Amplifier circuit, corresponding system and device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10250208-B2
Application number	US-201816122336-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2018
Priority date	Sep 7, 2017
Publication date	Apr 2, 2019
Grant date	Apr 2, 2019

Abstract

A circuit for amplifying signals from a Micro Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) capacitive sensor is provided. First and second input nodes receive a sensing signal applied differentially between the input nodes. A first amplifier stage and a second amplifier stage, respectively, produce a differential output signal between first and second output nodes. A common mode signal is detected at the output nodes. A voltage divider having an intermediate tap node is coupled between the first output node and the second output node. A feedback stage is coupled between the tap node of the voltage divider and the inputs of the first amplifier stage and the second amplifier stage, where the feedback line is sensitive to the common mode signal at the output nodes.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A circuit, including:
a first input node and a second input node that are configured to differentially receive a sensing signal,
a first output node and a second output node,
a first amplifier stage having a first input coupled to the first input node, an output coupled to the first output node, and a second input,
a second amplifier stage having a first input coupled to the second input node, a second input, and an output coupled to the second output node, the first and second amplifiers being configured to produce a differential output signal between the first output node and the second output node and a common mode signal at both the first and second output nodes,
a voltage divider set between the first output node and the second output node, and having an intermediate tap node, and
a feedback stage coupled to the tap node of the voltage divider, the second input of the first amplifier stage, and the second input of the second amplifier stage, wherein the feedback stage is sensitive to the common mode signal at the output nodes.

2. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the feedback stage is coupled to the tap node of the voltage divider and a common node that is respectively capacitively coupled to the second input of the first amplifier stage and the second input of the second amplifier stage.

3. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first amplifier stage includes a first differential amplifier, and the second amplifier stage includes a second differential amplifier, wherein:
the second inputs of the first amplifier stage and the second amplifier stage are coupled to the feedback stage.

4. The circuit of claim 3 , wherein the first differential amplifier has a non-inverting input coupled to the first input node and an inverting input coupled to the feedback stage and the second differential amplifier has a non-inverting input coupled to the second input node and an inverting input coupled to the feedback stage.

5. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein:
the first amplifier stage includes: a first capacitive feedback network that includes a first capacitor coupled between the feedback stage and the second input of the first amplifier stage, and a second capacitor coupled between the first output node and the second input of the first amplifier stage, and
the second amplifier stage includes a second capacitive feedback network that includes a first capacitor coupled between the feedback stage and the second input of the second amplifier stage, and a second capacitor coupled between the second output node and the second input of the second amplifier stage.

6. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the feedback stage includes a further amplifier stage including:
a first input coupled to the tap node of the voltage divider,
a second input configured to receive a common mode reference signal,
an output coupled to the second inputs of the first amplifier stage and the second amplifier stage.

7. The circuit of claim 6 , wherein the further amplifier stage includes a resistive feedback network including:
a first resistor coupled between the second input and the output of the further amplifier stage, and
a second resistor having a first side coupled to the second input and a second side configured to receive the common mode reference signal.

8. A system, including:
a first input node and a second input node that are configured to differentially receive a sensing signal,
a first output node and a second output node,
a first amplifier stage having a first input coupled to the first input node, an output coupled to the first output node, and a second input,
a second amplifier stage having a first input coupled to the second input node, a second input, and an output coupled to the second output node, the first and second amplifiers being configured to produce a differential output signal between the first output node and the second output node and a common mode signal at both the first and second output nodes,
a voltage divider set between the first output node and the second output node, and having an intermediate tap node,
a feedback stage coupled to the tap node of the voltage divider, the second input of the first amplifier stage, and the second input of the second amplifier stage, wherein the feedback stage is sensitive to the common mode signal at the output nodes, and
a sensor coupled to the first input node and the second input node and configured to provide the sensing signal differentially to the first and second input nodes.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the sensor is capacitive microphonic sensor.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the feedback stage is coupled to the tap node of the voltage divider and a common node that is respectively capacitively coupled to the second input of the first amplifier stage and the second input of the second amplifier stage.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first amplifier stage includes a first differential amplifier, and the second amplifier stage includes a second differential amplifier, wherein:
the second inputs of the first amplifier stage and the second amplifier stage are coupled to the feedback stage.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first differential amplifier has a non-inverting input coupled to the first input node and an inverting input coupled to the feedback stage and the second differential amplifier has a non-inverting input coupled to the second input node and an inverting input coupled to the feedback stage.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein:
the first amplifier stage includes: a first capacitive feedback network that includes a first capacitor coupled between the feedback stage and the second input of the first amplifier stage, and a second capacitor coupled between the first output node and the second input of the first amplifier stage, and
the second amplifier stage includes a second capacitive feedback network that includes a first capacitor coupled between the feedback stage and the second input of the second amplifier stage, and a second capacitor coupled between the second output node and the second input of the second amplifier stage.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the feedback stage includes a further amplifier stage including:
a first input coupled to the tap node of the voltage divider,
a second input configured to receive a common mode reference signal,
an output coupled to the second inputs of the first amplifier stage and the second amplifier stage.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the further amplifier stage includes a resistive feedback network including:
a first resistor coupled between the second input and the output of the further amplifier stage, and
a second resistor having a first side coupled to the second input and a second side configured to receive the common mode reference signal.

16. A Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) device, comprising:
a first input node and a second input node that are configured to differentially receive a sensing signal,
a first output node and a second output node,
a first amplifier stage having a first input coupled to the first input node, an output coupled to the first output node, and a second input,
a second amplifier stage having a first input coupled to the second input node, a second input, and an output coupled to the second output node, the first and second amplifiers being configured to produce a differential output signal between the first output node and the second output node and a common mode signal at both the first and second output nodes,
a voltage divider set between the first out

Assignees

• St Microelectronics Srl

Inventors

• Marino Edoardo

Classifications

• H03F2203/45518

  the FBC comprising one or more diodes and being coupled between the LC and the IC · CPC title

• H03F2203/45594

  the IC comprising one or more resistors, which are not biasing resistor · CPC title

• H04R19/005

  using semiconductor materials · CPC title

• H03F3/45941

  Controlling the input circuit of the differential amplifier · CPC title

• H03F2203/45552

  the IC comprising clamping means, e.g. diodes · CPC title