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US-2019250256-A1 · Aug 15, 2019 · US
Active Saturation Prevention of Pulse-Mode Transimpedance Amplifiers
US2020007101A1 · US · A1
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Publication number | US-2020007101-A1 |
| Application number | US-201816194347-A |
| Country | US |
| Kind code | A1 |
| Filing date | Nov 18, 2018 |
| Priority date | Jun 28, 2018 |
| Publication date | Jan 2, 2020 |
| Grant date | — |
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Abstract
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An apparatus includes a Transimpedance Amplifier (TIA), an input interface and input masking circuitry. The TIA is configured to convert input current pulses into output voltage pulses. The input interface is configured to receive a control signal indicative of one or more time intervals. The input masking circuitry is configured to prevent the input current pulses from saturating the TIA during the one or more time intervals indicated by the control signal.
First claim
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1 . An apparatus, comprising: a Transimpedance Amplifier (TIA), configured to convert input current pulses into output voltage pulses; an input interface, configured to receive a control signal indicative of one or more time intervals; and input masking circuitry, configured to prevent the input current pulses from saturating the TIA during the one or more time intervals indicated by the control signal. 2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the input interface comprises a Low-Voltage Differential Signaling (LVDS) interface. 3 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the input interface comprises one of (i) a differential interface, (ii) a single-ended interface and (iii) a discrete Input/Output (I/O) line. 4 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the input masking circuitry is configured to prevent the input current pulses from saturating the TIA, by performing one or more of: attenuating the input current pulses before entering the TIA; diverting the input current pulses away from an input of the TIA; decreasing a gain of the TIA by modifying a feedback loop of the TIA; modifying a biasing of the TIA; and modifying a supply voltage of the TIA. 5 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the input masking circuitry is configured to prevent the input current pulses from saturating the TIA by controlling two or more cascaded amplification stages of the TIA. 6 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the input masking circuitry is configured to resume normal operation of the TIA immediately following each of the time intervals. 7 . A method, comprising: converting input current pulses into output voltage pulses using a Transimpedance Amplifier (TIA); receiving a control signal indicative of one or more time intervals; and preventing the input current pulses from saturating the TIA during the one or more time intervals indicated by the control signal. 8 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein receiving the control signal comprises receiving the control signal over a Low-Voltage Differential Signaling (LVDS) interface. 9 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein receiving the control signal comprises receiving the control signal over one of (i) a differential interface, (ii) a single-ended interface and (iii) a discrete Input/Output (I/O) line. 10 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein preventing the input current pulses from saturating the TIA comprises performing one or more of: attenuating the input current pulses before entering the TIA; diverting the input current pulses away from an input of the TIA; decreasing a gain of the TIA by modifying a feedback loop of the TIA; modifying a biasing of the TIA; and modifying a supply voltage of the TIA. 11 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein preventing the input current pulses from saturating the TIA comprises controlling two or more cascaded amplification stages of the TIA. 12 . The method according to claim 7 , and comprising resuming normal operation of the TIA immediately following each of the time intervals.
Assignees
Inventors
Classifications
with IC amplifier blocks (H03F3/085 takes precedence) · CPC title
- H03F3/72Primary
Gated amplifiers, i.e. amplifiers which are rendered operative or inoperative by means of a control signal · CPC title
- H03F3/45475Primary
using IC blocks as the active amplifying circuit · CPC title
the output amplifying stage of an amplifier comprising three power stages · CPC title
with FET's (H03F3/085 takes precedence) · CPC title
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- What does patent US2020007101A1 cover?
- An apparatus includes a Transimpedance Amplifier (TIA), an input interface and input masking circuitry. The TIA is configured to convert input current pulses into output voltage pulses. The input interface is configured to receive a control signal indicative of one or more time intervals. The input masking circuitry is configured to prevent the input current pulses from saturating the TIA durin…
- Who is the assignee on this patent?
- Apple Inc
- What technology area does this patent fall under?
- Primary CPC classification H03F3/72. Mapped technology areas include Electricity.
- When was this patent published?
- Publication date Thu Jan 02 2020 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (A1). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
- What related patents are in patentsdb?
- We list 2 related publications on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).