Converting Input Voltage To Output Current Or Vice Versa Patents (Class 327/103)
  • Publication number: 20090068976
    Abstract: The present invention intends to provide a filter circuit in which an area occupied by the circuit can be reduced by suppressing the scale of its circuit configuration while a predetermined vicinity disturbance wave rejection ratio is maintained and a communication semiconductor device using the same, the filter circuit filtering an analog signal and including a voltage/current conversion circuit for converting the analog signal from voltage to current, and a capacitor array which executes signal processing by charging/discharging the current converted by the voltage/current conversion circuit to/from plural capacitors, the capacitor array being so constructed that the plural capacitors are divided to plural stages so that signals averaged by the capacitor on a preceding stage are accumulated in the capacitor on a next stage successively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Inventors: Tomohiro SANO, Takaya Maruyama, Hisayasu Sato
  • Patent number: 7498798
    Abstract: A current-to-voltage detection circuit includes a detection circuit, a reference voltage component, a resistor component, a load, a detection part and an amplifier. The detection circuit uses the reference voltage component to produce a fixed reference voltage which comes up with a reference potential at a point B. When the load is turned on to form a system loop, a grounding end of the detection part can produce a reference potential of tiny mV at a point A. A common reference potential is produced at a point C upon comparing the point A with the point B. When the reference potential at the point A is greater than the reference potential at the point B, a voltage at the output end of the amplifier is converted from a low potential into a high potential, and a circuit of related system can be controlled by a change between the potentials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Iwei Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: I-Chang Chang
  • Publication number: 20090033373
    Abstract: A programmable after-package, on-chip reference voltage trim circuit for an integrated circuit having a plurality of programmable trim cells generating a programmed sequence. A converter is provided to convert the bit sequence into a trim current. The trim current is added to an initial value of a reference voltage to be trimmed, as generated by the integrated circuit. Once the correct value of the trim current is determined, isolation circuitry is programmed to isolate the trim circuitry from the remainder of the IC, thereby freeing the logic and package pins associated with the IC for use by users of the IC. The preferred trim circuitry includes fuses which are blown in accordance with a bit value supplied to the trim cell to permanently fix a trim current value, once a best fit value is determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: O2Micro International Limited
    Inventors: You-Yuh Shyr, Sorin Laurentiu Negru
  • Patent number: 7486285
    Abstract: To simplify s configuration of a current mode DA converter. A data line driving circuit includes DA converting units U1 to Un. Each DA converting unit U1 to Un a voltage DA converting circuit for generating an analog voltage signal Sv based on image data, a V/I converting circuit for converting the analog voltage signal Sv into an analog current signal Si, and a voltage current selector for selecting one of the analog voltage signal Sv and the analog current signal Si based on a pre-charge control signal CTL. In addition, the analog voltage signal Sv outputted from the voltage current selector serves as a pre-charge voltage, and the analog current signal Si serves as a driving current of an OLED element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Jo, Toshiyuki Kasai
  • Patent number: 7479812
    Abstract: A feed-forward path is combined with a feed-back path to produce an output signal representation of an input signal frequency. The feed-forward path adjusts the output signal representation in response to a change in the input signal frequency, and does so in a response time that is independent of the feed-back path. Input frequencies can be represented as voltages, and first and second input frequency ranges which differ from one another can both be represented in the same range of voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: George Adrian Hariman, Kenji Tomiyoshi
  • Patent number: 7476839
    Abstract: An operational amplifier including a pair of differential input transistors is provided with a feedback resistor switching circuit and a variable current source. When a loaded optical disk is a DVD-ROM, the feedback resistor switching circuit reduces a gain of the operational amplifier and the variable current source selects a large current (of, for example, 1 mA) as a common bias current supplied to the differential input transistors. When the loaded optical disk is a DVD-RAM with low reflectance and low recording/reproducing speed, the feedback resistor switching circuit enhances the gain of the operational amplifier and the variable current source selects a small current (of, for example, 0.5 mA) as the common bias current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yamaguchi, Masaki Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 7474130
    Abstract: A voltage-to-current converter providing an output current with compensation for process-voltage-temperature (PVT) variations of a component in the voltage-to-current converter. The voltage-to-current converter includes a first voltage-to-current converter branch, a second voltage-to-current converter branch, and a compensation current path. The first voltage-to-current converter provides a first current to the output of the voltage-to-current converter based on a variable control voltage. The second voltage-to-current converter branch provides a second current based on a fixed voltage. The compensation current path provides a compensation current from the second voltage-to-current branch to the first voltage-to-current converter branch compensating variations in the first current caused by the PVT variations of the component in the first voltage-to-current converter branch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: iWatt Inc.
