates when the source-input voltage causes the compare-input voltage to rise past the reference voltage. The first and second currents track each other over temperature and process variations and are independent of supply voltage. A more accurate comparison of the source-input voltage is thus made.

Attorney, Agent or Firm: Auvinen, Stuart T. ;

Primary / Asst. Examiners: Nguyen, Long;

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First Claim:
Show all 11 claims
    1. A voltage sensor circuit comprising:

a source-input node having a source-input voltage that is varied by a voltage source, the voltage sensor circuit sensing the source-input voltage of the source-input node;

a first current source, responsive to the source-input voltage, for generating a first current that varies with variations in the source-input voltage;

a first resistor, coupled to the first current source and receiving the first current, for generating a compare-input voltage on a compare-input node in response to the first current, the compare-input voltage varying with variations in the first current;

a second current source for generating a second current that is insensitive to variations in the source-input voltage;

a second resistor, coupled to the second current source and receiving the second current, for generating a reference voltage on a reference node in response to the second current, the reference voltage varying with variations in the second current;

a stable node, coupled to the first current source and coupled to the second current source, the stable node having a stable voltage that is relatively insensitive to changes in a supply voltage;

a comparator coupled to the compare-input node and the reference node, for comparing the compare-input voltage to the reference voltage and generating an output voltage at an output node that indicates when the compare-input voltage is above the reference voltage;

wherein the first current source comprises:

a first mirror transistor having a channel that conducts the first current between the stable node and the compare-input node in response to a first gate node;

a first setting transistor, with a gate connected to the first gate node, having a channel that conducts a first setting current between the stable node and the first gate node;

a first sensing transistor having a channel that conducts a portion of the first setting current from the first gate node, the first sensing transistor having a gate connected to the source-input voltage;

wherein the second current source comprises:

a second mirror transistor having a channel that conducts the second current between the stable node and the reference node in response to a second gate node;

a second setting transistor, with a gate connected to the second gate node, having a channel that conducts a second setting current between the stable node and the second gate node; and

a second sensing transistor having a channel that conducts a portion of the second setting current from the second gate node, the second sensing transistor having a gate connected to a fixed voltage.



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Forward References: Show 2 U.S. patent(s) that reference this one

       
U.S. References: Go to Result Set: All U.S. references   |  Forward references (2)   |   Backward references (15)   |   Citation Link

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PDF
Patent  Pub.Date  Inventor Assignee   Title
Buy PDF- 6pp US4354122  1982-10 Embree et al.  Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated Voltage to current converter
Buy PDF- 25pp US4734654  1988-03 Fernandez  Regents of the University of Minnesota Linear CMOS transconductance element
Buy PDF- 19pp US4942369  1990-07 Nakagawara et al.  Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Controlled current producing differential circuit apparatus
Buy PDF- 7pp US5519310  1996-05 Bartlett  AT&T Global Information Solutions Company Voltage-to-current converter without series sensing resistor
Buy PDF- 13pp US5619125  1997-04 Lakshmikumar  Lucent Technologies Inc. Voltage-to-current converter
Buy PDF- 11pp US5694072  1997-12 Hsiao et al.  Pericom Semiconductor Corp. Programmable substrate bias generator with current-mirrored differential comparator and isolated bulk-node sensing transistor for bias voltage control
Buy PDF- 8pp US5739678  1998-04 Nagaraj  Lucent Technologies Inc. Voltage-to-current converter with rail-to-rail input range
Buy PDF- 13pp US5754039  1998-05 Nishimura  NEC Corporation Voltage-to-current converter using current mirror circuits
Buy PDF- 20pp US5815012  1998-09 Rivoir et al.  Atmel Corporation Voltage to current converter for high frequency applications
Buy PDF- 26pp US5825167  1998-10 Ryat  SGS-Thomson Microelectronics, Inc. Linear transconductors
Buy PDF- 6pp US5942921  1999-08 Talaga, Jr.  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Differential comparator with an extended input range
Buy PDF- 6pp US6414536  2002-07 Chao   Electrically adjustable CMOS integrated voltage reference circuit
Buy PDF- 4pp US6586984  2003-07 Radke  LSI Logic Corporation Method for preventing damage to IO devices due to over voltage at pin
Buy PDF- 18pp US6605998  2003-08 Kimura  NEC Electronics Corporation Linear transconductance amplifier
Buy PDF- 7pp US6661713  2003-12 Kuo  Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Bandgap reference circuit
       
Foreign References: None

Continuity Data:
Application Number Filed Notes

US2004000908683   is a division of
>US2003000605534<  2003-10-06
     US6940318 issued 2005-09-06   Accurate voltage comparator with voltage-to-current converters for both reference and input voltages


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