Feedback Amplifiers Patents (Class 324/123C)
  • Patent number: 5977824
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement includes a feedback loop, with a forward path and a feedback path, and a re-combining stage. A measuring circuit is provided to produce a measuring signal derived from a result signal and a feedback signal by linear combination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Geoffrey S. Sparks
  • Patent number: 5818238
    Abstract: A first terminal of a device-under-measurement (DUM) is connected to the input of a buffer amplifier having its output applied to the inverting input of an operational amplifier through a resistor having the value "aR". A resistor having a value "R" is connected between the inverting input and ground. A second terminal of the DUM is connected to the input of a buffer amplifier having its output connected to the non-inverting input of the operational amplifier through a resistor having the value "ar". The non-inverting input is also connected to the output of a signal generator through a resistor having the value "r". The second terminal is also connected to ground through a load. An oscilloscope is connected across the outputs of the buffer amplifiers, and a computer controls the signal generator in response to a signal from the oscilloscope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignee: Symetrix Corporation
    Inventor: Alan DeVilbiss
  • Patent number: 5619114
    Abstract: A method and apparatus used with a motor controller for determining the average value of a voltage signal including at least two analog integrators that integrate the voltage signal during consecutive and alternating integration periods, a selector receiving each integrated value after an integration period and determining an average voltage value therefrom, and a discharger that sets each integrated value equal to zero after the value has been sampled, the apparatus and method providing a series of changing average voltage values during motor operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1997
    Assignee: Allen-Bradley Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Vladimir Blasko
  • Patent number: 5515001
    Abstract: An operational amplifier connected in series with a load and a current-measuring impedance and having at least two input ports and an output port, the output port of the operational amplifier further being directly connected to current-measuring impedance, with one of the input ports being coupled to the current input source to be measured, and the other input port being connected to a feedback loop coupled from the output side of the current-measuring impedance. The voltage across the current-measuring impedance which comprises a resistor is thereafter sensed, amplified and conditioned to provide a voltage which is proportional to the load current and accordingly a measure of the current input from the current source being measured. Such a current-measuring circuit can be used in connection with an inverter, a current-measuring amplifier, a current-measuring precision diode, a current integrator, and a current-measuring bridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1996
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: John M. Vranish
  • Patent number: 5483818
    Abstract: A method and a circuit are provided for detecting low level ionic currents. An ionization detection voltage is applied to a spark plug and a resulting output voltage signal is sent to a threshold device. The output voltage signal is developed by a low offset operational amplifier. First and second serially connected Zener diodes carry current in a normal diode direction when a spark event occurs and carry current in their Zener breakdown mode upon recovery from the spark event. A second operational amplifier and its associated feedback circuit generate a guard voltage which is applied to the junction of the two Zener diodes. The guard voltage is regulated to track the input voltage to the circuit at the cathode of the first diode. Because the guard voltage is essentially the same as the input voltage, there is no leakage current flow through the first diode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1996
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Arnold W. Brandt, Thomas E. Jones, III, Robert B. Bucciarelli
  • Patent number: 5392001
    Abstract: A capacitively-coupled amplifier circuit includes an amplifier for receiving an input signal via a coupling capacitance and for amplifying the input signal to produce an output signal. A resistor provides a bias voltage to the amplifier. The resistor is bootstrapped using positive feedback with a loop gain of slightly less than one. The bootstrapping causes an increase in the value of the resistor to lower the cut-in (pole) frequency of the amplifier. The bootstrapping or feedback circuit includes a roll-off (pole) at a frequency below the roll-off (pole) frequency of the amplifier. This prevents phase shift in the feedback loop from adversely effecting the high frequency response of the amplifier. The resulting amplifier circuit exhibits a wide passband and excellent low frequency response despite having a capacitively coupled input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: Thomas F. Uhling, John M. Heumann, Ronald J. Peiffer
  • Patent number: 5365200
    Abstract: An integrated circuit apparatus comprises a first stage amplifier and a second stage amplifier. The first stage amplifier is characterized by a cross-coupled integrated layout providing a rail-to-rail swing and a linear gain, A, substantially defined as A=g.sub.m r.sub.o '. The second stage amplifier is coupled to the output of the first stage amplifier and comprises a high-voltage integrated circuit transistor with an AC feedback circuit, the AC feedback circuit comprising, in series, a capacitor, a N+ resistor and an N-WELL resistor, wherein the output of the second stage amplifier is used to directly drive an inductive load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1994
    Assignee: Delco Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Edward H. Honnigford, Gregory J. Manlove
  • Patent number: 5341090
    Abstract: A bidirectional, transconductance, DC amplifier exhibiting a compliance voltage exceeding either of the DC power supply voltages nearly double the compliance voltage of conventional circuits. The circuit uses a differential input operational amplifier. A voltage divider has its first resistor connected between the amplifier input and the noninverting input of the operational amplifier. The second resistor of the voltage divider is connected between the noninverting input and a common ground. A third resistor is connected between the amplifier input and the inverting input of the operational amplifier. A feedback circuit branch is connected between the inverting input and the output of the operational amplifier and includes a pair of output terminals for connecting the load in series in the feedback circuit branch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1994
    Assignee: Scientific Columbus Co.
