التفاصيل البيبلوغرافية
| العنوان: |
VOLTAGE-CONTROLLED CURRENT SOURCE AND VARIABLE-GAIN AMPLIFIER |
| Document Number: |
20070205841 |
| تاريخ النشر: |
September 6, 2007 |
| Appl. No: |
11/677773 |
| Application Filed: |
February 22, 2007 |
| مستخلص: |
A voltage-controlled current source includes a current source having temperature dependency, a voltage source having process dependency, a first signal conversion circuit which generates second voltage having temperature dependency and process dependency by use of current of the current source and first voltage of the voltage source, a second signal conversion circuit which converts a first control signal used to control transfer conductance into a second control signal by using the second voltage as a reference, and a voltage-controlled current source circuit whose transfer conductance is controlled according to the second control signal. |
| Inventors: |
Imai, Shigeo (Tokyo, JP) |
| Assignees: |
KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA (Tokyo, JP) |
| Claim: |
1. A voltage-controlled current source comprising: a current source having temperature dependency, a voltage source having process dependency, a first signal conversion circuit which generates second voltage having temperature dependency and process dependency by use of current of the current source and first voltage of the voltage source, a second signal conversion circuit which converts a first control signal used to control transfer conductance into a second control signal by using the second voltage as a reference, and a voltage-controlled current source circuit whose transfer conductance is controlled according to the second control signal. |
| Claim: |
2. The voltage-controlled current source according to claim 1, wherein the current source having the temperature dependency generates the current having positive temperature dependency, the voltage source generates the first voltage having one of positive and negative process dependencies, and the first signal conversion circuit converts current depending on the current of the current source having the temperature dependency into voltage by use of a resistor and adds the thus converted voltage to the first voltage of the voltage source to generate the second voltage having positive temperature dependency and one of positive and negative process dependencies. |
| Claim: |
3. The voltage-controlled current source according to claim 2, wherein the current source having the temperature dependency includes a first MOS transistor in which the current having the positive temperature dependency flows, the voltage source has an amplifier with gain γ provided at an output stage thereof, the first signal conversion circuit includes an operational amplifier having a positive input terminal supplied with output voltage of the voltage source and a negative input terminal and output terminal between which the resistor having resistance r is connected and a second MOS transistor which is inserted between the negative input terminal of the operational amplifier and a ground potential node and connected to the first MOS transistor to form a current mirror and in which current equal to the current of the first MOS transistor multiplied by magnification a flows, and a characteristic of the second voltage of the first signal conversion circuit is controlled by changing values of the gain γ, magnification α and resistance r. |
| Claim: |
4. The voltage-controlled current source according to claim 1, wherein the current source having the temperature dependency generates the current having positive temperature dependency, the voltage source generates the first voltage having one of positive and negative process dependencies, and the first signal conversion circuit converts current depending on the current of the current source having the temperature dependency into voltage by use of a resistor and subtracts the thus converted voltage from the first voltage of the voltage source to generate the second voltage having negative temperature dependency and one of positive and negative process dependencies. |
| Claim: |
5. The voltage-controlled current source according to claim 4, wherein the current source having the temperature dependency includes a first MOS transistor in which the current having the positive temperature dependency flows, the voltage source has an amplifier with gain γ provided at an output stage thereof, the first signal conversion circuit includes an operational amplifier having a positive input terminal supplied with output voltage of the voltage source and a negative input terminal and output terminal between which the resistor having resistance r is connected and a second MOS transistor which is inserted between the negative input terminal of the operational amplifier and a power supply potential node and connected to the first MOS transistor to form a current mirror and in which current equal to the current of the first MOS transistor multiplied by magnification a flows, and a characteristic of the second voltage of the first signal conversion circuit is controlled by changing values of the gain γ, magnification α and resistance r. |
| Claim: |
6. The voltage-controlled current source according to claim 1, wherein the second signal conversion circuit has reference voltage input terminals on high-potential and low-potential sides, and the first signal conversion circuit includes one first signal conversion circuit for the reference voltage terminal on the high-potential side of the second signal conversion circuit and one first signal conversion circuit for the reference voltage terminal on the low-potential side thereof and the second voltages respectively generated from the first signal conversion circuits are independently input to the reference voltage input terminals on the high-potential and low-potential sides of the second signal conversion circuit. |
