Abstract: A current mirror circuit and method of generating an output current at an output node which is proportional to an input current applied to an input node. The circuit operates to receive the input current and develops a reference voltage. The reference voltage is converted to a reference current which is proportional to the input current and is applied to a high impedance node. A feedback network is coupled to said high impedance node and includes an output device driven by the high impedance node and which provides the output current to the output node. The feedback network is operable for forcing current generated by said feedback network to the high impedance node to be equal to the reference current.

Abstract: A transimpedance amplifier for an optical receiver includes an integrator circuit for receiving a current input from a photodetector; an integrator capacitance between the input and output of the integrator circuit; a gain stage responsive to the output of the integrator circuit for providing an output voltage representative of the current input to the integrator circuit; and a feedback resistance connected between the output of the gain stage and the input of the integrator circuit for establishing the nominal gain of and in conjunction with the integrator circuit for setting the nominal bandwidth of the transimpedance amplifier; the gain stage may have a gain greater than unity for increasing the bandwidth by the factor of the gain and the gain stage may include a trimmable resistance for adjusting the gain both below and above unity.

Abstract: A quasi-passive switched capacitor (SC) delay line includes a predetermined number (N) of passive SC delay stages and an amplifier. Each delay stage includes a first transistor having a control terminal for receiving a clock phase, an input terminal for receiving an input signal, and an output terminal, a second transistor having a control terminal for receiving a different clock phase, an input terminal connected to the output terminal of the first switching device, and an output terminal coupled to the amplifier input, and a capacitor coupled between the output terminal of the first transistor and a common supply voltage. The control terminal of each first transistor receives a unique clock phase and the control terminal of the second transistor of the same stage being receives a different clock phase wherein the clock phase received by the second transistor is delayed by two clock cycles from the clock phase received by the first transistor.

Abstract: A switched-capacitor DAC system includes two switched-capacitor DACs and a load circuit. The switched-capacitor filter of the first DAC samples a reference voltage source, which produces a reference voltage, at a first rate and the switched-capacitor filter of the second DAC samples the reference voltage source at a second rate, greater than the first rate. The load circuit samples the reference voltage source at a rate such that the level of the reference voltage is the same each time a sample is taken. The load circuit effectively equates the sampling of the two filters and substantially eliminates problems related to gain errors and low frequency quantization noise.

Abstract: A digital filter includes a pre-filter cascaded to a low pass filter. The pre-filter has a transfer function providing generally increasing attenuation with increasing frequency above a cutoff frequency. The low pass filter has a transfer function providing substantially decreasing attenuation with increasing frequency above the cutoff frequency. The low pass filter is an FIR filter including coefficients restricted to the set {+1, 0 and -1}. The filters are preferably implemented using simple hardware such as addressable read/write RAM, digital adder/subtracters, and registers. Alternatively, the addressable RAM can be replaced with shift registers. Such a filter is easily and economically implemented and has a favorable overall frequency response characteristic. The filter is, therefore, well suited for use in many digital applications and, in particular, for use as a decimation filter in an oversampled, multi-bit, high order analog-to-digital converter system.

Abstract: A back gate bias voltage is applied to the underside of a lateral bipolar transistor to desensitize a portion of the collector-base depletion region to changes in the collector-base voltage. Emitter-collector current flows through an active base region bypassing the portion of the collector-base depletion region that remains sensitive to the collector bias. This allows for a control over the charge in the active base region by the back gate bias, generally independent of the collector-base bias. The transistor is preferably implemented in a silicon-on-insulator-on-silicon (SOIS) configuration, with the back gate bias applied to a doped silicon substrate. The base doping concentration and the thickness of the underlying insulator are preferably selected to produce an inversion layer in the base region adjacent the insulating layer, thereby reducing the collector access resistance.

Abstract: A frequency-responsive integrated circuit (IC) for determining when the frequency of a clock pulse input signal is below a predetermined threshold level, the IC including a capacitor charged up at a nearly constant rate by a current source. If the capacitor voltage reaches one-third of the DC power voltage, and input pulses are received, the capacitor is discharged to start another charge-up cycle. If no input pulses were received, the capacitor continues to charge up until its voltage reaches two-thirds of the DC power voltage, at which point an output signal is produced indicating that the input frequency is below the predetermined threshold level.

