Current Mirror Patents (Class 327/53)
  • Patent number: 6483352
    Abstract: A current mirror sense amplifier, with a two-stage current mirror, a first transistor, and a second transistor. The first transistor and the second transistor each have first and second connection terminals. The current mirror has a current input terminal and a current output terminal. The first transistor has a gate electrically connected to a pre-charge voltage. The first connection terminal of the first transistor is electrically connected to a reference voltage. The second transistor has a gate electrically connected to a reference signal. The first connection terminal of the second transistor is electrically connected to the reference voltage. The second connection terminals are connected to the current output terminal in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sheng-Chang Kuo, Ti-Wen Chen
  • Patent number: 6480038
    Abstract: A bipolar comparator with an asymmetric differential amplifier stage is described. The comparator has two transistors, and the control electrodes of which are short circuited to one another. The two transistors have load paths that are connected in series in each case with one current source between one input terminal and a supply terminal. An output terminal is connected to the second current source and to a load electrode of the second transistor, at which output terminal an output signal can be picked up. A third transistor is provided with a load path disposed in parallel with the load path of the first transistor. The first current source generates a first operating current being a multiple of the second operating current generated by the second current source and the multiple corresponds to an effective area ratio of the first and third transistor with respect to the second transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Wolfgang Horn
  • Patent number: 6466059
    Abstract: A sense amplifier of the type coupled to a reference bit line and at least one cell array bit line. The sense amplifier includes an amplifying stage and a current voltage conversion circuit that compare a reference current from the reference bit line and a cell current from the cell array bit line. The current-voltage conversion circuit includes a voltage setting circuit for setting predetermined voltages on the reference bit line and the cell array bit line, a load circuit for the reference bit line and the cell array bit line, and current mirror circuits for mirroring the reference current and the cell current into the amplifying stage. The load circuit for the reference bit line and the current mirror circuit for the reference current are different circuits, and the load circuit for the reference bit line includes a transistor that mirrors a predetermined current that is generated outside of the sense amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Maurizio Gaibotti, Nicolas Demange
  • Patent number: 6441677
    Abstract: An integrated semiconductor circuit has a transistor of the NMOS type that is disposed in a well of a p conductivity type in a substrate of the p conductivity type. The well is electrically insulated from the substrate. The semiconductor circuit furthermore contains a control circuit with a variable output signal. The well terminal of the transistor is connected to the output signal of the control circuit. The transistor is protected against permanent damage by virtue of its well potential being raised in a corresponding operating mode of the semiconductor circuit in which an increased operating voltage is applied to the transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Robert Kaiser, Florian Schamberger, Helmut Schneider
  • Patent number: 6441650
    Abstract: The comparator includes a differential stage having a first input and a second input, an output stage in which the output is zero when the two inputs have therebetween a specific voltage difference, and a biasing stage providing a first biasing voltage and a second biasing voltage for respectively creating a second input voltage and a first input voltage respectively in the second and first inputs such that the two input voltages have therebetween the specific voltage difference. A method for forming the same includes steps of a) providing the differential stage, b) providing the output stage and c) providing the biasing stage which has a characteristic dependent on a manufacturing parameter such that the specific voltage difference is independent of the manufacturing parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: ADMtek Incorporated
    Inventor: Vaishali Nikhade
  • Patent number: 6442091
    Abstract: The sense amplifier compares an input signal characterizing the content of the memory device which is to be read with a threshold value which can be changed or selected on the basis of the output signal from the sense amplifier. The use of such a sense amplifier makes it possible to reduce the risk of the content of a memory device which is to be read being determined incorrectly to a minimum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Michael Verbeck
  • Patent number: 6437614
    Abstract: A low voltage reset circuit device without being influenced by temperature and manufacturing process is formed by a first low voltage reset circuit using an energy gap circuit to generate a reference voltage, and a second low voltage reset circuit using a threshold voltage of a MOS transistor as a reference voltage. The first low voltage reset circuit is used to provide an accurate low voltage reset property,. while the circuit only works as VDD>1.2V. When VDD<1.2V, the second low voltage reset circuit still works normally for providing the desired reset signal thereby covering the low VDD voltage range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Sunplus Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Lin-Chien Chen