    Inventor: James M. Hoover
  • Patent number: 5103390
    Abstract: An AC load simulator for simulating the waveforms of capacitive reactance, inductive reactance, impedance or any waveform in an A.C. circuit for a better understanding and inspecting of the working status of an A.C. supply or a power part in a specific load. The simulator mainly comprises a waveform generator, an analogy signal insulating amplifier, an electronic A.C. load and a compensation circuit, wherein the waveform generator produces sinusoidal wave or any other signal in waveform. The above parts together with the circuit, an A.C. load simulator for generating any kind of waveform is integrated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1992
    Assignee: Prodigit Electronics Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Daniel Liu
  • Patent number: 5034698
    Abstract: A dual path amplifier circuit configuration to obtain wideband and precision DC response includes a wideband voltage amplifier, an input termination, a virtual ground feedback amplifier, and a compensated attenuator. The circuit allows precision DC and wideband measurements through a common signal probe while maintaining the input impedance of the measurement instrument. An additional feature of the circuit is to selectively allow DC measurements before or after an attenuator. The circuit can provide combined wideband and DC signal output or separate wideband and DC outputs. Additionally, the circuit can use a DC offset to null the DC level of an input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1991
    Inventor: Hiro Moriyasu
  • Patent number: 4977367
    Abstract: An ion chamber type instrument for measuring radioactivity includes a high gain operational amplifier having a feedback network of range determining resistors connected between the amplifier output and input. Electronic switches in series with at least some of the range determining resistors function as range selector switches for the measuring instrument. Each switch includes two series-connected transistors and a third transistor, the interconnection point between the two series-connected transistors being connected to the electrical neutral point of a measuring circuit via the third transistor. Each switch, when in an "off" or non-conducting condition, provides a high effective resistance of, for example, 1.times.10.sup.15 ohms so as to minimize errors caused by leakage current fed back into the input of the high gain operational amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 11, 1990
    Assignee: Bicron Corporation
    Inventor: Joseph G. Johnston
  • Patent number: 4945445
    Abstract: A current sense circuit (100) includes a semiconductor power switch such as a MOSFET (102) having a source metallization contact pad (14) with a conductor jumper bond wire (106) directly connected thereto in the MOSFET module housing (104), which bond wire is connected to a source terminal lead frame within the module, which lead frame extends externally of the module for connection to a load (22) and load voltage (24). The current sense circuitry includes amplifier circuitry (150, 168) having first and second inputs (122, 124) connected to the source bond wire (106) at spaced points (126, 128) along the bond wire within the module housing (104) without insertion of additional series shunt resistance in the bond wire (106) between such points (126, 128), and sensing current flow through the bond wire (106) by sensing voltage between such points (126, 128) and amplifying such voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1990
    Assignee: Gentron Corporation
    Inventors: Richard F. Schmerda, John A. Dombeck, Lance R. Kaufman
  • Patent number: 4935692
    Abstract: An improved type of vector impedance measuring instrument is disclosed. The vector impedance is a vector current relative to (or normalized to) a pertinent voltage. A transducer for converting the impedance to corresponding current and voltage includes a digital signal processing unit. The vector value of the current is derived from parameter values set in the digital signal processing unit. This configuration eliminates a conventional vector ratio detector, which conventionally followed the transducer, saves cost, reduces size, and achieves high performance. Also, algorithms implemented in the digital signal processing unit are easily modified for a variety of transfer functins phase compensation, and corrections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1990
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventor: Tomio Wakasugi
  • Patent number: 4928059