Abstract: Bipolar transistors and MOS transistors on a single semiconductor substrate involves depositing a single layer of polysilicon on a substrate, including complementary transistors of either or both types, and a method for fabricating same. The devices are made by depositing a single layer of polysilicon on a substrate and etching narrow slots in the form of rings around every bipolar emitter area, which slots are thereafter filled with an insulating oxide. Then, emitters and extrinsic base regions are formed. The emitters are self-aligned to the extrinsic base regions. An optional cladding procedure produces a surface layer of a silicide compound, a low resistance conductor. The resulting structure yields a high-performance device in which the size constraints are at a minimum and contact regions may be made at the top surface of the device.

Abstract: CRT control apparatus for use in high-resolution graphic display equipment of the type including a frame buffer having storage banks for storing digital signals representing the color intensities of red, green and blue colors of pixels on the CRT screen. The control apparatus is formed in a single MOS integrated-circuit (IC) chip which incorporates three multiplexers for the three 8-bit sets of color digital signals from the frame buffer. The 8-bit outputs of the multiplexers are directed to digital-signal-transformation devices which, in response to each 8-bit signal, produce a corresponding 10-bit signal incorporating the color-intensity information of the original 8-bit signal, and also incorporating a gamma correction factor for the particular intensity represented by the original 8-bit signal. The 10-bit signals are directed to 10-bit DACs, one for each color, to produce corresponding analog control signals for the corresponding electron guns of the CRT.

Abstract: A gain stage for use in an amplifier which provides a rail-to-rail output signal. The gain stage includes a first transistor having a base, an emitter and a collector, the base being coupled to an input signal applied to the gain stage and the emitter being coupled to a first source of operating potential; a second transistor having a base, an emitter and a collector, the collector being coupled to the collector of the first transistor for providing the output signal, the emitter being coupled to a second source of operating potential; and a third transistor having a base, an emitter and a collector, the emitter being coupled to the input signal, the base being coupled to a bias voltage, and the collector being coupled to the second operating potential and the base of the second transistor for providing a drive signal thereto allowing the output signal to swing substantially between the first and second sources of operating potential.

Abstract: CRT control apparatus for use in high-resolution graphic display equipment of the type including a frame buffer having storage banks for storing digital signals representing the color intensities of red, green and blue colors of pixels on the CRT screen. The control apparatus is formed in a single MOS integrated-circuit (IC) chip which incorporates three multiplexers for the three 8-bit sets of color digital signals from the frame buffer. The 8-bit outputs of the multiplexers are directed to digital-signal-transformation devices which, in response to each 8-bit signal, produce a corresponding 10-bit signal incorporating the color-intensity information of the original 8-bit signal, and also incorporating a gamma correction factor for the particular intensity represented by the original 8-bit signal. The 10-bit signals are directed to 10-bit DACs, one for each color, to produce corresponding analog control signals for the corresponding electron guns of the CRT.

Abstract: An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) having two cascaded A/D stages of the parallel type wherein the analog signal is compared with a set of threshold reference voltages. The first stage develops a set of most-significant bits and produces two analog residue signals: a normal residue corresponding to the difference between the analog input and the threshold voltage below the analog input, and a second residue corresponding to the difference between the analog input and the threshold voltage above the analog signal level. These two residue signals are amplified and directed to the second A/D stage. The sum of the residue signals equals one LSB of the first A/D stage, so that the two residues supply to the second stage information about the quantization error of the previous stage as well as the quantization step size to be used to define full-scale at the second stage.

Abstract: A parasitic capacitance cancellation circuit for a direct bonded silicon-on-insulator integrated circuit includes one or more transistors fabricated silicon-on-insulator; a silicon substrate region outside the transistor(s) having a parasitic capacitance to be cancelled; a bootstrap terminal connected to the region outside the transistor(s); and a unity gain buffer responsive to the output of the transistor(s) and having its output connected to the bootstrap terminals for providing a voltage to the region outside the transistor(s) which follows the voltage developed on the parasitic capacitance and nullifies the parasitic capacitance.