  • Publication number: 20020109531
    Abstract: A sense amplifier drive circuit has a sense amplifier amplifying data carried on a bit line and a bit line bar, a sense amplifier drive unit selectively applying an overdrive voltage or an internal power supply voltage to the sense amplifier, and a control signal generator combining a sense amplifier enable bar signal and a refresh enable signal, and generating control signals to control the sense amplifier drive unit. With the construction, an overdrive voltage is not supplied to the bit line and bit line bar during a refresh operation, and current consumption inevitably occurring during the refresh operation is much reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2002
    Publication date: August 15, 2002
    Applicant: Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Young Tack Pyo
  • Patent number: 6433590
    Abstract: A sense amplifier circuit includes a first voltage-controlled current source to supply current proportional to a first bias voltage to a reference node and a second voltage-controlled current source to supply current proportional to a second bias voltage to a sensing node. The first and second bias voltages are internally generated in response to an externally applied sense amp control signal. A current mirror circuit is also provided for the sense amplifier circuit. The current mirror circuit commonly deliver current proportional to the voltage level of the reference node to the reference and sensing nodes. A differential amplifier amplifies a difference voltage between reference and sensing nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong-Woo Lee, Heung-Soo Im
  • Patent number: 6429735
    Abstract: An apparatus for an improved output buffer includes a symmetrical pre-gain stage and a gain stage. The pre-gain stage includes a pair of matched differential amplifiers that are arranged to provide a differential intermediary signal. The gain stage is arranged to receive the differential intermediary signal and provide a single-ended output signal. The pre-gain stage differential amplifiers include transistors that are arranged as differential pairs, where each of differential pair transistors is minimally sized to provide very low capacitive loading. The pre-gain stage differential amplifiers are matched such that symmetrical amplification is obtained from the differential intermediary signal. The pre-gain stage arrangement provides for a differential intermediary signal such that common-mode noise rejection and power supply noise rejection are enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: James R. Kuo, Tuong Hai Hoang
  • Patent number: 6424172
    Abstract: This invention relates to a circuit structure of the feedforward type with programmable zeroes, particularly for synthesizing time-continual filters. This structure comprises a pair of amplification cells interconnected at least one interconnection node and connected between a first signal input of a first cell and an output terminal of the second cell, each cell comprising a pair of transistors which have a conduction terminal in common and have the other conduction terminals coupled respectively to a first voltage reference through respective bias members. The structure further comprises a circuit leg connecting a node of the first cell to the output terminal and comprising a transistor which has a control terminal connected to the node of the first cell, a first conduction terminal connected to the output terminal, and a second conduction terminal coupled to a second voltage reference through a capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: STMicronelectronics, S.r.l.
    Inventors: Valerio Pisati, Salvatore Portaluri, Marco Cazzaniga, Rinaldo Castello
  • Patent number: 6417720
    Abstract: A sense circuit for programming a fuse device and sensing the fuse device's state is disclosed. The sense circuit utilizes sense transistors that are formed by high voltage VDNMOS transistors. This allows a higher programming voltage to be used in the programming of the fuse device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Martin S. Denham
  • Patent number: 6404266
    Abstract: A differential input stage with full-rail sensing and reduced latch-up susceptibility includes an emitter-coupled pair, a current mirror, and several series resistors. For a NPN emitter-coupled pair, a series resistor is connected between the input node and the base of each transistor of the emitter-coupled pair, and a series resistor is connected between each load resistor and its corresponding current mirror transistor. The series resistors reduce current flowing into the PN junctions when power to the overall circuit is disabled but an input signal is present at the input terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Sean S. Chen
  • Patent number: 6396308
    Abstract: A sense amplifier having dual differential inputs configured to accept differential analog input voltages. The differential analog input voltages are fused to determine a weighted signal digitally representative of the differential analog input voltages. An input offset voltage cancellation circuit may be coupled to the sense amplifier to reduce an input offset voltage of the sense amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Bosnyak, Robert J. Drost
  • Patent number: 6373782