    Inventors: Ping Lo, Xuecheng Jin
  • Publication number: 20080315925
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a regulator circuit that generates a voltage in response to an input current being supplied to an input terminal and functional circuitry, powered by the voltage generated by the regulator circuit. The functional circuitry, e.g., an oscillator, generates a signal using the generated voltage, the signal indicative that the current is being supplied to the apparatus. The signal can be provided over an isolation link to provide a control signal for controlling a high voltage driver circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Inventors: Donald E. Alfano, Timothy J. Dupuis, Zhiwei Dong, Brett E. Etter
  • Publication number: 20080315923
    Abstract: An interface such a PCI-E interface may comprise a transmitter and a compensation circuit. In one embodiment, the transmitter may comprise a transmit driver, which may use a push-pull configuration. The transmit driver may require stable voltages such as (Vdd/2+0.25) and (Vdd/2?0.25) Volts. The compensation circuit may comprise a voltage generator circuit and a dummy driver circuit. The dummy driver may be a replica of the transmit driver. A correction module may generate correction factors based on the deviation of the voltages generated by the dummy driver from the voltages generated by the voltage generator. The voltages provided to the transmit driver are corrected based on the correction factors to compensate for the deviation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Inventors: Pradeepkumar S. Kuttuva, Shivraj G. Dharne
  • Patent number: 7466192
    Abstract: A low-pass filter with a high signal-to-noise ratio is provided. A low-pass filter includes a first RC filter circuit, a differential operation circuit subtracting an output signal from a low frequency component of an input signal and outputting a differential signal, a second RC filter circuit, a voltage-current conversion circuit, and a capacitor. The voltage-current conversion circuit includes an operational amplifier, a first resistor, and a feedback circuit generating a feedback voltage in accordance with a voltage applied to the first resistor. If resistance values of first to fourth resistors are R1, R2, R3, R4, a relational expression of R1*R3=R2*R4 is satisfied, and output current i becomes constant regardless of a resistance value of a load resistance. Since only a first resistor is connected between the input and the output of the voltage-current conversion circuit, thermal noise decreases, and a signal-to-noise ratio becomes high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Onkyo Corporation
    Inventors: Masatoshi Nakabo, Mamoru Sekiya, Masaaki Inoue
  • Publication number: 20080278200
    Abstract: A voltage interpolation buffer for interpolating voltages by adjusting ratio of bias currents includes a first difference voltage to current unit for outputting corresponding difference current according to a first voltage, a first bias current and voltage of a voltage output end, a second difference voltage to current unit for outputting corresponding difference current according to a second voltage, a second bias current and the voltage of the voltage output end, and a current to voltage unit coupled to the first difference voltage to current unit, the second difference voltage to current unit and the voltage output end for outputting a interpolation result of the first voltage and the second voltage corresponding to a ratio of the first bias current and the second bias current according to the difference currents outputted by the first difference voltage to current unit and the second difference voltage to current unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Inventors: Wei-Ta Chiu, Wen-Shian Shie
  • Publication number: 20080252365
    Abstract: A method for tuning a filter is provided. The method includes: enabling a VCO circuit, wherein at least a portion of the VCO circuit is selected from the filter; generating an oscillation signal by the VCO circuit according to a driving signal; comparing the oscillation signal with a reference signal and generating a comparison result; and adjusting the driving signal according to the comparison result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2008
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Inventors: Wei-Hsuan Tu, Tse-Hsiang Hsu
  • Patent number: 7436222
    Abstract: A programmable after-package, on-chip reference voltage trim circuit for an integrated circuit having a plurality of programmable trim cells generating a programmed sequence. A converter is provided to convert the bit sequence into a trim current. The trim current is added to an initial value of a reference voltage to be trimmed, as generated by the integrated circuit. Once the correct value of the trim current is determined, isolation circuitry is programmed to isolate the trim circuitry from the remainder of the IC, thereby freeing the logic and package pins associated with the IC for use by users of the IC. The preferred trim circuitry includes fuses which are blown in accordance with a bit value supplied to the trim cell to permanently fix a trim current value, once a best fit value is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: O2Micro International Limited
