Including Current Mirror Amplifier Patents (Class 330/288)
  • Patent number: 12142305
    Abstract: A data delay circuit, for delaying a portion of a data signal for application to a write head of a hard disk drive, includes a data delay cell including two inverters and a charge current source for charging at least one of the inverters, and a bias circuit for programming delay of the data delay cell. The bias circuit is in current-mirroring relationship with the charge current source and includes a current-based digital-to-analog converter (DAC) for programmably selecting the delay of the data delay cell, and a reference current source for the DAC. The data delay cell and the bias circuit are subject to gain error, and the data delay circuit further includes compensation circuitry for reducing the effect of the gain error. The compensation circuitry may include replica charge current and reference current sources that are fed back through a gain cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Ltd
    Inventors: Kai Wu, Devrishi Khanna, Lei Mei
  • Patent number: 12130651
    Abstract: A current mirror circuit includes a first MOS-type transistor and a second MOS-type transistor assembled as a current mirror, wherein the first transistor has a first gate length different from a second gate length of the second transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Grenoble 2) SAS
    Inventor: Renald Boulestin
  • Patent number: 11990874
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for practical realization of an integrated circuit comprising a stack of transistors operating as an RF amplifier are described. As stack height is increased, capacitance values of gate capacitors used to provide a desired distribution of an RF voltage at the output of the amplifier across the stack may decrease to values approaching parasitic/stray capacitance values present in the integrated circuit which may render the practical realization of the integrated circuit difficult. Coupling of an RF gate voltage at the gate of one transistor of the stack to a gate of a different transistor of the stack can allow for an increase in the capacitance value of the gate capacitor of the different transistor for obtaining an RF voltage at the gate of the different transistor according to the desired distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: pSemi Corporation
    Inventor: Jaroslaw Adamski
  • Patent number: 11973367
    Abstract: A circuit for effectively controlling the process of pre-charging a power capacitor, comprising an integrator circuit consisting of an operational amplifier implementing a voltage dependent current source, the power capacitor is being connected between the output of the integrator and ground; a high side driver connected to the positive input of the integrator via a serial current limiting resistor, for generating control signals provided to the dependent current source, the negative terminal of the driver being connected to the negative input of the integrator; a control capacitor connected between the positive input of the operational amplifier and ground. Upon activating the driver by an activation pulse, the power capacitor is being charged in a constant current determined by the current limiting resistor, until reaching a desired voltage, while the voltage across the power capacitor follows the volage across the control capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: IRP Nexus Group Ltd.
    Inventors: Shmuel Ben-Yaacov, Yivgeni Semidotskih, Paul Price
  • Patent number: 11971735
    Abstract: A compensation circuit comprising: a first source having an output; a second source having an output; a first transistor having a first current terminal coupled to the output of the first source, a second current terminal coupled to ground and a first control terminal connected to the first current terminal; a second transistor having a second control terminal, a third current terminal coupled to the output of the second source and a fourth current terminal coupled to ground; a first resistor connected between the first control terminal and the second control terminal; and a capacitor having a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal of the capacitor connected to the second control terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Ariel Dario Moctezuma
  • Patent number: 11967949
    Abstract: A current mirror circuit and a current generation circuit are connected in series between a power supply node and a ground node through a first node and a second node. Gates of transistors constituting the current mirror circuit are connected to the node that supplies an off-voltage of the transistors through a first switch, and is connected to the second node through a second switch. The second node is connected to the node that supplies an on-voltage of the transistors through a third switch. Before starting of the circuit, the first switch and the third switch are turned on while the second switch is turned off. After starting of the circuit, on and off of the first to third switches are switched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomokazu Kojima
  • Patent number: 11966247
    Abstract: Methods and devices for a wide-swing cascode current mirror with low headroom voltage and high output impedance are presented. An input leg of the current mirror includes a composite transistor in series connection with an intrinsic transistor. The composite transistor includes two series-connected regular transistors with respective sizes that are twice the size of the intrinsic transistor. An output leg of the current mirror includes a regular transistor in series connection with an intrinsic transistor. A gate voltage of the composite transistor, provided at a node that is common to gates of the two series-connected regular transistors, self-establishes when a reference current flows through the input leg. The self-established gate voltage is used to bias the regular transistor of the output leg. Biasing voltages to gates of the intrinsic transistors is provided by an intermediate node that provides the series connection of the regular transistors of the composite transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: PSEMI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Rogelio Cicili
  • Patent number: 11955932