    Abstract: A circuit for providing a scaled sinusoidal voltage proportional to a sinusoidal current referenced to a first reference potential. The scaled sinusoidal voltage is referenced to a second reference potential. A scaling resistor is connected between an operational amplifier inverting input terminal and the operational amplifier output terminal. A transformer has a primary winding in series with the sinusoidal current. A secondary winding has a first terminal coupled to the second reference potential and a second terminal coupled to the operational amplifier inverting input terminal. An integrator has an inverting input terminal coupled to the operational amplifier output terminal, a noninverting input terminal coupled to the second reference potential and an output terminal coupled to the operational amplifier noninverting input terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1990
    Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation
    Inventors: Hugh L. Franklin, Leslie H. Whatley, George N. Klees
  • Patent number: 4833400
    Abstract: Attenuator having a high input impedance and several switching levels for high frequencies and oscilloscope and active probe comprising such an attenuator. A high frequency attenuator (15) having a high input impedance and several switching stages intended to attenuate a high-frequency electric signal introduced at an input terminal (10) of the attenuator. The attenuator supplies at a low-impedance output terminal (11) an output signal corresponding to the attenuated input signal. The attenuator comprises k broadband amplifiers A.sub.n (1.ltoreq.n.ltoreq.k) having a very small input capacitance, capacitances D.sub.n arranged between each input and each output of each amplifier, and capacitances C.sub.n arranged between each input of each amplifier and the input terminal of the attenuator. The accurate attenuation switching levels are obtained by using different ratios C.sub.n /D.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1989
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corp.
    Inventor: Pierre-Henri Boutigny
  • Patent number: 4771233
    Abstract: An ammeter is used for measuring the current flowing through a lead on a printed circuit board having a four point probe contacting the printed wire under test. Each probe points is spring loaded and approximately one millimeter separates adjacent probe points. The center two probe points are coupled to the inputs of a high gain chopper stabilized operational amplifier which provides a signal related to the voltage between the center two probe points as a result of the line resistance. The operational amplifier must have a very low and stable input offset voltage. The amplifier signal is applied to the base electrodes of a bipolar current driver circuit, such as two opposite polarity Darlington circuits, which respectively have a source of positive and negative voltage coupled to flow through the collector emitter electrodes when the signal applied to the base renders the collector emitter conductive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1988
    Inventor: Martin J. Wayne
  • Patent number: 4748406
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement for controlling a rotary-magnet measuring instrument (6) by an input voltage via a controlled source of current has a first amplifier (difference amplifier 1) with a first negative-feedback resistor (R.sub.2) and a first input resistor (R.sub.1). In order to linearize the approximately S-shaped characteristic curve of the rotary-magnet measuring instrument (6), the controlled source of current is developed with a characteristic curve which is defined as consisting of three straight line segments of differing slope. For this, a second amplifier (difference amplifier 8), controlled as a function of the input voltage and a semiconductor path controlled by it (2nd npn-transistor 12) which lies in series with the first input resistor (R.sub.1) are provided. One input (10) of the second amplifier is connected to a constant voltage divider (divider resistors R.sub.3, R.sub.5) and via a second negative-feedback resistor (R.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 31, 1988
    Assignee: VDO Aloft Schindling AG
    Inventor: Axel Schafer
  • Patent number: 4670663
    Abstract: A test voltage is applied through an array of "guarded" switches (58) to selected ones of a plurality of components to be measured. Each switch (58) comprises first and second input terminals (69, 72), first and second output terminals (70, 74), and a wire (76) interconnecting the second input and second output terminals (72, 74). The switch (58) is operable selectively in a first state interconnecting its first input and output terminals (69, 70) and in a second state interconnecting the second input and output terminals (72, 74). A buffer amplifier (88) couples the input signal from the first input terminal (69) to the wire (76) interconnecting the second and output terminals (72, 74) of the switch (58) as a "guard voltage" to prevent loading of the input signal by leakage resistances within the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1984
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1987
    Assignee: John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc.