    Inventors: You-Yuh Shyr, Sorin Laurentiu Negru
  • Patent number: 7436165
    Abstract: An apparatus adapted to measure of current pulses that are very brief (a few nanoseconds) and of very low amplitude (a few microamps), such as those that can emanate from a photodetector used for the optical transmission of data at very high speed, or from a photodetector (photodiode or photoconductor) subject to a radiation that is of pulsed nature (in particular: X, gamma and other radiations). The circuit includes an integration stage (IT), a differentiation stage (DR), and a subtraction stage (SS). The time constants Rp.Cint and R2.C2 of the integration and differentiation stages are preferably equal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Commissariat A l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Patrice Ouvrier-Buffet, Jean-Pierre Rostaing
  • Publication number: 20080238532
    Abstract: With an ultrasound pulser suitable for application to a medical ultrasound system, and so forth, a high voltage power supply of a transducer drive circuitry, on both high potential and low potential sides, is rendered variable in a range of 0 V on the order of ±200 V, thereby implementing a semiconductor integrated circuit wherein a plurality of the ultrasound pulsers corresponding to a plurality of channels, respectively, are integrally formed on a small area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventors: Satoshi Hanazawa, Hiroyasu Yoshizawa
  • Patent number: 7430235
    Abstract: An apparatus for providing a multi-mode interface between a baseband receiver and radio frequency (RF) circuitry. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the apparatus includes a first differential-to-single-ended converter, a second differential-to-single-ended converter and an analog-to-digital converter. The first differential-to-single-ended converter receives an incoming differential current pair to be converted into a first single-ended voltage signal. The second differential-to-single-ended converter receives an incoming differential voltage pair to be converted into a second single-ended voltage signal. Further, the analog-to-digital converter selectively receives an incoming single-ended voltage signal, the first single-ended voltage signal, or the second single-ended voltage signal to be converted into a digital signal to be further processed by the baseband processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Mediatek Inc.
    Inventors: Tai-Yuan Cheng, Yi-Huei Chen, Jui-Hsi Cheng, Tsung-Liang Lin, Shu-Ping Hsu
  • Publication number: 20080218221
    Abstract: An analog source driving apparatus including an operational amplifier, a first resistor, a second resistor, a variable gain unit and a source driver is provided. A constant gain amplifier is composed with the operational amplifier, the first resistor, and the second resistor, wherein the first resistor is coupled between the inverse input terminal of the operational amplifier and the ground, and the second resistor is coupled between the inverse input terminal and the output terminal of the operational amplifier. The variable gain unit is coupled to an analog signal and the non-inverse input terminal of the operational amplifier for adjusting the analog signal to avoid affecting the zero point position and pole position of the system. Accordingly, the analog source driving apparatus can provide a stable driving output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2007
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Applicant: NOVATEK MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Chih-Jen Yen, Chih-Yuan Hsieh
  • Patent number: 7417486
    Abstract: A cross-coupled low-distortion voltage-current conversion circuit has transistors T1 to T6. At least one of the transistors has parallel connections of two or more transistors. By arbitrarily setting the number of parallel connections of the transistors T1 to T6, the current distributions of the circuits are optimized while maintaining the conventional low-distortion operation. The invention finds applications in amplifiers and mixers that need to be operated with low distortion and low power consumption. The invention provides a cross-coupled low-distortion voltage-current conversion circuit that has freedom of design and improved performance without increasing power consumption over the entire circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masato Koutani, Kunihiko Iizuka
  • Patent number: 7418250
    Abstract: Because there are different voltages at two current output terminals of a current divider, the voltages at the current input terminals of two current switch circuits are not affected mutually even with a large amplitude of local signals. Accordingly, the performance of a quadrature mixer can be enhanced by increasing the amplitude of the local signals. Bias currents are supplied to the two current switch circuits through the current divider from a common DC current source which essentially supplies a bias current to a V/I converter and, therefore, power consumption is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Yutaka Igarashi, Isao Ikuta, Akio Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7417439
