Amplifier circuit with overshoot suppression

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10771016-B2
Application number	US-201916249911-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 17, 2019
Priority date	Oct 29, 2009
Publication date	Sep 8, 2020
Grant date	Sep 8, 2020

Abstract

An amplifier circuit including an input amplifier, an output amplifier and a diode device is provided. The output amplifier is coupled to the input amplifier and outputs an output voltage. The diode device is coupled between an output end and an input end of the output amplifier. When a voltage difference between the output end and the input end of the output amplifier is greater than a barrier voltage of the diode device, the diode device is turned on, and an overshoot of the output voltage is reduced.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An amplifier circuit, comprising:
an input amplifier;
an output amplifier coupled to the input amplifier and outputting an output voltage; and
a diode device coupled between an output end and an input end of the output amplifier, wherein when a voltage difference between the output end and the input end of the output amplifier is greater than a barrier voltage of the diode device, the diode device is turned on, and an overshoot of the output voltage is reduced,
wherein the amplifier circuit further comprises a first variable resistor.

2. The amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the diode device comprises:
a diode,
wherein a first end of the first variable resistor coupled to a first end of the diode, a second end of the diode serving as one of the first and the second ends of the diode device, and a second end of the first variable resistor serving as the other one of the first and the second ends of the diode device.

3. The amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the diode device comprises:
a plurality of diodes coupled in series to form a diode string,
wherein a first end of the first variable resistor coupled to a first end of the diode string, a second end of the diode string serving as one of the first and the second ends of the diode device, and a second end of the first variable resistor serving as the other one of the first and the second ends of the diode device.

4. The amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the diode device comprises:
a first diode; and
a second diode,
wherein a first end of the first variable resistor coupled to a first end of the first diode, a second end of the first variable resistor coupled to a first end of the second diode, a second end of the first diode serving as one of the first and the second ends of the diode device, and a second end of the second diode serving as the other one of the first and the second ends of the diode device.

5. The amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising another diode device, wherein a first end of the another diode device is coupled to the output end of the output amplifier, and a second end of the another diode device is coupled to another input end of the output amplifier.

6. The amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the another diode device comprises a diode, an anode of the diode is coupled to the output end of the output amplifier, and a cathode of the diode is coupled to the another input end of the output amplifier.

7. The amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the another diode device comprises a diode, an anode of the diode is coupled to the another input end of the output amplifier, and a cathode of the diode is coupled to the output end of the output amplifier.

8. The amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the another diode device comprises a plurality of diodes, the diodes are coupled in series to form a diode string, an anode of the diode string is coupled to the another input end of the output amplifier, and a cathode of the diode string is coupled to the output end of the output amplifier.

9. The amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the another diode device comprises a plurality of diodes, the diodes are coupled in series to form a diode string, an anode of the diode string is coupled to the output end of the output amplifier, and a cathode of the diode string is coupled to the another input end of the output amplifier.

10. The amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 5 , further comprises a second variable resistor, wherein the another diode device comprises:
a diode,
wherein a first end of the second variable resistor coupled to a first end of the diode, a second end of the diode serving as one of the first and the second ends of the another diode device, and a second end of the second variable resistor serving as the other one of the first and the second ends of the another diode device.

11. The amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 5 , further comprises a second variable resistor, wherein the another diode device comprises:
a plurality of diodes coupled in series to form a diode string,
wherein a first end of the second variable resistor coupled to a first end of the diode string, a second end of the diode string serving as one of the first and the second ends of the another diode device, and a second end of the second variable resistor serving as the other one of the first and the second ends of the another diode device.

12. The amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 5 , further comprises a second variable resistor, wherein the another diode device comprises:
a first diode; and
a second diode,
wherein a first end of the second variable resistor coupled to a first end of the first diode, a second end of the second variable resistor coupled to a first end of the second diode, a second end of the first diode serving as one of the first and the second ends of the another diode device, and a second end of the second diode serving as the other one of the first and the second ends of the another diode device.

13. The amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the amplifier circuit is an operational amplifier, the input amplifier is an input stage of the operational amplifier, and the output amplifier is an output stage of the operational amplifier.

14. The amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the output amplifier comprises:
a first transistor, a first end of the first transistor coupled to a first voltage, a second end of the first transistor serving as the output end of the output amplifier, and a control end of the first transistor serving as the input end of the output amplifier; and
a second transistor, a first end of the second transistor coupled to a second voltage, a second end of the second transistor coupled to the second end of the first transistor, and a control end of the second transistor serving as another input end of the output amplifier.

15. The amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the first transistor is a p-channel metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor, and the second transistor is an n-channel metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor.

16. The amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the first voltage is a system voltage, and the second voltage is a ground voltage.

17. The amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the output end of the output amplifier is coupled to an input end of the input amplifier.

18. The amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein an input end of the input amplifier is a non-inverting input end, and another input end of the input amplifier is an inverting input end.

19. An amplifier circuit, comprising:
an input amplifier;
an output amplifier coupled to the input amplifier and outputting an output voltage; and
a diode device coupled between an output end and an input end of the output amplifier, wherein when a voltage difference between the output end and the input end of the output amplifier is greater than a barrier voltage of the diode device, the diode device is turned on, and an overshoot of the output voltage is reduced,
wherein the input amplifier is an input amplifier having a single-ended output, and outputs a single-ended output voltage to the output amplifier via the single-ended output,
wherein another input end of the output amplifier is biased in a bias voltage, and the bias voltage is between a ground voltage and a system voltage.

Assignees

• Novatek Microelectronics Corp

Inventors

• Su Chia-Wei
• Huang Ju-Lin
• Liang Keko-Chun

Classifications

• H03F1/523

  for amplifiers using field-effect devices (H03F1/526 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H03F2203/45658

  the LC comprising two diodes of current mirrors · CPC title

• H03F2200/129

  there being a feedback over the complete amplifier · CPC title

• H03F2200/444

  Diode used as protection means in an amplifier, e.g. as a limiter or as a switch · CPC title

• H03F2203/45686

  the LC comprising one or more potentiometers, which are not shunting potentiometers · CPC title