    Inventor: James E. Fancher
  • Patent number: 4659997
    Abstract: Apparatus for measuring the difference between two voltages in which a first current proportional to the voltage difference is generated at a first point, and there is circuitry for delivering at a second point a second current that is based on the first current and is indicative of the voltage difference; the circuitry includes an uninterrupted current path from the first point to the second point and the current path has a circuit element across which at least a portion of the common mode voltage appears; and the circuit element provides an output current to the path which is independent of the voltage across the circuit element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1987
    Assignee: Teradyne, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael R. Ferland, Roger V. Burns, Jr., J. Anson Whealler, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4658211
    Abstract: In order to maintain the torque of the ratio meter and the drive of amplifiers feeding it independently of the amplitudes of a sine signal voltage and a cosine signal voltage, a regulation is provided. The regulation makes use of two-quadrant voltage-controlled sources of current each of which is connected to a coil branch. Control voltage amplifiers, one connected in front of each source of current, are furthermore used. A sum-current resistor is provided to form the sum of the supply currents of two voltage-controlled sources of current. The supply currents represent the amounts of the sine signal voltage and cosine signal voltage which act on the voltage amplifiers. From the resistor for the formation of the sum of the supply currents a signal is derived which switches the amplification of the voltage amplifiers automatically in the direction of compensation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1987
    Assignee: VDO Adolf Schindling AG
    Inventor: Werner Wallrafen
  • Patent number: 4628277
    Abstract: A femtoammeter is disclosed which resists noise induced reversed bias of the ammeter amplifier and avoids long time constant recovery with unusually high measurement accuracy. The amplifier ammeter has a feedback loop which is provided with paired opposingly faced log diodes in parallel across the feedback circuit. Transients of negative or positive bias are accommodated without biasing the amplifier to a reverse polarity and having unacceptably long time constant recovery. Conventional temperature compensation, not possible with the parallel reversed diode configuration, is supplied by heat sinking the ammeter components, providing a log diode temperature sensor for the heat sinked components and controlling the heat sink operating temperature with a thermoelectric cooler. The temperature sensing log diodes output to a computer lookup table. The same temperature sensing log diode outputs to a bridge circuit operating the thermoelectric cooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 9, 1986
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William D. Hill, David D. Akers
  • Patent number: 4270090
    Abstract: An electrostatic voltmeter including a probe having a detector which is resistively coupled into a region bearing ionized air and an electrostatic field or potential to be measured. An ionization source in the form of a radioactive material is carried by the probe housing and ionizes the air in the region of the detector to provide an ionic current flow into the detector in response to the measured electrostatic field or potential. The electrostatic voltmeter further comprises an amplifier having an input and an output and connected for unity gain, the amplifier input being coupled to the detector. The amplifier has a feedback path connected as a voltage reference for the detector to cause the ionic current flow to change in a manner which will drive the amplifier and feedback to reduce the electrostatic field in the vicinity of the detector to zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1981
    Inventor: Bruce T. Williams
  • Patent number: 4198607
    Abstract: A measuring amplifier device is provided with an input circuit producing different functions of an input signal in order to permit output signals in different measuring ranges to be produced. The circuit can be constituted by an operational amplifier having a feedback connection composed of a series arrangement of several elements each defining a particular measuring range together with subtraction stages forming signals corresponding to each range, or by a plurality of diodes or diode-resistor networks connected to divide the input signal between them and each defining a different measuring scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 15, 1980
    Assignee: Leybold-Heraeus GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft
    Inventors: Karl Beinitz, Volker Kaltenbach
  • Patent number: 4185235
    Abstract: A servo amplifier system includes first and second operational amplifiers, with the second amplifier having a low output impedance. A torque coil is connected directly from the output circuit of the first amplifier to the input circuit of the second amplifier free of any impedance elements which would tend to make the torque coil subject to frequency response variations. Various circuits are provided to feed back error signals from the output circuit of the second amplifier to the input circuit of the first amplifier. A test signal may be connected across torque coil to test the response of the accelerometer including the torque coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1978
    Date of Patent: January 22, 1980
    Assignee: Schaevitz Engineering
    Inventor: Ernest D. D. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 4109196
    Abstract: A resistance measuring circuit for providing an output signal which is linearly proportional to the difference in resistance between two unknown resistances. The measuring circuit includes a constant current source for driving both unknown resistances in a series circuit by connecting the series circuit in a feedback loop of an operational amplifier. The voltage drops across the unknown resistances are applied to the inverting and non-inverting inputs of a second operation amplifier used as a differential amplifier, respectively. The effect of leadwire resistance to the unknown resistances is cancelled by the subtractive operation of the second amplifier. Further, the first amplifier is supplied with a variable input signal to provide a zero suppression capability for the linear output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1976