    Abstract: An impedance conversion circuit including: a first voltage-to-current converter and a second voltage-to-current converter supplied with differential input signal voltages; an inverting amplifier; and a third voltage-to-current converter for feedback; wherein a first resistance and a second resistance are connected in series with each other between an input terminal and an output terminal of the inverting amplifier, an output terminal of the first voltage-to-current converter is connected to the input terminal of the inverting amplifier, an output terminal of the second voltage-to-current converter is connected to a connection node of the first resistance and the second resistance, the output terminal of the inverting amplifier is connected to an input terminal of the third voltage-to-current converter, an output terminal of the third voltage-to-current converter is connected to an input terminal of the first voltage-to-current converter, and an impedance is connected between the connection node and a ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Hirabayashi, Kenji Komori
  • Publication number: 20080197890
    Abstract: A light receiving circuit according to the present invention includes a current control voltage generation circuit 10 outputting control voltages Vcont1 and Vcont2, a first current adjusting circuit 11 generating a first output current Io1 by regulating a first input current Ii1 depending on a voltage difference of the control voltages Vcont1 and Vcont2, the first input current Ii1 generated by adding a first reference current Ia1 and an input current Ipd, a second current adjusting circuit 12 generating a second output current Io2 by regulating a second reference current Ia2 depending on the voltage difference of the control voltages Vcont1 and Vcont2, and a current voltage conversion circuit 13 generating a first output voltage Vo1 by converting the first output current Io1 to voltage based on a first resistance Rf1 and generating a second output voltage Vo2 by converting the second output current Io2 to voltage based on a second resistance Rf2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Applicant: NEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kei Yoshikawa, Ryusuke Shibata, Tokio Sawataishi, Nobuo Nagano, Koichi Iguchi
  • Patent number: 7414434
    Abstract: An input circuit is provided that can identify three states of an external signal without complicated voltage adjustment and that can reduce the power consumption in a standby state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Fujimura
  • Publication number: 20080192518
    Abstract: An arrangement having a first converting element configured to convert an input current linearly into an auxiliary current, a second converting element configured to convert the auxiliary current into an output voltage, and a separating element configured to separate slow changes of the auxiliary current from fast changes of the auxiliary current, wherein the first, second, and separating elements are arranged as a dynamic control loop regulating the input current with the slow changes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2007
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Applicants: Infineon Technlogies Austria AG, Technische Universitaet Graz
    Inventors: ALBERT MISSONI, Christian Klapf
  • Patent number: 7406339
    Abstract: An on-chip detection circuit automatically detects when an external switch has been activated. When the device is initialized, the detection circuit measures the operating current and coverts the information into an analog voltage. The analog voltage is then processed through an on-chip analog-to-digital converter and the digitized result is stored as a reference value. To sense the open and close action of the off-chip mechanical switch, the device then takes a sample of the operating current periodically, digitizes this information and compares the sampled value to the reference value. A change in value larger than some predetermined level indicates the external switch has been activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Seyfollah Bazarjani, Sean Wang, Vincenzo Peluso, Louis Dominic Oliveira
  • Patent number: 7403063
    Abstract: A tuning method and a tuning apparatus for tuning a filter are disclosed. The tuning method includes: configuring the filter as a VCO; utilizing the VCO to generate an oscillation signal according to a driving signal; comparing a frequency of the oscillation signal with a reference frequency to generate a comparison result; converting the comparison result into the driving signal in order to establish a feedback mechanism. Therefore, the inner components such as the gm and capacitance inside the VCO are completely tuned when the VCO generates an oscillation signal having a wanted frequency. Since the VCO is inside the filter and the components of the filter and the VCO are similar, the driving signal can be utilized to make the filter operate in a desired center frequency under a well-designed relationship between the frequency of the oscillation signal and the center frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: MediaTek Inc.