    Abstract: Bias circuits and methods for silicon-based amplifier architectures that are tolerant of supply and bias voltage variations, bias current variations, and transistor stack height, and compensate for poor output resistance characteristics. Embodiments include power amplifiers and low-noise amplifiers that utilize a cascode reference circuit to bias the final stages of a cascode amplifier under the control of a closed loop bias control circuit. The closed loop bias control circuit ensures that the current in the cascode reference circuit is approximately equal to a selected multiple of a known current value by adjusting the gate bias voltage to the final stage of the cascode amplifier. The final current through the cascode amplifier is a multiple of the current in the cascode reference circuit, based on a device scaling factor representing the relative sizes of the transistor devices in the cascode amplifier and in the cascode reference circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: pSemi Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan James Klaren, David Kovac, Eric S. Shapiro, Christopher C. Murphy, Robert Mark Englekirk, Keith Bargroff, Tero Tapio Ranta
  • Patent number: 11940823
    Abstract: A reference voltage generation circuit includes a band gap reference circuit configured to generate a first reference voltage that depends on a band gap reference voltage and a supply voltage, and a conversion circuit configured to convert the first reference voltage into a second reference voltage. The second reference voltage depends on the band gap reference voltage and a ground voltage. The ground voltage is lower than the supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seiichi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11936340
    Abstract: One example includes a device that is comprised of a pre-power amplifier, a power amplifier, a signal path, and a dynamic bias circuit. The pre-power amplifier amplifies an input signal and outputs a first amplified signal. The power amplifier receives the first amplified signal and amplifies the first amplified signal based on a dynamic bias signal to produce a second amplified signal at an output thereof. The signal path is coupled between an output of the pre-power amplifier and an input of the power amplifier. The dynamic bias circuit monitors the first amplified signal, generates the dynamic bias signal, and outputs the dynamic bias into the signal path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Debapriya Sahu, Rohit Chatterjee
  • Patent number: 11934609
    Abstract: One or more embodiments relate to a multi-bias mode current conveyor. Such a current conveyor may include an input terminal, a reference terminal, an output terminal, a first and second cascoded current mirrors, and a biasing circuit. The first cascoded current mirror and a second cascoded current mirror may be arranged as a current conveyor that is configured to provide an output current that a mirror of an input current. The biasing circuit may be configured to provide a bias voltage selectively exhibiting a first voltage level or a second voltage level. The bias voltage may be provided at least partially responsive to a state of the input current. The biasing circuit may be arranged to apply the bias voltage to at least one of the first cascoded current mirror or the second cascoded current mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
    Inventor: Lei Zou
  • Patent number: 11894813
    Abstract: A push-pull dynamic amplifier is operable in reset and amplification phases. The amplifier includes first NMOS and PMOS input transistors that are electrically coupled to a first input terminal and a first output terminal. Second NMOS and PMOS input transistors are electrically coupled to a second input terminal and a second output terminal. First and second reset switches are electrically coupled to the first and second output terminals, respectively. A power supply switch is electrically coupled to the first and the second PMOS transistors, and a ground switch is electrically coupled to the first and the second NMOS transistors. During the reset phase, the reset switches are closed and the power supply switch and the ground switch are opened. During the amplification phase, the reset switches are opened and the power supply switch and the ground switch are closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Omni Design Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Hae-Seung Lee
  • Patent number: 11881820
    Abstract: A power control circuit includes a negative feedback loop, and a radio frequency signal path including a first NMOS transistor having a gate configured as a radio frequency signal input end, a drain connected with a source of a second NMOS transistor, and a source connected with a ground terminal. A drain of the second NMOS transistor is configured as a radio frequency signal output end and connected with a first voltage source. The negative feedback loop includes a third NMOS transistor having a gate connected with an output end of a differential amplifier, a source connected with the ground terminal, and a drain connected with a source of a fourth NMOS transistor having a gate connected with a reverse input end of the differential amplifier and with a second voltage source, and a drain connected with a forward input end and a first bias current source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: SMARTER MICROELECTRONICS (GUANG ZHOU) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chifeng Liu, Qiang Su, Qiming Wang, Jiangtao Yi
  • Patent number: 11658624
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method including sinking current from a pair of input transistors of a differential amplifier while sourcing more current to the pair of input transistors than is sunk. The method further includes generating a pair of input differential signals using a pair of input voltage regulators, and amplifying a difference between the pair of input differential signals to produce a pair of differential output voltages, using the differential amplifier. The method also includes amplifying the pair of differential output voltages using at least one voltage gain amplifier, and generating control signals for current sources that source the current to the pair of input transistors of the differential amplifier, from the pair of differential output voltages after at least amplification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics International N.V.