    Abstract: An output circuit is driven by a first differential amplification circuit having an N-channel differential amplification stage that compares a reference voltage VREF with an input signal IN, and a second differential amplification circuit having a P-channel differential stage. An output of the first differential amplification circuit is given as the gate voltage of P-channel MOS transistors in the output circuit, and an output of the second differential amplification circuit is given as the gate voltage of N-channel MOS transistors in the output circuit. This realizes an input buffer with reduced error operations even under threshold voltage variations caused by process variations and others.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yutaka Ikeda
  • Patent number: 6366136
    Abstract: A voltage comparator with hysteresis that includes a differential amplifier, voltage divider circuits and a current mirror circuit. The input terminals of the two differential amplifier circuit branches are biased at unequal potentials by the voltage divider circuits. One voltage divider output voltage is fixed and the other is variable. The input terminal of the differential amplifier circuit branch biased at the fixed potential receives an AC-coupled input signal voltage. The sum of the input signal voltage and the fixed bias voltage is compared against the variable bias voltage. A current mirror circuit, which is activated during conduction by the differential amplifier circuit branch biased at the variable potential, shunts a portion of the current used by the voltage divider circuit that generates the variable potential. This causes the variable voltage divider output voltage to change, thereby introducing hysteresis into the voltage comparison performed by the differential amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Ronald William Page
  • Patent number: 6362661
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a sense amplifier for use in a semiconductor memory device. The sense amplifier of the present invention is comprised of a reference voltage generator, a sense voltage generator, and an inverter. The reference voltage generator produces a reference voltage at a reference node, and the sense voltage generator produces a sense voltage at a sense node in response to an on or off state of a memory cell. In addition, the inverter is coupled to the sense node, for detecting whether the sense voltage is higher than a predetermined trip voltage of the inverter, and for outputting a logic low or high signal representation of the on or off state of the memory cell. The sense amplifier of the present invention secures a stable, speedy sensing operation despite increases in degree of integration and decreases in power supply voltages, thereby to increase the operational speed of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jung-Hoon Park
  • Patent number: 6359473
    Abstract: An amplifier in a semiconductor integrated circuit includes a current-mirror typed differential amplifier and a cross-coupled differential amplifier, whereby a minute voltage difference from a bit line signal or a data bus signal is amplified. The amplifier for generating an amplified signal includes a load for coupling to a first voltage potential, a first sense amplifier responsive to a first data signal, and a second sense amplifier responsive to a second data signal. The first and second sense amplifiers are commonly coupled to the load, and the amplified signal of the first or second data signal is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: Hyundai Electronics Industries Co.
    Inventors: Min-Young You, Nam-Gyu Ryu
  • Patent number: 6348817
    Abstract: An integrated circuit driver provides, among other things, a high data communication rate, a large common mode output voltage range, avoidance of spikethrough current that increases power consumption, improved switching speed using current-steering techniques, and improved matching of steady-state output current in the high logic state to that of the low logic state. The driver includes complementary differential pairs and associated current mirror circuits that differentially source/sink current at a pair of load conductors to drive the load conductors into a logic state. A single-ended embodiment is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2002
    Inventors: Jinghui Lu, Edward K. F. Lee
  • Patent number: 6339355
    Abstract: An offsetting comparator device includes master and slave comparator circuits and a reference differential voltage generator. The master comparator circuit supplies a sensed current corresponding to a potential difference represented by a differential signal on a transmission line. The reference differential voltage generator generates a reference differential voltage based on an intermediate potential of the differential signal. And the slave comparator circuit supplies a current corresponding to the potential difference as offset current. The offsetting comparator device outputs a differential current between the sensed and offset currents and therefore shows an offset in its input/output characteristics. The master and slave comparator circuits have the same circuit configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yamauchi, Yutaka Terada
  • Patent number: 6316971
    Abstract: A comparing detector circuit capable of operating regardless of input voltages thereto includes a first pair of transistors to which first and second input signal voltages are input for functioning as a buffer; a second pair of transistors constructing a current mirror circuit in which an input side and an output side are connected to the first pair of transistors via first and second resistors, respectively; and an output transistor to which potential at the output side of the current mirror circuit is applied as an input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Ikuo Ohashi