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1978
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph P. Carmody
  • Patent number: 4109213
    Abstract: A circuit for adjusting the amplitude of a reference signal to a predetermined level so as to permit subsequent data signals to be interpreted correctly. The circuit includes an operational amplifier having a feedback circuit connected between an output terminal and an input terminal; a bank of relays operably connected to a plurality of resistors; and a comparator comparing an output voltage of the amplifier with a reference voltage and generating a compared signal responsive thereto. Means is provided for selectively energizing the relays according to the compared signal from the comparator until the output signal from the amplifier equals to the reference signal. A second comparator is provided for comparing the output of the amplifier with a second voltage source so as to illuminate a lamp when the output signal from the amplifier exceeds the second voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1977
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1978
    Inventors: James C. Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, with respect to an invention of Fletcher, Larry D. Holley, James O. Ward
  • Patent number: 4068185
    Abstract: An improvement is disclosed for use in a chromatographic system of the type including detector means providing a detector output signal indicative of the level of a component sought to be determined, detector output amplifier means for receiving the signal, an error signal balancing loop connected to the amplifier output to provide a balancing signal in feedback relationship to the amplifier, and means for adjusting the sensitivity range of the amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1978
    Assignee: Varian Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Urs Christen, Richard M. Commins
  • Patent number: 4054834
    Abstract: Shunt means supply a diode bridge with an alternating current proportional to the AC to be measured. The bridge has at least two electroluminescent diodes which emit two alternating streams of half-wave light pulses which are supplied to two fibre optic systems. These convey the light signals to a safe distance from the high tension line where two light receptors receive the respective streams of half-wave light pulses and apply electrical signals proportional thereto to opposite inputs of a differential amplifier. The output of the amplifier is a readily measurable AC. Balancing means may be provided to compensate for any difference in the overall transmission paths for the two half-wave pulse streams. A resistive load may be provided adjacent the line to sink the current flowing through the diode bridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1977
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1977
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale d'Electricite S.A.
    Inventors: Robert Boirat, Claude Davila, Christian Moreau
  • Patent number: 4039942
    Abstract: The system includes two conductive sensors to be placed in contact with a body which exhibits voltage changes, such as the leaves of a plant. The sensors are connected to an amplifier having high input impedance and connected with positive feedback and providing good common mode rejection. The amplifier output, in response to voltage changes sensed by the sensors, drives a coil having an iron core, and current flow through the coil is sensed by a utilization device, which, in one arrangement, comprises a magnet secured to the clapper of wind bells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1975
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1977
    Inventor: David Glaser
  • Patent number: 3993951
    Abstract: An alternating current meter circuit includes a feedback network coupled between a high input impedance field-effect transistor amplifier circuit and a detection circuit providing high input impedance, gain stability, linearity and precision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1974
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1976
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventor: Sander Leman Knanishu
  • Patent number: 3935532
    Abstract: An electrometer system particularly adapted for non-contact measurement of electrostatic charges in electrostatography, such as the charge level on photoreceptor surface areas in xerographic machines. The electrometer circuit has a very high impedance normally floating input, and a simple D.C. measurement circuit. The measurement circuit output can be read by a conventional test meter. The electrometer is controlled by a simple switching arrangement providing an automatic zeroing position in which the initial level of the input circuit is automatically reset by a feedback amplifier from the output to compensate for any temperature induced or other variations in the measurement circuit. The power supply voltage is automatically monitored and the output meter is driven to a non-zeroing position in response to a low supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1974
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1976
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: David R. Shuey, Robert J. Slomcenski
  • Patent number: RE28851
    Abstract: A current transformer and transresistance amplifier are combined; the secondary winding of the current transformer being connected to the input of the transresistance amplifier and being virtually short-circuited because of the very low input impedance of the transresistance amplifier. The transresistance amplifier, nevertheless, supplies an output voltage which is proportional to current in the primary winding of the current transformer. An output voltage is developed from the current in the secondary winding. An important advantage, among others, of the subject combination is that a current transformer having considerably lower volt-ampere capacity may be employed. A current transformer employed alone for the same purpose would have to have a much larger volt-ampere capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1975
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1976
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Miran Milkovic