    Inventors: Riju Biswas, Ratul Mitra
  • Patent number: 11614368
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to provide an adaptive gate driver for switching devices are disclosed. An example apparatus includes an electrical switch to drive an electrical system; a condition characterizer to select a drive strength based on a first system parameter corresponding to the electrical system, the first system parameter including at least one of an input voltage corresponding to the electrical switch, an output current corresponding to the electrical switch, or a process variation of the electrical switch; and a driver to generate an output having a current corresponding to the selected drive strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Robert Allan Neidorff, Saurav Bandyopadhyay, Thomas Matthew LaBella
  • Patent number: 11611318
    Abstract: A dynamic amplifier includes a common-source amplifier configured to receive a gate voltage at a gate node and output a drain current to a drain node; a current mirror configured to mirror the drain current into an output current to an output current; a source capacitor connected to the source node; a load capacitor connected to the output node; a first switch configured to conditionally connect the gate node to an input voltage; a second switch configured to conditionally connect the gate node to a gate-resetting voltage; a third switch configured to conditionally connect the source node to a source-resetting voltage; a fourth switch configured to conditionally connect the drain node to a drain-resetting voltage; and a fifth switch configured to conditionally connect the output node to an output-resetting voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: REALTEK SEMICONDUCTOR CORP.
    Inventor: Chia-Liang (Leon) Lin
  • Patent number: 11558017
    Abstract: A power amplifier circuit includes a current generator and a current mirror driver. The current generator has a first input connected to a first voltage supply and an output configured to generate a first current. The current generator includes a first transistor, a second transistor, a first resistor and a second resistor. The first transistor has an emitter connected to ground. The second transistor has a base connected to a base of the first transistor and an emitter connected to ground. The first resistor is connected between the first voltage supply and a collector of the first transistor. The second resistor is connected between the first voltage supply and a collector of the second transistor. The current mirror drive has a first input connected to the output of the current generator to receive the first current and an output configured to generate a second current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: ADVANCED SEMICONDUCTOR ENGINEERING, INC.