  • Patent number: 6316968
    Abstract: A sense amplifier circuit (10) utilizes two current mirror amplifiers (11, 12) to determine the state of the memory cell. Multiple current mirrors are used in order to determine which of four possible states are stored in the memory. A reference circuit (38, 41, 43) uses the same transistor structure that is in the memory to improve the operational reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Alistair Gorman, Walter Ewart Gray
  • Publication number: 20010030574
    Abstract: A differential amplifier circuit includes a first transistor and a second transistor cooperatively forming a current mirror circuit, a third transistor connected in series to the first transistor and connected to an inverted input terminal through which a comparison voltage which is a predetermined constant voltage is input to the third transistor, a fourth transistor connected in series to the second transistor and connected to a non-inverted input terminal through which a feedback voltage which increases in proportion to an output voltage of the third transistor is input to the fourth transistor, a constant current source for supplying predetermined current to the first to fourth transistors, and an offset circuit connected in series to the third transistor, and has a predetermined input offset voltage provided between the inverted input terminal and the non-inverted input terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2001
    Publication date: October 18, 2001
    Applicant: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Takai
  • Patent number: 6288960
    Abstract: A bias circuit for read amplifier circuits for memories includes at least one first circuit branch formed by a first pair of MOS transistors connected between a supply voltage and ground. The first pair of MOS transistors includes a P-channel diode connected transistor and an N-channel transistor connected in series, with an enable transistor interposed therebetween. The first circuit branch drives a capacitive load for coupling to the supply voltage. The bias circuit further includes reference current amplifier circuit branches for amplifying a reference current which flows in the first circuit branch for charging the capacitive load. A circuit portion, which controls the charging current of the capacitive load, includes a feedback loop between the reference current amplifier circuit branches and the capacitive load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Antonino Conte, Maurizio Gaibotti, Tommaso Zerilli
  • Patent number: 6282129
    Abstract: Comparators, memory devices, comparison methods and memory reading methods are provided. One aspect provides a comparator including an input stage having a data input adapted to receive a data voltage signal, a reference input adapted to receive a reference voltage signal, and a plurality of current sources individually coupled with one of the data input and the reference input and individually configured to convert one of the data voltage signal and the reference voltage signal to a differential current signal and to output the differential current signal; and a comparator stage including a plurality of inputs configured to receive the differential current signals from the input stage and the comparator stage being configured to compare the differential current signals and to output an output signal indicative of a comparison of the differential current signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: VLSI Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Elie Georges Khoury, Richard W. Ulmer
  • Patent number: 6265906
    Abstract: A sense-amplifier circuit for a multivalued information storing memory is featured by a reduced current consumption realized without any elongation of delay time, which circuit comprises plural current-mirror sub-sense-amplifiers corresponding to plural reference potentials VREF, wherein those having higher reference potentials among the sub-sense-amplifiers are provided each with a current-limiting switching element QNX.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koji Komatsu
  • Patent number: 6259280
    Abstract: A class AB amplifier (400) is disclosed, having a first input node (402), a second input node (404), and an output node (406). A push-pull input stage (412) includes cross-coupled pairs of transistors, which form a charge current path and a discharge current path. When the voltage at the first input node (402) is greater than the voltage at the second input node (406), the amount of current drawn in the charge current path increases, and the amount of current drawn in the discharge current path decreases. When the voltage at the first input node (402) is less than the voltage at the second input node (404), the amount of current in the charge current path decreases while the amount of current in the discharge path increases. A first and fourth current mirror (422 and 428) are coupled to the charge current path, and a second and third current mirror (424 and 426) are coupled to the discharge current path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Jeffrey E. Koelling
  • Publication number: 20010004334
    Abstract: A method for operating a current sense amplifier having a latch configuration improves the signal-to-noise ratio by setting the supply voltage for the latch configuration to be greater than a voltage which is present at the input of the current sense amplifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2000