Abstract: A linear interpolation network for a continuously variable amplifier. The interpolation network includes first and second control terminals from which complementary scanning input currents are demanded. The network includes a plurality of circuit legs. Each leg includes a current source and a diode connect in series therewith. Coupled between each pair of adjacent circuit legs are first and second shunting diodes. The first shunting diode is connected between the adjacent legs to conduct current in a first direction. The second shunting diode is connected between the adjacent legs to conduct current is a second, opposite direction. The shunting diodes shunt current from the current sources to the control terminals to meet the current demands of the complementary scanning current input signals. The remaining current is sourced by one or more legs such that substantially triangular, overlapping current pulses are produced in the legs responsive to the scanning current inputs.

Abstract: A process for fabricating an IGFET integrated circuit having two gate dielectric layers with different parameters is provided. Typically, the process is used for fabrication of dual voltage CMOS integrated circuits. The integrated circuit may include high voltage transistors having a first gate dielectric thickness and low voltage transistors having a second gate dielectric thickness. A first gate dielectric layer and a first gate layer for the high voltage transistors are formed over active regions of a substrate. The device is patterned to expose low voltage transistor areas, and the first gate dielectric layer and the first gate layer are removed in the low voltage transistor areas. Then, a second gate dielectric layer and a second gate layer for the low voltage transistors are formed on the device. The device is patterned to expose the high voltage transistor areas, and the second gate dielectric layer and the second gate layer are removed in the high voltage transistor areas.

Abstract: A precision switched capacitor ratio system includes a capacitor; a switching device for selectively interconnecting the capacitor with one of a plurality of charging circuits and alternately connecting it with a discharge circuit for discharging the capacitor between each interconnection with a charging current; an integrating device interconnected with the capacitor for averaging the current during the charging and discharging of the capacitor for defining the switched capacitor equivalent resistance; and a clock device for providing synchronized clock signals for operating the switching device to precisely define the ratio of the frequencies of the interconnection of the capacitor with each of the charging circuits.

Abstract: A circuit for varying the temperature of a first bipolar transistor in order to thermally compensate for self-heating effects of an associated device in a common signal path with the first transistor, the first transistor being configured within an isolated collector region. The circuit includes a second bipolar transistor provided within the isolated collector region and thermally coupled to the first transistor, the second transistor operable for providing heat to the first transistor to alter the temperature to a predetermined level, thus changing the operational voltage characteristics of the first transistor so as to minimize shifts in offset voltage.

Abstract: A low distortion CMOS switch system includes a plurality of N-channel and a plurality of P-channel transistors with their drain and source terminals connected in parallel for receiving an input signal to be switched; and a control circuit for providing a different positive drive voltage to the gate of each of the N-channel transistors and a different negative drive voltage to the gate of each of the P-channel transistors to produce substantially constant "on" resistance, R.sub.ON, throughout the range of the switched signal conducted through the drain and source terminals, and for providing the same negative drive voltage to the gate of each of the N channel transistors and the same positive drive voltage to the gate of each of the P channel transistors to turn off the transistors.

Abstract: A hybrid analog/digital automatic gain control gain recovery system includes a variable gain amplifier (VGA) for receiving a variable amplitude input signal; a first AGC loop includes an analog to digital converter (DAC) for receiving the analog input signal and converting it to a digital signal; a digital gain error detection circuit for detecting variations of the digital signal in a first range and generating a digital error correction signal; and a digital to analog converter (DAC) for converting the digital error correction signal to a first analog correction signal; a second analog AGC loop includes an analog gain error detection circuit, responsive to variations in the output of the VGA in a second range greater than the first range for generating a second analog correction signal; and an integrator circuit responsive to the first and second analog correction signals for providing to the VGA a control signal to adjust the gain of the VGA to accommodate variations in the input signal amplitude.

Abstract: An improved back gate switched sample and hold circuit includes a sample and hold channel including a sample switch having a back gate and a storage element; a back gate circuit for controlling the back gate of the sample switch; and a first attenuator circuit for scaling the input signal from a low impedance source for delivery to the sample switch and a second attenuator circuit responsive to the input signal from the low impedance source to independently drive the back gate circuit and isolate any distortion of the input signal in the back gate circuit from affecting the input signal in said sample and hold channel.