    Inventors: Wei-Hsuan Tu, Tse-Hsiang Hsu
  • Patent number: 7391169
    Abstract: System and method for processing analog voltage for cold-cathode fluorescent lamp. The system includes a voltage-to-current converter configured to receive an input analog voltage signal and generate a first current signal, and a current processing component configured to receive the first current signal and a predetermined current and generate a second current signal. Additionally, the system includes a current-to-voltage converter configured to receive the second current signal and generate an output analog voltage signal, and a dimming controller configured to receive the output analog voltage signal and generate a control signal for driving at least a cold-cathode fluorescent lamp. The voltage-to-current converter, the current processing component, and the current-to-voltage converter are configured to be biased between a first power supply voltage level and a second power supply voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: On-Bright Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jianfeng Huang, Liqiang Zhu, Zhen Zhu, Lieyi Fang
  • Patent number: 7388387
    Abstract: An electronic circuit and method to determine a resistance value of a resistive element. The circuit includes a current source coupled in series with the resistive element. The current source is configured to force a predetermined value of current through the resistive element and includes a transconducting device coupled to the current source. The transconducting device is configured to sense a voltage across the resistive element and transform the voltage into an output current of the transconducting device such that the output current is not dependent upon any other terminal voltages of the transconducting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Stratosphere Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Terry James Bordelon, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20080136463
    Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for an integrated LC resonant current gain boosting amplifier may include amplifying within a chip, via an on-chip LC current gain circuit, an alternating current (AC) generated by an on-chip voltage-to-current converter, and converting within the chip, via an on-chip current-to-voltage circuit; the amplified alternating current to an output voltage. The on-chip LC current gain circuit comprises only passive components, which may include one or more resistors, one or more capacitors, and one or more inductors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2007
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Inventors: Yuyu Chang, Meng-An Pan
  • Publication number: 20080116942
    Abstract: The invention discloses drive voltage generators. A drive voltage generator comprises a voltage source, a variable current source, and a unity-gain buffer amplifier. The resistor is coupled between the voltage source and the output terminal of the variable current source. The output terminal of the variable current source is coupled to the input terminal of the unity-gain buffer amplifier, and the output terminal of the unity-gain buffer amplifier acts as the output terminal of the drive voltage current source, and has a voltage level varying with the variable current source. In some embodiments, the variable current source is realized by current mirror techniques.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Inventor: Chi-Chang Chen
  • Publication number: 20080094110
    Abstract: The invention relates to transconductor circuits, particularly but not exclusively to a single-ended transconductor circuit (50), balanced transconductor circuits and a filter suitable for use in a wireless transceiver. The single-ended transconductor (50) comprises an inverter (51) having an input (54) and an output (55). A resistive element (58) is connected between the input (54) and the output (55).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2005
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS, N.V.