    Publication date: June 21, 2001
    Inventor: Robert Feurle
  • Publication number: 20010002798
    Abstract: An input buffer for use in an integrated circuit having a VCC voltage supply and a VSS voltage supply. The input buffer includes a p-channel field effect transistor (FET) having a source region coupled to the VCC voltage supply, a drain region coupled to a bias circuit, and a gate electrode coupled to an input terminal. The bias circuit maintains a voltage at the drain region of the p-channel FET which is slightly greater than the VSS supply voltage when a logic high voltage is applied to the input terminal. In an alternate embodiment, the input buffer includes an n-channel FET having a drain region coupled to the VCC voltage supply, a source region coupled to the output terminal and a gate electrode coupled to the input terminal. The bias circuit maintains a voltage at the source of the n-channel FET which is greater than the VSS supply voltage when a logic low voltage is applied to the input terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2000
    Publication date: June 7, 2001
    Inventor: Chuen-Der Lien
  • Publication number: 20010002110
    Abstract: Novel current sense amplifiers with hysteresis are provided which conserve scarce chip surface area yet still provide fast response times in a low power CMOS environment. A first embodiment includes a first amplifier and a second amplifier which are electrically coupled. Each amplifier includes a first transistor of a first conductivity type and a second transistor of a second conductivity type, where the first and second transistors are coupled at a drain region. A signal input node is coupled to a source region of the first transistor in each amplifier. A signal output node is coupled to the drain region of the first and the second transistor in the second amplifier. The signal output node is further coupled to a gate of a third transistor in order to introduce hysteresis into the current sense amplifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 1999
    Publication date: May 31, 2001
    Inventors: LEONARD FORBES, EUGENE H. CLOUD
  • Patent number: 6219291
    Abstract: A logic level detection circuit that includes a sense amplifier and a consumption equilibration circuit that is topologically distinct from the sense amplifier and that reduces and/or substantially eliminates data dependent electrical consumption by having a data dependent electrical consumption that compensates the data dependent electrical consumption of the sense amplifier. The sense amplifier may be implemented as a current-sensing sense amplifier, and the consumption equilibration circuit may be implemented as a selectively enabled current source that is responsive to a signal generated by the current-sensing sense amplifier. The consumption equilibration circuit may be implemented with a small number of transistors and in a small chip area compared to the number of transistors and chip area used for implementing the sense amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Advanced Technology Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: David Sowards, Trevor Blyth
  • Patent number: 6194919
    Abstract: An amplifier is provided that includes a current amplifying and current/voltage converting part that performs current amplification with respect to signals received from a first data bus and a second data bus. The current amplifying and current/voltage converting part further converts the amplified signal currents into a voltage. The amplifier further includes a voltage amplifying part that amplifies the voltage from the current amplifying part and current/voltage converting part to produce an amplified output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: San Ha Park
  • Patent number: 6194921
    Abstract: The present invention provides a limiter amplifier using a differential pair of MOS transistors in an input stage. A plurality of MOS transistors each having a drain and a gate connected to each other as a load transistor, are connected in series to the drains of the differential pair of MOS transistors in the input stage. MOS transistors are current-mirror-connected to the load transistors to perform feedback on the differential pair of MOS transistors in the input stage. The outputs of the differential pair of MOS transistors in the input stage are amplified by another differential pair of MOS transistors in an output stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Takashi Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 6181169
    Abstract: A high-speed rail-to-rail comparator is described. The comparator has two PMOS transistors, two NMOS transistors, a current source and two voltage-dropped components. A first PMOS transistor has a source terminal coupled to a first voltage source and a gate terminal and a drain terminal coupled to each other. A second PMOS transistor has a source terminal coupled to the first voltage source, and a gate terminal of the second PMOS transistor coupled to the gate terminal of the first PMOS transistor. A first NMOS transistor has a drain terminal coupled to the drain terminal of the first PMOS transistor and a gate terminal coupled to a reference signal. A second NMOS transistor has a drain terminal of the first NMOS transistor coupled to the drain terminal of the second PMOS transistor and coupled to an output terminal. A gate terminal of the second NMOS transistor is coupled to an input terminal and a source terminal of the second NMOS transistor is coupled to a source terminal of the first NMOS transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Integrated Technology Express, Inc.