| Claim: |
7. A voltage-controlled current source comprising: a voltage-controlled current source circuit, a control voltage generation circuit which generates control voltage to control transfer conductance of the voltage-controlled current source circuit, and a reference voltage generation circuit which generates voltage having temperature dependency and process dependency by use of current having temperature dependency and voltage having process dependency and supplies the thus generated voltage to the voltage-controlled current source circuit as a reference voltage. |
| Claim: |
8. The voltage-controlled current source according to claim 7, wherein the reference voltage generation circuit includes a current source having temperature dependency, a voltage source having process dependency and a first signal conversion circuit which generates a second voltage having temperature dependency and process dependency by use of current of the current source and first voltage of the voltage source, the control voltage generation circuit includes a second signal conversion circuit which converts a first control signal used to control transfer conductance into a second control signal by using the second voltage as a reference, and the voltage-controlled current source circuit includes a current source circuit whose transfer conductance is controlled according to the second control signal. |
| Claim: |
9. The voltage-controlled current source according to claim 8, wherein the current source having the temperature dependency generates the current having positive temperature dependency, the voltage source generates the first voltage having one of positive and negative process dependencies, and the first signal conversion circuit converts current depending on the current of the current source having the temperature dependency into voltage by use of a resistor and adds the thus converted voltage to the first voltage of the voltage source to generate the second voltage having positive temperature dependency and one of positive and negative process dependencies. |
| Claim: |
10. The voltage-controlled current source according to claim 9, wherein the current source having the temperature dependency includes a first MOS transistor in which the current having the positive temperature dependency flows, the voltage source includes an amplifier with gain γ provided at an output stage thereof, the first signal conversion circuit includes an operational amplifier having a positive input terminal supplied with output voltage of the voltage source and a negative input terminal and output terminal between which the resistor having resistance r is connected and a second MOS transistor which is inserted between the negative input terminal of the operational amplifier and a ground potential node and connected to the first MOS transistor to form a current mirror and in which current equal to the current of the first MOS transistor multiplied by magnification a flows, and a characteristic of the second voltage of the first signal conversion circuit is controlled by changing values of the gain γ, magnification α and resistance r. |
| Claim: |
11. The voltage-controlled current source according to claim 8, wherein the current source having the temperature dependency generates the current having positive temperature dependency, the voltage source generates the first voltage having one of positive and negative process dependencies, and the first signal conversion circuit converts current depending on the current of the current source having the temperature dependency into voltage by use of a resistor and subtracts the thus converted voltage from the first voltage of the voltage source to generate the second voltage having negative temperature dependency and one of positive and negative process dependencies. |
| Claim: |
12. The voltage-controlled current source according to claim 11, wherein the current source of the reference voltage generation circuit includes a first MOS transistor in which the current having the positive temperature dependency flows, the voltage source includes an amplifier with gain γ provided at an output stage thereof, the first signal conversion circuit includes an operational amplifier having a positive input terminal supplied with output voltage of the voltage source and a negative input terminal and output terminal between which the resistor having resistance r is connected and a second MOS transistor which is inserted between the negative input terminal of the operational amplifier and a power supply potential node and connected to the first MOS transistor to form a current mirror and in which current equal to the current of the first MOS transistor multiplied by magnification a flows, and a characteristic of the second voltage of the first signal conversion circuit is controlled by changing values of the gain γ, magnification α and resistance r. |
| Claim: |
13. The voltage-controlled current source according to claim 8, wherein the second signal conversion circuit has reference voltage input terminals on high-potential and low-potential sides, and the first signal conversion circuit includes one first signal conversion circuit for the reference voltage terminal on the high-potential side of the second signal conversion circuit and one first signal conversion circuit for the reference voltage terminal on the low-potential side thereof and the second voltages respectively generated from the first signal conversion circuits are independently input to the reference voltage input terminals on the high-potential and low-potential sides of the second signal conversion circuit. |