    Inventor: Jaw-Ming Ding
  • Patent number: 11545938
    Abstract: Power amplification system with adjustable common base bias. A power amplification system can include a cascode amplifier coupled to a radio-frequency input signal and coupled to a radio-frequency output. The power amplification system can further include a biasing component configured to apply one or more biasing signals to the cascode amplifier, the biasing component including a bias controller and one or more bias components. Each respective bias component may be coupled to a respective bias transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip John Lehtola, Scott W. Coffin
  • Patent number: 11482852
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a circuit includes: a supply pin and an output pin for connecting a load, and a configuration pin; a semiconductor switch connected between the supply pin and the output pin and configured to establish or to block a current path between the supply pin and the output pin depending on a control signal; and a control circuit configured to generate the control signal for the semiconductor switch taking account of a first parameter, and set the first parameter depending on a component parameter of an external component connected to the configuration pin. The first parameter is set to a first standard value when the component parameter is less than a first threshold value, and the first parameter is set to a second standard value when the component parameter is greater than a second threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Christian Djelassi-Tscheck, Ulisse Lorenzo Lillo, Michael Luschin, Mario Tripolt
  • Patent number: 11479168
    Abstract: A system/component for a vehicle interior configured to administer a dose of radiation to an object is disclosed. The system/component may comprise a base providing a compartment, a cover, a module comprising a radiation source and a control panel providing a user interface. The radiation source may administer radiation to the object; the user interface may be configured for operation of the module; the user interface may provide a signal; the signal may comprise an audible signal and/or a light signal. The radiation source may comprise an ultraviolet light source. The system may be operated according to a control program. The compartment may contain the object and the light source may comprise an LED arrangement to direct light onto the object in the compartment. The dose of radiation may be intended to sanitize biomatter. A method of operating the system/component is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: SHANGHAI YANFENG JINQIAO AUTOMOTIVE TRIM SYSTEMS CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Shane M. Vorac, Michael John Thomas
  • Patent number: 11469730
    Abstract: A bias structure includes a reference voltage node connected to gate structures of a first NMOS transistor and a second NMOS transistor, a bias voltage node comprising a bias voltage, and a first op amp having a first input connected to the reference voltage, a second input connected to a drain of the first NMOS transistor, and an output connected to gate structures of a first PMOS transistor and a second PMOS transistor. The bias structure further includes a second op amp having a first input connected to the reference voltage, a second input connected to a drain of the second NMOS transistor, and an output connected to a gate structure of a third NMOS transistor and the bias voltage node. The first NMOS transistor matches a transistor of a differential pair of an integrated circuit device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Miao Li, Li Sun, Hao Liu
  • Patent number: 11435382
    Abstract: A current monitoring circuit includes: an output terminal configured to be coupled to a controller; an inverter having an output coupled to the output terminal; a first transconductance amplifier having first and second inputs configured to be coupled across a sense resistive element, and an output coupled to an input of the inverter; and a current generator having a second transconductance amplifier configured to generate a reference current at an output of the current generator based on a reference voltage, the output of the current generator being coupled to the input of the inverter, where the output of the inverter is configured to be in a first state when a load current flowing through the sense resistive element is higher than a predetermined threshold, and in a second state when the load current is lower than the predetermined threshold, and where the predetermined threshold is based on the reference current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Valerio Lo Muzzo, Alberto Gussoni, Ambrogio Bogani, Fabrizio Martignoni, Mattia Fausto Moretti
  • Patent number: 11431299
    Abstract: A bias circuit includes a current generating circuit generating an internal base current based on a reference current, a bias output circuit generating a base bias current based on the internal base current and outputting the base bias current to an amplifying circuit, and a temperature compensation circuit regulating the base bias current based on a temperature voltage reflecting a change in ambient temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyu Jin Choi, Je Hee Cho
  • Patent number: 11392155
    Abstract: A voltage generator circuit can be structured to provide an output voltage having a substantially flat temperature coefficient by use of a circuit loop having transistors and a resistor arranged such that, in operation, current through the resistor has a signed temperature coefficient. The current behavior can be controlled by an output transistor coupled to another transistor, which is coupled to the circuit loop, with this other transistor sized such that, in operation, a voltage of this other transistor has a signed temperature coefficient that is opposite in sign to the signed temperature coefficient of the current through the resistor. Embodiments of voltage generator circuits can also include additional components to trim output voltage, to provide unconditional stability, or other features for the respective voltage generator circuit. In various embodiments, a voltage generator circuit can be implemented as a low drop-out (LDO) voltage regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Analog Devices International Unlimited Company
    Inventor: Gerard Mora-Puchalt
  • Patent number: 11335251
    Abstract: An LED driving apparatus includes a driving circuit and multiple pixel circuits, each including: a pixel line connecting pixel power sources; an LED in series to the pixel line; two pixel MOSFETs connected in series to the pixel line, wherein the first MOSFET is turned on by the driving circuit and the second MOSFET is connected to the first MOSFET source; and a capacitor connected between the two MOSFET gates. The driving circuit includes: a driving line connecting driving power sources; a current source in series to the driving line; two driving MOSFETs connected in series to the driving line, wherein the first driving MOSFET is connected to the first pixel MOSFET gate and the second driving MOSFET is connected to the second pixel MOSFET gate and the first driving MOSFET source; and a switch connected between the gates of the first pixel and the first driving MOSFETs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: SAPIEN SEMICONDUCTORS INC.