    Inventor: John B. Hughes
  • Patent number: 7362189
    Abstract: A voltage controlled current source outputs oscillator drive current and oscillator equivalent current. A signal oscillator outputs first source oscillation signal and second source oscillation signal. A differential amplifier outputs first amplification oscillation signal and second amplification oscillation signal. First switch circuit and second switch circuit output first current oscillation signal and second current oscillation signal, respectively. A first current value converter-amplifier circuit converts a value of the first current oscillation signal whereas a second current value converter-amplifier circuit converts a value of the second current oscillation signal, so that the thus converted values become output current finally. An adder outputs to the differential amplifier a differential amplifier drive current in which equivalent current for use with conversion is added up with the oscillator equivalent current outputted from the voltage controlled current source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Kakiuchi, Takeshi Wakii, Sho Maruyama
  • Publication number: 20080077346
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for internally calibrating a direct conversion receiver (DCR) through feeding a calibration signal via ESD protection circuitry is disclosed. The apparatus includes an internal signal generator for generating a calibration signal, a front-end input stage for receiving an RF signal at an input node, an ESD protection unit for protecting against electrostatic discharge, and a switch unit coupled to the ESD protection unit, for selectively passing a calibration signal to the front-end input stage, whereby the connection of the switch unit and the ESD protection unit means that when the DCR is operating in normal mode, the switch unit will not affect the noise performance and matching of the receiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Inventors: Bing-Jye Kuo, Shou-Tsung Wang
  • Publication number: 20080042944
    Abstract: A voltage-current converting circuit turns on a transistor M1a to give a blanking signal to the gate of a transistor M5a (PMOS transistor) through capacities C1a and C2a, and turns on a transistor M3a with the transistor M5a diode-connected to supply a current from a power source voltage VCC. Next, the voltage-current converting circuit turns off the transistor M3a to intercept the supply of the current, and then resets the capacities C1a and C2a so that the gate of the transistor M5a may take a threshold voltage. Next, the voltage-current converting circuit turns off a transistor M7a to intercept the current path between the drain of the transistor M5a and the ground potential GND. In this state, the voltage-current converting circuit turns on the transistor M5a to give the video signal to the gate of the transistor M5a through the capacities C1a and C2a. Next, the voltage-current converting circuit turns on the transistor M6a to form a current path between the transistor M5a and a signal line data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Publication date: February 21, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Somei Kawasaki, Takanori Yamashita
  • Patent number: 7332957
    Abstract: A constant current circuit that generates a constant output current corresponding to an input voltage, comprises a differential amplifying unit to which the input voltage and a feedback voltage to be compared therewith are applied, the differential amplifying unit outputting a differential voltage, a first transistor with a first control electrode to which the differential voltage is applied, a first diode element that is connected to a power-supply side electrode of the first transistor, one or a plurality of second transistors that generates the output current, a feedback voltage conversion block that converts the duplicated current of the diode current flowing through the second transistor into the feedback voltage, and a constant current loading unit that is connected to a ground side electrode of the first transistor, the constant current loading unit making a voltage change in the ground side electrode follow a voltage change in the first control electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuo Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20080012607
    Abstract: An upper end voltage and a lower end voltage of a current detection resistor Rs are supplied, via first and second switches S1 and S2, to one end of a main capacitor Ci. A reference voltage VREF is supplied, via a third switch S3, to the other end of the main capacitor Ci. The operational amplifier OP has a negative input terminal to which a voltage of the other end of the main capacitor Ci is supplied and a positive input terminal to which the reference voltage VREF is supplied. The circuit performs an operation for charging the main capacitor Ci with a voltage corresponding to a difference between the lower end voltage and the reference voltage in a state where the first and third switches S1 and S3 are turned on and the second switch S2 is turned off.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Publication date: January 17, 2008
    Applicant: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinji Kurihara
  • Publication number: 20080012606
    Abstract: A current to voltage converter that includes a first voltage generator to generate a first voltage according to an input current. a reference voltage generator to output a first reference voltage which is higher than the first voltage, a second voltage generator to generate a second voltage which is lower than the first voltage and fluctuate with a delay in response to a fluctuation in the first voltage, a first comparing unit to compare the first reference voltage with the second voltage and select either the first reference voltage or the second voltage and a second comparing unit to compare the second reference voltage with the first voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2007
    Publication date: January 17, 2008
    Applicant: NEC ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuji Fujita
  • Patent number: 7319346
    Abstract: A programmable after-package, on-chip reference voltage trim circuit for an integrated circuit having a plurality of programmable trim cells generating a programmed sequence. A converter is provided to convert the bit sequence into a trim current. The trim current is added to an initial value of a reference voltage to be trimmed, as generated by the integrated circuit. Once the correct value of the trim current is determined, isolation circuitry is programmed to isolate the trim circuitry from the remainder of the IC, thereby freeing the logic and package pins associated with the IC for use by users of the IC. The preferred trim circuitry includes fuses which are blown in accordance with a bit value supplied to the trim cell to permanently fix a trim current value, once a best fit value is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2008
    Assignee: O2Micro International Limited
    Inventors: You-Yuh Shyr, Sorin Laurentiu Negru
  • Patent number: 7292835
    Abstract: Frequency translation and applications of same are described herein, including cable modem applications. Such applications include, but are not limited to, frequency down-conversion, frequency up-conversion, enhanced signal reception, unified down-conversion and filtering, and combinations and applications of same. Furthermore, QAM, QPSK, and other modulation techniques are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: ParkerVision, Inc.