    Inventor: Ting-Li Hu
  • Patent number: 6177827
    Abstract: There is provided a current mirror circuit which suppresses variations in an output current resulting from the Early effect. A pair of transistors (T1, T2) of a conventional current mirror circuit have gates connected to each other, and sources connected to each other, with the gate and drain of one of the transistors short-circuited. The source and drain of the other transistor (T2) on an output current side are connected to the source and gate of a transistor (T3), respectively. The sources of all of the transistors (T1, T2, T3) are commonly connected to a constant current circuit comprised of a bias voltage generating circuit (VB1) and a transistor (T4). A bias point is determined so that the increase/decrease in a current (Iout) causes the increase/decrease in a current (Icom), and the sizes of the respective transistors are designed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Ota
  • Patent number: 6169424
    Abstract: A sense amplifier comprising first and second CMOS inverters, an pMOS current mirror, a nMOS current mirror, a source pMOSFET to source current, and a sink nMOSFET to sink current. The gate voltage of the first CMOS inverter is the input voltage and the gate voltage of the second CMOS inverter is at the reference voltage. The output voltage is at the drains of the first CMOS inverter. The pMOS and nMOS current mirrors provide active loads to the first and second CMOS inverters. The sense amplifier is self-biasing by connecting the gate of the source pMOSFET to the gates of the pMOS current mirror and by connecting the gate of the sink nMOSFET to the gates of the nMOS current mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Nasser A. Kurd
  • Patent number: 6144222
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a high speed programmable electronic current driver circuit for supplying a controlled modulated current to an LED comprising: a current driver operable over a selectable range of current levels for connection to an LED for supplying operating current to an LED; control means connected to the current driver to select the current level for operation of the current driver; transmission gating means connected to the current driver to gate high speed data signal pulses to the current driver to modulate the current of the current driver by the data signal pulses by gating the current of the current driver with the data signal pulses; whereby light output by the LED will be modulated by the data signal pulses at selectable current levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Rupert Ho
  • Patent number: 6140844
    Abstract: In a current sense amplifier for detecting and amplifying the difference between the currents flowing on a pair of signal lines, an active device is provided that works to limit the amplitude of an output node of the current sense amplifier. Further, a differential amplifier for amplifying the amplitude-limited output of the current sense amplifier is provided on the output side of the current sense amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Ayako Kitamoto, Masato Matsumiya
  • Patent number: 6127852
    Abstract: To retrieve analog signals at high precision by a maximum or minimum position detection parallel signal processing circuit, a plurality of circuit units in each of which a gate of a transistor is connected to a signal input terminal through first capacitive means, a common connecting point of the gate and the first capacitive means is connected to one terminal side of second capacitive means, and control means, for fluctuating a voltage on the other terminal side of the second capacitive means so as to further increase or decrease a drain current in correspondence to an increase or decrease in the drain current is connected between the drain and the other terminal side of the second capacitive means are provided, a source of each transistor of the plurality of circuit units is commonly connected and is connected to a constant current source, and the maximum or minimum voltage position detection with respect to a signal voltage which is applied to each signal input terminal is performed by a voltage on the oth
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuhisa Ogawa, Tadahiro Ohmi, Tadashi Shibata
  • Patent number: 6122212
    Abstract: A sense amplifier for detecting a logic state of a memory cell includes a voltage amplifier, a current mirror, and a feedback circuit. The voltage amplifier couples to the memory cell and the current mirror. The feedback circuit couples to the current mirror and an input of the sense amplifier. The feedback circuit can be implemented with a transistor, a switch, a transmission gate, or the like. The feedback circuit is selectively enabled to quickly charge or discharge the voltage at the input of the sense amplifier to a trip voltage of the sense amplifier. Whether charging or discharging is performed is dependent on the voltage then existing at the input node. The amount of charging and discharging current can also be based on other circuit considerations, such as the required charge time, and so on. When the voltage at the input reaches a predetermined voltage range, the feedback circuit is disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: Winbond Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: John Henry Bui, Chien-fan Wang
  • Patent number: 6121823
    Abstract: An electrical circuit provides a variety of stable and reliable bias voltages to accommodate the bias requirements of various sensor types. The electrical circuit comprises a programmable analog circuit capable of maintaining a plurality of programmable threshold voltages and producing a plurality of intermediary voltages. Such voltages act as an input to a differential amplifier that outputs a bias voltage within a range consistent with said programmable threshold voltages. The bias voltage is further conditioned by a conditioning amplifier that further stabilizes the bias voltage to an attached sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: Analytical Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen D. Summerfield
  • Patent number: 6114881
    Abstract: A current mirror type sense amplifier can prevent the lowering of gain when the input signal and the inverted input signal are swung around the power voltage level, and also stably performs the sensing & amplifying operation in wide range from low power voltage to high power voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: In Hwan Eum
  • Patent number: 6108258
    Abstract: A sense amplifier can be used with a high-speed IC memory device, which sense amplifier can help reduce the sensing latency during read operations to the memory device so as to allow fast access speed to the memory device. The sense amplifier includes a first-stage circuit, coupled to the bit lines of the memory device, for amplifying the differential data signal on the bit lines. Furthermore, a second-stage circuit has an input side coupled to receive the output signal from the first-stage circuit and an output side coupled to the bit lines, and is used for amplifying the output signal from the first-stage circuit and feeding the amplified signal back to the bit lines. The first-stage circuit and the second-stage circuit in combination constitute a positive feedback amplification loop coupled to the bit lines for amplifying the differential data signal on the bit lines to a detectable level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: United Integrated Circuits Corp.