    Inventors: Jae Hoon Lee, Jin Woong Jang
  • Patent number: 11309852
    Abstract: A power amplifier includes initial-stage and output-stage amplifier circuits, and initial-stage and output-stage bias circuits. The initial-stage amplifier circuit includes a first high electron mobility transistor having a source electrically connected to a reference potential, and a gate to which a radio-frequency input signal is inputted, and a first heterojunction bipolar transistor having an emitter electrically connected to a drain of the first high electron mobility transistor, a base electrically connected to the reference potential in an alternate-current fashion, and a collector to which direct-current power is supplied and from which a radio-frequency signal is outputted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Isao Obu, Satoshi Tanaka, Takayuki Tsutsui, Yasunari Umemoto
  • Patent number: 11171618
    Abstract: A CMOS trans-impedance amplifier includes an inverting amplifier circuit and a feedback resistor. The inverting amplifier circuit includes an input end and an output end, and the feedback resistor is coupled therebetween. The inverting amplifier circuit includes at least three sequentially-connected amplifier units, and each amplifier unit includes at least three sequentially-connected nFETs, namely an input signal receiving part nFET, an intermediate part nFET and a DC signal receiving part nFET. A common connection terminal of the input signal receiving part nFET and the intermediate part nFET is configured to output an amplified voltage signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: AmpliPHY Technologies Limited
    Inventor: Hehong Zou
  • Patent number: 11085954
    Abstract: A control circuit can be applied to a bias circuit including a first transistor and a second transistor with their gates connected. The first and second transistors are configured to amplify an input reference direct current (DC) current of the bias circuit to obtain a bias DC current. The control circuit includes: a detection circuit configured to compare a first DC voltage with a second DC voltage to obtain a comparison result; the first DC voltage being a drain DC voltage of the first transistor; and the second DC voltage being a drain DC voltage of the second transistor; and an adjustment circuit configured to adjust the first DC voltage and the second DC voltage by using the comparison result, such that the drain DC voltage of the first transistor equals the drain DC voltage of the second transistor when the bias circuit is in operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: SMARTER MICROELECTRONICS (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Ma, Qiang Su, Jiangtao Yi, Yang Li
  • Patent number: 10992271
    Abstract: An amplifier includes a first input transistor, a second input transistor, a first cascode transistor, a second cascode transistor, a first current mirror circuit, and a second current mirror circuit. The first input transistor is coupled to a first input terminal. The second input transistor is coupled to a second input terminal and the first input transistor. The first cascode transistor is coupled to the first input transistor. The second cascode transistor is coupled to the second input transistor and the first cascode transistor. The first current mirror circuit is coupled to the first cascode transistor, the second cascode transistor, and the first input terminal. The second current mirror circuit is coupled to the first cascode transistor, the second cascode transistor, and the second input terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Ravpreet Singh
  • Patent number: 10910999
    Abstract: A bias circuit includes first and second bipolar transistors, first and second field-effect transistors, and a filter circuit. The first field-effect transistor supplies a bias signal to an amplifier. The filter circuit is connected between a collector terminal of the first bipolar transistor and the ground through a base terminal of the first bipolar transistor. The filter circuit has frequency characteristics for attenuating a high frequency component of an RF signal to be input to the amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Soga
  • Patent number: 10848113
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a high performance current source are described. In an example implementation, the current source includes transistors in dual current mirror configuration. The dual mirror configuration employs current feedback to increase the output resistance of the current source while achieving a wide voltage swing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Inventor: Lim Nguyen
  • Patent number: 10756678
    Abstract: Bias circuits and methods for silicon-based amplifier architectures that are tolerant of supply and bias voltage variations, bias current variations, and transistor stack height, and compensate for poor output resistance characteristics. Embodiments include power amplifiers and low-noise amplifiers that utilize a cascode reference circuit to bias the final stages of a cascode amplifier under the control of a closed loop bias control circuit. The closed loop bias control circuit ensures that the current in the cascode reference circuit is approximately equal to a selected multiple of a known current value by adjusting the gate bias voltage to the final stage of the cascode amplifier. The final current through the cascode amplifier is a multiple of the current in the cascode reference circuit, based on a device scaling factor representing the relative sizes of the transistor devices in the cascode amplifier and in the cascode reference circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: pSemi Corporation