    Inventors: David F. Sorrells, Michael J. Bultman, Robert W. Cook, Richard C. Looke, Charley D. Moses, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7274916
    Abstract: A differential signal receiver and method is disclosed. One embodiment relates to a receiver for receiving a differential signal. The receiver includes a first voltage-to-current converter that converts the voltage received at a first input to a first current, and a second voltage-to-current converter that converts a voltage signal received at a second input to a second current. A current subtractor provides a difference current of the first and second currents that is indicative of the differential signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Mohammad A. Al-Shyoukh, Narasimhan R. Trichy
  • Patent number: 7268720
    Abstract: Reference network embodiments are disclosed that provide reference signals to, for example, switched-capacitor multiplying digital-to-analog converters (MDACs) in pipelined analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). These embodiments are configured to maintain accuracy of the levels of the reference signals in the presence of high speed charge-injection and charge-extraction currents which are presented by the MDACs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank M. Murden
  • Patent number: 7266171
    Abstract: A communication apparatus includes a phase-locked loop circuit which receives a first signal having a frequency and converts it into an output signal having a transmission frequency and includes a current output type phase comparator which converts a phase difference between the first signal and a second signal into a current signal, a low pass filter which filters the current signal of the current output type phase comparator to produce an output signal a voltage controlled oscillator which produces an output signal having a transmission frequency corresponding to the output signal of the low pass filter the output signal of the voltage controlled oscillator constituting the output signal of the phase-locked loop circuit, a frequency converter which frequency-converts the output signal of the voltage controlled oscillator to produce the second signal, and a current source which supplies a current to an input of the low pass filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignees: Renesas Technology Corp., The Technology Partnership PLC.
    Inventors: Taizo Yamawaki, Masaru Kokubo, Tomio Furuya, Kazuo Watanabe, Julian Hildersley
  • Patent number: 7259596
    Abstract: A voltage (UE1, UE2), other than a supply voltage (UV1, UV2), is monitored and controlled to avoid damage to circuit components by maintaining a required voltage level. Dissipation power losses are reduced by switching off a monitoring circuit when monitoring is not required. For this purpose a stepped down voltage is derived from the voltage to be monitored at a tap (N1) of a voltage divider connected between ground potential and the voltage to be monitored. The derived voltage is then evaluated, for example by comparing with a reference voltage. A controllable switch is connected in series with two voltage divider elements. The switch is controlled to open for switching off the voltage divider when monitoring is not needed. The switch is closed to activate the voltage divider when monitoring is needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: ATMEL Germany GmbH
    Inventor: Ullrich Drusenthal
  • Patent number: 7239184
    Abstract: A low power and high efficiency voltage-to-current (V/I) converter designed with few parts and having improved power supply rejection. The V/I converter may include an op-amp, a MOSFET, and a first and second voltage dividers. The first voltage divider circuit may include a first, second, third, and fourth resistors. A source terminal of the MOSFET may be connected to a junction of the third and fourth resistors and the fourth resistor may be connected to a positive supply rail. Also, an inverting input terminal of the op-amp may be coupled to a junction of the second and third resistors. Additionally, the second resistor may be coupled to the first resistor, which may be connected to an input terminal of the V/I converter. The V/I converter typically has very good DC rejection of the power supply because the first and second voltage dividers are designed to have the same ratios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: National Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Raffaele Cetrulo, Mark Whittington
  • Patent number: 7235981
