Single-ended differential transimpedance amplifier

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022109413-A1
Application number	US-202017061078-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 1, 2020
Priority date	Oct 1, 2020
Publication date	Apr 7, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

In at least one embodiment, a differential amplifier including first and second current transfer systems, a current difference producing system, and a feedback network circuit is provided. The first current transfer system generates a first differential current signal. The second current transfer system generates a second differential current signal. The current difference producing system receives the first differential current signal and the second differential current signal and generates a voltage difference signal that is indicative of a difference between a first current signal and a second current signal. The feedback network circuit converts the voltage difference signal into at least two converted current signals and provides the at least two converted current signals to one of the first and second current transfer systems or the current difference producing system to minimize the difference between the first current signal and the second current signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A differential amplifier comprising:
a first input terminal to provide a first current signal; a second input terminal to provide a second current signal; a first current transfer system to generate a first differential current signal in response to the first current signal; a second current transfer system to generate a second differential current signal in response to the second current signal; a current difference producing system to receive the first differential current signal and the second differential current signal and to generate a voltage difference signal that is indicative of a difference between the first current signal and the second current signal; and a feedback network circuit to:
convert the voltage difference signal into at least two converted current signals; and
provide the at least two converted current signals to one of the first and second current transfer systems or the current difference producing system to minimize the difference between the first current signal and the second current signal based on the at least two converted current signals.

2 . The differential amplifier of claim 1 , wherein:
the feedback network circuit generates a first converted current signal and a second current converted signal of the at least two converted current signals; the first converted current signal has the same value as the second converted current signal, and the first converted current signal has an opposite polarity to that of the second converted current signal.

3 . The differential amplifier of claim 2 , wherein:
the feedback network circuit applies the first converted current signal to an input of the first input current transfer system to sum the first converted current signal to the first current signal; and the feedback network circuit applies the second converted current signal to an input of the second current transfer system to sum the second converted current signal to the second current signal.

4 . The differential amplifier of claim 3 , wherein a sum of the first converted current signal and the first current signal and a sum of the second converted current signal of the second current signal minimizes the difference between the first current signal and the second current signal.

5 . The differential amplifier of claim 2 , wherein:
the feedback network circuit applies the first converted current signal to a first input of the current difference producing system to sum the first converted current signal to the first differential current signal; and the feedback network circuit applies the second converted current signal to a second input of the current difference producing system to sum the second converted current signal to the second differential current signal.

6 . The differential amplifier of claim 5 , wherein the sum of the first converted current signal to the first current signal and the sum of the second converted current signal to the second current signal minimizes the difference between the first current signal and the second current signal.

7 . The differential amplifier of claim 1 , wherein the feedback network circuit includes a current steering system having passive components to convert the voltage difference signal into the at least two converter current signals.

8 . The differential amplifier of claim 7 , wherein the passive components comprise one of resistors, capacitors, or inductors.

9 . The differential amplifier of claim 1 , wherein the feedback network circuit includes a current steering system having passive components and a transimpedance stage.

10 . The differential amplifier of claim 9 , wherein the transimpedance stage is a current-controlled current source that forms a current feedback network with the passive components.

11 . The differential amplifier of claim 1 , wherein the feedback network circuit includes a current steering system having passive components and a transconductance stage.

12 . The differential amplifier of claim 11 , wherein the transconductance stage is a voltage controlled current source and a load that forms a current feedback network with the passive components.

13 . The differential amplifier of claim 11 , wherein the transconductance stage provides the at least two converted current signals to the first and second current transfer systems to minimize the difference between the first current signal and the second current signal.

14 . The differential amplifier of claim 11 , wherein the transconductance stage provides the at least two converted current signals to the current difference producing system to minimize the difference between the first current signal and the second current signal.

15 . A differential amplifier comprising:
a first current transfer system to generate a first differential current signal in response to a first current signal; a second current transfer system to generate a second differential current signal in response to a second current signal; a current difference producing system to receive the first differential current signal and the second differential current signal and to generate a voltage difference signal that is indicative of a difference between the first current signal and the second current signal; and a feedback network circuit to:
convert the voltage difference signal into at least two converted current signals; and
provide the at least two converted current signals to one of the first and second current transfer systems or the current difference producing system to minimize the difference between the first current signal and the second current signal based on the at least two converted current signals.

16 . The differential amplifier of claim 15 , wherein the feedback network circuit includes a current steering system having passive components to convert the voltage difference signal into the at least two converter current signal.

17 . The differential amplifier of claim 15 , wherein the feedback network circuit includes a current steering system having passive components and a transimpedance stage.

18 . The differential amplifier of claim 17 , wherein the transimpedance stage is a current-controlled current source that forms a current feedback network with the passive components.

19 . The differential amplifier of claim 15 , wherein the feedback network circuit includes a current steering system having passive components and a transconductance stage

20 . The differential amplifier of claim 19 , wherein the transconductance stage is a voltage controlled current source and a load that forms current feedback network with the passive components.

21 . A method for minimizing current between a first current and a second current, the method comprising:
providing a first current signal and a second current signal; generating a first differential current signal via a first current transfer system in response to the first current signal; generating a second differential current signal via a second current transfer system in response to the second current signal; receiving the first differential current signal and the second differential current signal at a current difference producing system; providing a voltage difference signal that is indicative of a difference between first current signal and the second current signal; converting the voltage difference signal into at least two converted current signals; and providing the at least two converted current signals to one of the first an

Assignees

• Harman Int Ind

Inventors

• Danyuk Dimitri
• Eichenbaum Todd A

Classifications

• H03F3/4508 Primary

  using bipolar transistors as the active amplifying circuit (H03F3/45278 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H03F2203/45432

  the CMCL output control signal being a current signal and being buffered before used to control · CPC title

• H03F3/45475

  using IC blocks as the active amplifying circuit · CPC title

• H03F2200/261

  Amplifier which being suitable for instrumentation applications · CPC title

• H03F2203/45116

  Feedback coupled to the input of the differential amplifier · CPC title