    Inventors: Jonathan James Klaren, David Kovac, Eric S. Shapiro, Christopher C. Murphy, Robert Mark Englekirk, Keith Bargroff, Tero Tapio Ranta
  • Patent number: 10680555
    Abstract: A bias circuit includes first and second bipolar transistors, first and second field-effect transistors, and a filter circuit. The first field-effect transistor supplies a bias signal to an amplifier. The filter circuit is connected between a collector terminal of the first bipolar transistor and the ground through a base terminal of the first bipolar transistor. The filter circuit has frequency characteristics for attenuating a high frequency component of an RF signal to be input to the amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takashi Soga
  • Patent number: 10651807
    Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for complementary variable gain amplification. In an example aspect, the apparatus includes a variable gain amplifier that includes multiple amplifiers. The multiple amplifiers include at least one first amplifier and at least one second amplifier cascaded together in series. The first amplifier includes a first set of transistors having a first doping type. At least a portion of the first set of transistors is configured to implement a first current mirror. The second amplifier includes a second set of transistors having a second doping type. At least a portion of the second set of transistors is configured to implement a second current mirror. The second current mirror is coupled to the first current mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Timothy Donald Gathman, Chirag Dipak Patel, Lai Kan Leung, Xinmin Yu
  • Patent number: 10476454
    Abstract: A power amplifier module includes a first current source that outputs a first current corresponding to a level control voltage for controlling a signal level of an amplified signal, a second current source that outputs a second current corresponding to the level control voltage, a first transistor in which an input signal and a first bias current are supplied to a base and an emitter is grounded, a second transistor in which an emitter is connected to a collector of the first transistor, the second current is supplied to a base, and a first amplified signal obtained by amplifying the input signal is output from a collector, and a third transistor in which the first current is supplied to a collector, a bias control current or voltage is supplied to a base, and the first bias current is supplied from an emitter to the base of the first transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shota Ishihara, Seiko Ono, Yusuke Shimamune, Fuminori Morisawa, Shizuki Nakajima, Yuri Honda, Kazuhiro Koshio, Masato Sato
  • Patent number: 10380945
    Abstract: The present invention provides a technology of simultaneously sensing characteristics of a plurality of OLED pixels. Further, a current mirroring circuit for sensing characteristics of OLED pixels can be applied to fields other than sensing characteristics of OLED pixels, and the current mirroring technology can output sensing currents having a uniform magnitude within a predetermined error range to a plurality of output terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: SILICON WORKS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dong Hyun Hwang, Se Won Lee
  • Patent number: 10381990
    Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, the gain expansion in low power mode of a single chain PA is minimized by dynamically adjusting the output impedance of the bias circuit of each gain stage for each mode of operation. Instead of switching in a series attenuator or switching in additional feedback in the first gain stage of a single-chain PA to limit the gain at the increased quiescent current level, this embodiment achieves linear performance by adjusting the quiescent current in each stage to the minimum level that meets the target gain and then increasing the output resistance of the bias circuit of each gain stage in low power mode (LPM) to provide the appropriate level of negative feedback at the base of each amplifying HBT to linearize the gain versus power response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Wade C. Allen
  • Patent number: 10353421
    Abstract: A current mirror device includes an input end for receiving an input signal, an output end for outputting an amplified signal of the input signal, first through third transistors, and an operational amplifier. The first transistor includes a first end coupled to first reference current and a second end coupled to a bias voltage. The control end of the second transistor is coupled to the input end. The third transistor includes a first end coupled to the output end, a second end coupled to the first end of the second transistor and a control end coupled to a reference voltage. The operational amplifier is configured to keep a first voltage and a second voltage at substantially the same level, wherein the first voltage is obtained on the first end of the first transistor and the second voltage is obtained on the first end of the second transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: RichWave Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Chih-Sheng Chen, Tien-Yun Peng