    Inventors: Juei-Lung Chen, Shin-Huang Huang, Hsin-Pang Lu
  • Patent number: 6104216
    Abstract: A differential circuit used in an input interface of a memory device comprises a current mirror including a pair of P-channel transistors, a differential pair including a pair of N-channel transistors for receiving a reference voltage and an input signal voltage, respectively, and another N-channel transistor connected between the common sources of the pair of N-channel transistors and GND line. The another N-channel transistor has a gate maintained at a constant potential irrespective of the fluctuations of the source voltage, thereby suppressing a current increase due to variations of the source voltage and reference voltage. The constant voltage is generated in the memory device itself and used for another purpose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Tomohiko Satoh
  • Patent number: 6087859
    Abstract: A sense amplifier circuit includes a first voltage-controlled current source to supply current proportional to a first bias voltage to a reference node and a second voltage-controlled current source to supply current proportional to a second bias voltage to a sensing node. The first and second bias voltages are internally generated in response to an externally applied sense amp control signal. A current mirror circuit is also provided for the sense amplifier circuit. The current mirror circuit commonly deliver current proportional to the voltage level of the reference node to the reference and sensing nodes. A differential amplifier amplifies a difference voltage between reference and sensing nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong-Woo Lee, Heung-Soo Im
  • Patent number: 6084438
    Abstract: A P-type MOSFET transistor as a current source and an N-type MOSFET transistor are connected in series between a power supply and one end of a bit line that is also connected to a memory cell with the other end thereof. The gate electrode of the P-type MOSFET transistor and that of the N-type MOSFET transistor are then biased by a current capability setting circuit in such a manner that a current capability of the P-type MOSFET transistor is smaller than a current capability of a memory cell and a current capability of the N-type MOSFET transistor is larger than the current capability of the P-type MOSFET transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Akihiko Hashiguchi
  • Patent number: 6064233
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit that measures a current which flows upon deactivation of the circuit in order to test for a damaged transistor therein. The circuit includes an input node for receiving an input voltage, a reference node for receiving a reference voltage, a first source potential node for receiving a first source potential level, a second source potential node for receiving a second source potential level, and a sense circuit connected between the first source potential node and the second source potential node and brought into an operating state during a period in which the first source potential level is supplied. The sense circuit compares the input voltage and the reference voltage and outputs the result of comparison to a sense output node. A buffer circuit is connected between the sense output node and a buffer output node and is adapted to output a voltage corresponding to the voltage appearing at the sense output node to the buffer output node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Harumi Kawano
  • Patent number: 6052307
    Abstract: A leakage tolerant sense circuit for use in an electrically programmable and erasable read only memory (EEPROM) is disclosed. In a reference portion of a sense cycle, the leakage tolerant sense amplifier utilizes the sum of a reference current and any leakage current to establish a reference voltage. In the subsequent sense portion of the sense cycle, the leakage tolerant sense amplifier utilizes the sum of a memory cell current and any leakage current to establish a read voltage. The read voltage is compared with the reference voltage to determine the logic stored within the memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Brian W. Huber, Theodore T. Pekny
  • Patent number: 6034555
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a switch unit for controlling the supply of a power source voltage to a signal amplification circuit for receiving an input signal, and a control unit for selectively turning ON and OFF the switch unit in accordance with the amplitude or frequency of the input signal. By the constitution, it is possible to provide an input circuit or an output circuit capable of being applied to an input/output interface adapted for a small amplitude operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Masao Taguchi, Satoshi Eto, Yoshihiro Takemae, Hiroshi Yoshioka, Makoto Koga
  • Patent number: 6028464
    Abstract: A transient signal detector for monitoring a signal line and generating a control signal which indicates when the magnitude of a differential signal on the line exceeds either a positive or negative threshold value. The threshold value is defined by a single current, thereby allowing for a single, simple adjustment of such threshold in both the positive and negative directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Duncan James Bremner