| Claim: |
14. A variable-gain amplifier comprising: a differential-type voltage-controlled current source which includes a current source having temperature dependency, a voltage source having process dependency, a first signal conversion circuit which generates second voltage having temperature dependency and process dependency by use of current of the current source and first voltage of the voltage source, a second signal conversion circuit which converts a first control signal used to control transfer conductance into a second control signal by using the second voltage as a reference and a voltage-controlled current source circuit whose transfer conductance is controlled according to the second control signal; and a load circuit connected to a differential current output node of the voltage-controlled current source. |
| Claim: |
15. The variable-gain amplifier according to claim 14, wherein the current source having the temperature dependency generates the current having positive temperature dependency, the voltage source generates the first voltage having one of positive and negative process dependencies, and the first signal conversion circuit converts current depending on the current of the current source having the temperature dependency into voltage by use of a resistor and adds the thus converted voltage to the first voltage of the voltage source to generate the second voltage having positive temperature dependency and one of positive and negative process dependencies. |
| Claim: |
16. The variable-gain amplifier according to claim 15, wherein the current source having the temperature dependency includes a first MOS transistor in which the current having the positive temperature dependency flows, the voltage source includes an amplifier with gain γ provided at an output stage thereof, the first signal conversion circuit includes an operational amplifier having a positive input terminal supplied with output voltage of the voltage source and a negative input terminal and output terminal between which the resistor having resistance r is connected and a second MOS transistor which is inserted between the negative input terminal of the operational amplifier and a ground potential node and connected to the first MOS transistor to form a current mirror and in which current equal to the current of the first MOS transistor multiplied by magnification a flows, and a characteristic of the second voltage of the first signal conversion circuit is controlled by changing values of the gain γ, magnification α and resistance r. |
| Claim: |
17. The variable-gain amplifier according to claim 14, wherein the current source having the temperature dependency generates the current having positive temperature dependency, the voltage source generates the first voltage having one of positive and negative process dependencies, and the first signal conversion circuit converts current depending on the current of the current source having the temperature dependency into voltage by use of a resistor and subtracts the thus converted voltage from the first voltage of the voltage source to generate the second voltage having negative temperature dependency and one of positive and negative process dependencies. |
| Claim: |
18. The variable-gain amplifier according to claim 17, wherein the current source having the temperature dependency includes a first MOS transistor in which the current having the positive temperature dependency flows, the voltage source includes an amplifier with gain γ provided at an output stage thereof, the first signal conversion circuit includes an operational amplifier having a positive input terminal supplied with output voltage of the voltage source and a negative input terminal and output terminal between which the resistor having resistance r is connected and a second MOS transistor which is inserted between the negative input terminal of the operational amplifier and a power supply potential node and connected to the first MOS transistor to form a current mirror and in which current equal to the current of the first MOS transistor multiplied by magnification α flows, and a characteristic of the second voltage of the first signal conversion circuit is controlled by changing values of the gain γ, magnification α and resistance r. |
| Claim: |
19. The variable-gain amplifier according to claim 14, wherein the second signal conversion circuit has reference voltage input terminals on high-potential and low-potential sides, and the first signal conversion circuit includes one first signal conversion circuit for the reference voltage terminal on the high-potential side of the second signal conversion circuit and one first signal conversion circuit for the reference voltage terminal on the low-potential side thereof and the second voltages respectively generated from the first signal conversion circuits are independently input to the reference voltage input terminals on the high-potential and low-potential sides of the second signal conversion circuit. |
| Claim: |
20. A variable-gain amplifier comprising: a differential voltage-controlled current source used as the voltage-controlled current source according to claim 7, and a load circuit connected to a differential current output node of the differential voltage-controlled current source. |
| Current U.S. Class: |
331176/000 |
| Current International Class: |
03 |
| رقم الانضمام: |
edspap.20070205841 |
| قاعدة البيانات: |
USPTO Patent Applications |