  • Patent number: 10305361
    Abstract: A calibrating digital to analog converter (calDAC) architecture uses a low voltage memory to store the digital inputs of calDACs. The calDAC architecture includes a low voltage domain and a high voltage domain coupled to the low voltage domain. The low voltage domain includes a calDAC memory and a finite state machine (FSM). The high voltage domain includes a calDAC core, an interface circuit, and a bias control circuit coupled to the interface circuit. The interface circuit may be provided between the calDAC core and the low voltage domain. The bias control circuit is coupled to the interface circuit to generate a bias voltage for the interface circuit to drive switch transistors of the calDAC core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Nitz Saputra, Sang Min Lee, Dongwon Seo, Vinay Kundur, Behnam Sedighi, Honghao Ji
  • Patent number: 10256778
    Abstract: A power amplifier module includes a first current source that outputs a first current corresponding to a level control voltage for controlling a signal level of an amplified signal, a second current source that outputs a second current corresponding to the level control voltage, a first transistor in which an input signal and a first bias current are supplied to a base and an emitter is grounded, a second transistor in which an emitter is connected to a collector of the first transistor, the second current is supplied to a base, and a first amplified signal obtained by amplifying the input signal is output from a collector, and a third transistor in which the first current is supplied to a collector, a bias control current or voltage is supplied to a base, and the first bias current is supplied from an emitter to the base of the first transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shota Ishihara, Seiko Ono, Yusuke Shimamune, Fuminori Morisawa, Shizuki Nakajima, Yuri Honda, Kazuhiro Koshio, Masato Sato
  • Patent number: 10250202
    Abstract: Power amplification system with adjustable common base bias. A power amplification system can include a cascode amplifier coupled to a radio-frequency input signal and coupled to a radio-frequency output. The power amplification system can further include a biasing component configured to apply one or more biasing signals to the cascode amplifier, the biasing component including a bias controller and one or more bias components. Each respective bias component may be coupled to a respective bias transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip John Lehtola, Scott W Coffin
  • Patent number: 10230332
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for biasing low noise amplifiers are provided herein. In certain configurations, a low noise amplifier (LNA) includes an input, an output, a transconductance device, a cascode device, a bias current source, and a feedback bias circuit. The transconductance device generates an amplified signal by amplifying an input signal received at the input, and provides the amplified signal to the output via the cascode device. The bias current source generates a bias current that flows through the cascode device and the transconductance device. The feedback bias circuit provides feedback from the LNA's output to the LNA's input to control an input bias voltage of the transconductance device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Engin Ibrahim Pehlivanoglu
  • Patent number: 10218324
    Abstract: At least some embodiments are directed to a system that comprises a differential input transistor pair (DITP) comprising first and second transistors, a first feedback loop coupled to the first transistor, and a second feedback loop coupled to the second transistor. When a differential voltage applied to the input stage is within a first range, the first and second feedback loops control a tail current supplied to the DITP, where the tail current at least partially determines a transconductance of the DITP. When the differential voltage is within a second range, the transconductance of the DITP is at least partially determined by a first resistor in the first feedback loop or by a second resistor in the second feedback loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Vadim Valerievich Ivanov, Srinivas K. Pulijala
  • Patent number: 10148226
    Abstract: A bias circuit includes first to fourth bipolar transistors and a filter circuit. The third bipolar transistor supplies a bias signal to an amplifier. The filter circuit is connected between a collector terminal of the first bipolar transistor and the ground through a base terminal of the first bipolar transistor. The filter circuit has frequency characteristics for attenuating a high frequency component of an RF signal to be input to the amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takashi Soga
  • Patent number: 10027320