    Abstract: An impedance conversion circuit including: a first voltage-to-current converter and a second voltage-to-current converter supplied with differential input signal voltages; an inverting amplifier; and a third voltage-to-current converter for feedback; wherein a first resistance and a second resistance are connected in series with each other between an input terminal and an output terminal of the inverting amplifier, an output terminal of the first voltage-to-current converter is connected to the input terminal of the inverting amplifier, an output terminal of the second voltage-to-current converter is connected to a connection node of the first resistance and the second resistance, the output terminal of the inverting amplifier is connected to an input terminal of the third voltage-to-current converter, an output terminal of the third voltage-to-current converter is connected to an input terminal of the first voltage-to-current converter, and an impedance is connected between the connection node and a ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Hirabayashi, Kenji Komori
  • Patent number: 7224193
    Abstract: A CV conversion circuit capable of measuring a plurality of capacitances with a simple circuit is provided. A time-division signal is applied to each capacitor, whereby a plurality of capacitances of the capacitors can be measured in series by a circuit with a small number of components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Minoru Sudou, Mitsuo Yarita, Kenji Kato
  • Patent number: 7196555
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an input port, an output port, a resistor, and a current amplifier. The current amplifier includes an input circuit and an output circuit. The resistor is coupled to the input port. The input circuit is coupled to the resistor and the output circuit. The output circuit is coupled to the output port, the input circuit and the output circuit. The input circuit and output circuit have substantially identical topologies. A method includes receiving an input voltage signal, converting the input voltage signal to a current signal, and processing the current signal to form a feedback signal and an output current signal that is a substantially linear representation of the input voltage signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Stewart S. Taylor
  • Patent number: 7184739
    Abstract: Because there are different voltages at two current output terminals of a current divider, the voltages at the current input terminals of two current switch circuits are not affected mutually even with a large amplitude of local signals. Accordingly, the performance of a quadrature mixer can be enhanced by increasing the amplitude of the local signals. Bias currents are supplied to the two current switch circuits through the current divider from a common DC current source which essentially supplies a bias current to a V/I converter and, therefore, power consumption is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Yutaka Igarashi, Isao Ikuta, Akio Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7167028
    Abstract: An output signal of an error amplifier 5, which has a reference terminal to which a voltage having no temperature characteristics fluctuation is applied and which has a detection terminal to which a voltage detecting terminal VO2 is connected, is transmitted to the control terminal of a switching element 6. Voltage fluctuation at the voltage detecting terminal VO2 is output as a current signal by a V-1 conversion circuit constituted by a current mirror circuit having a constant current source 4, the switching element 6, and switching elements 7 and 8 to a detected signal output terminal PC via the error amplifier 5. The signal is transmitted to the outside by a optical coupler 14 to control a voltage at an output voltage terminal VOUT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Hachiya
  • Patent number: 7132889
    Abstract: A translinear variable-gain amplifier. The translinear variable gain amplifier receives a differential input voltage and produces a differential output current having a selected gain. The amplifier comprises a buffer amplifier that receives the differential input voltage and produces a differential input current. The amplifier further comprises a translinear gain cell coupled to receive the differential input current and produce the differential output current. The gain cell includes a first adjustable bias source that operates to set a linear input range of the gain cell, and a second adjustable bias source that operates to set a gain value of the gain cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Sequoia Communications
    Inventors: John B. Groe, Michael Farias
  • Patent number: 7123081
    Abstract: A constant current source comprises a FET, a bandgap reference voltage source coupled to its gate terminal and a resistor coupled to its source terminal. The width and length of the FET are configured so that the temperature coefficient (TEMPCO) of Vgs of the transistor offsets the TEMPCO of the resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Agere Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Jason Perry Lyon