    Abstract: A bias circuit providing different bias voltages depending on a power mode through a simple circuit, and a power amplifier having the same are provided. The bias circuit and the power amplifier include a bias setting unit configured to vary a voltage level of a control signal controlling a bias voltage according to an operation of a first transistor being switched-off in a high power mode and switched-on in a low power mode. A bias supplying unit includes a bias supplying transistor switched based on the control signal, to supply the bias voltage having a voltage level according to a switching operation of the bias supplying transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Goo Won, Youn Suk Kim, Yoshiyuki Tonami, Ki Joong Kim
  • Patent number: 9996093
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit for a regulator includes the following: a voltage controlling transistor; a controlling circuit; a first and second transistor; a first external terminal to connect a current voltage converting element; a first and second voltage comparing circuit which compares a converted voltage with a predetermined comparison voltage and determines which is large or small; and a first and second output terminal which externally outputs a result of comparison by the first and second voltage comparing circuit, respectively. When a current larger than a predetermined open-circuit abnormality detecting current value flows in the first transistor, output of the first voltage comparing circuit is inverted. When a current larger than a predetermined short-circuit abnormality detecting current value flows in the second transistor, output of the second voltage comparing circuit is inverted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi Takano, Shinichiro Maki
  • Patent number: 9813030
    Abstract: System-on-chip (SOC) products using high frequency, wideband, highly linear, CMOS and BiCMOS processes will be the next evolution of wireless and wireline communications integrated circuits. Aspects described herein can provide enhanced overall performance over existing prior art single-ended, wideband RF amplifier topologies. A single-ended third order intermodulation distortion nulling circuit can extend the dynamic range for wideband amplifiers up to an order-of-magnitude, without a DC power or noise figure (NF) penalty. The application of distortion nulling can be extended to all the building blocks used in CMOS/BiCMOS RF transceivers to improve performance. The application of this concept to all of the building blocks in an RF transceiver will allow the dynamic range of the transceiver to be increased without suffering a DC power dissipation increase or a significant noise increase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Inventors: Wais M. Ali, Lloyd F. Linder
  • Patent number: 9722542
    Abstract: A power amplification module includes a first transistor which amplifies and outputs a radio frequency signal input to its base; a current source which outputs a control current; a second transistor connected to an output of the current source, a first current from the control current input to its collector, a control voltage generation circuit connected to the output and which generates a control voltage according to a second current from the control current; a first FET, the drain being supplied with a supply voltage, the source being connected to the base of the first transistor, and the gate being supplied with the control voltage; and a second FET, the drain being supplied with the supply voltage, the source being connected to the base of the second transistor, and the gate being supplied with the control voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenichi Shimamoto, Satoshi Tanaka, Tadashi Matsuoka
  • Patent number: 9698853
    Abstract: Various implementations include circuits, devices and/or methods that provide open loop current limiting power amplifiers and the like. In some implementations, an open loop current clamp includes a trim module to provide a control value and a limiting source having respective input and output terminals. The input terminal is coupled to the trim module to receive the control value. The output terminal coupled to a control terminal of the first transistor to provide a limiting electrical level produced in response to the control value by the limiting source. The limiting electrical level substantially setting a first mode of operation for the first transistor such that the current draw of the first transistor is substantially determined by the first mode of operation and the limiting electrical level such that a voltage at an output terminal of the first transistor exerts reduced influence on the current draw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Raymond Andrys, David Steven Ripley, Matthew Lee Banowetz, Kyle James Miller
  • Patent number: 9690316
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes: a source current generation block suitable for generating a source current; a first mirroring block suitable for generating first and second mirroring currents corresponding to the source current; a second mirroring block suitable for generating a third mirroring current and a reference current corresponding to the first mirroring current; a first correction block suitable for correcting a current mismatch between the source current, the first mirroring current and the second mirroring current based on the third mirroring current; and a second correction block suitable for correcting a current mismatch between the first mirroring current, the third mirroring current and the reference current based on the second mirroring current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Gun-Hee Yun