Transistor signal translating stage

Claim 2

An electrical circuit comprising in combination: a variable conduction transistor having base, emitter and collector electrodes, means for providing a signal input circuit coupled between said collector and emitter electrodes, feedback means, including a source of substantially constant current, coupled between said collector and base electrodes and responsive to signals supplied to said input circuit for varying conduction of said transistor, and means, including an output transistor having base, emitter and collector electrodes, for providing a signal output circuit, said base and emitter electrodes of said output transistor being coupled in parallel with said base and emitter electrodes of said variable conduction transistor and said collector electrode of said output transistor being adapted for coupling to an output load.

Claim 3

A circuit as defined in claim 1 wherein said constant current source is coupled in series with the collector-to-emitter current path of said variable conduction transistor.

Claim 4

A circuit as defined in claim 2 wherein said constant current source comprises: a transistor having base, emitter and collector electrodes; said base electrode being coupled to a source of voltage, said emitter electrode being coupled to said collector electrode of said variable conduction transistor, and said collector electrode being coupled to a source of operating voltage and to said base electrode of said variable conduction transistor.

Claim 5

A circuit as defined in claim 3 wherein said feedback means further comprises a resistance coupled between the collector of said transistor of said constant current source and said source of operating voltage.

Claim 6

A circuit as defined in claim 3 wherein said source of voltage coupled to said base electrode of said transistor in said constant current source is a direct reference voltage.

Claim 7

A circuit as defined in claim 4 wherein said source of voltage coupled to said base electrode of said constant current transistor is an alternating signal voltage.

Claim 8

A signal translating stage including in combination: first and second transistors each having base, emitter and collector electrodes, a source of operating voltage, means for coupling the collector-emitter current paths of said first and second transistors in series across said source, voltage translating fEedback means for coupling the collector electrode of said first transistor to the base electrode of said second transistor, means for applying an input signal to the collector electrode of said second transistor, a third transistor having base, emitter and collector electrodes, said second and third transistors being thermally coupled and having proportionally related conduction characteristics, means for coupling the base and emitter electrodes of said third transistor in parallel with the base and emitter electrodes respectively of said second transistor, and means for extracting an output signal from the collector electrode of said third transistor.

Claim 9

A signal translating stage including in combination: first and second transistors each having base, emitter and collector electrodes, a source of operating voltage, means for coupling the collector-emitter current paths of said first and second transistors in series across said source, voltage translating fEedback means for coupling the collector electrode of said first transistor to the base electrode of said second transistor, means for applying an input signal to the collector electrode of said second transistor, a third transistor having base, emitter and collector electrodes, said second and third transistors being thermally coupled and having proportionally related conduction characteristics, means for coupling the base and emitter electrodes of said third transistor in parallel with the base and emitter electrodes respectively of said second transistor, and means for extracting an output signal from the collector electrode of said third transistor.

Claim 10

A circuit as defined in claim 7 and further including: means for applying a further input signal to the base electrode of said first transistor.

Claim 11

An electrical circuit comprising in combination: a first transistor having base, emitter and collector electrodes, a second transistor having base, emitter and collector electrodes, the collector of said second transistor being direct current coupled to the emitter of said first transistor to define a current path from a source of power to ground, means for applying an input signal to said collector electrode of said second transistor, feedback circuit means for coupling said collector electrode of said first transistor to said base electrode of said second transistor, a third transistor having base, emitter and collector electrodes wherein said base electrode is coupled to said base electrode of said second transistor, and said second and third transistors are thermally coupled, and means for receiving an output signal from the collector electrode of said third transistor.

Claim 12

An electrical circuit comprising in combination: a first transistor having base, emitter and collector electrodes, a second transistor having base, emitter and collector electrodes, the collector of said second transistor being direct current coupled to the emitter of said first transistor to define a current path from a source of power to ground, means for applying an input signal to said collector electrode of said second transistor, feedback circuit means for coupling said collector electrode of said first transistor to said base electrode of said second transistor, a third transistor having base, emitter and collector electrodes wherein said base electrode is coupled to said base electrode of said second transistor, and said second and third transistors are thermally coupled, and means for receiving an output signal from the collector electrode of said third transistor.

Claim 13

A circuit as defined in claim 9 wherein a direct reference voltage is applied to said base electrode of said first transistor.

Claim 14

A circuit as defined in claim 9 wherein a source of input signals is applied to said base electrode of said first transistor.

Claim 15

A current sampling circuit comprising: a first transistor having base, emitter and collector electrodes wherein said collector electrode is coupled to a source of power and said base electrode is coupled to a reference voltage, a second transistor having base, emitter and collector electrodes wherein said collector electrode is coupled to said emitter electrode of said first transistor and to a signal input terminal, feedback circuit means coupling said collector electrode of said first transistor to said base electrode of said second transistor, a third transistor having base, emitter and collector electrodes wherein said base electrode is coupled to said base electrode of said second transistor and said second and third transistors are thermally coupled, and means for extracting an output signal from said collector electrode of said third transistor.

Claim 16

A current sampling circuit comprising: a first transistor having base, emitter and collector electrodes wherein said collector electrode is coupled to a source of power and said base electrode is coupled to a reference voltage, a second transistor having base, emitter and collector electrodes wherein said collector electrode is coupled to said emitter electrode of said first transistor and to a signal input terminal, feedback circuit means coupling said collector electrode of said first transistor to said base electrode of said second transistor, a third transistor having base, emitter and collector electrodes wherein said base electrode is coupled to said base electrode of said second transistor and said second and third transistors are thermally coupled, and means for extracting an output signal from said collector electrode of said third transistor.

Claim 17

A circuit as defined in claim 11 wherein said feedback circuit means includes a zener diode.

Claim 18

An electrical circuit comprising in combination: a first transistor having base, emitter and collector electrodes, a second transistor having base, emitter and collector electrodes, the collector of said second transistor being direct current coupled to the emitter of said first transistor, the combination being coupled from a power source to ground, means for applying a voltage to said base electrode on said first transistor, means for applying an input signal to said collector electrode on said second transistor, a feedback path coupled from said collector electrode on said first transistor to said base electrode on said second transistor, a third transistor having base, emitter and collector electrodes, said third transistor thermally coupled to said second transistor, said base electrode on said third transistor coupled to said base electrode on said second transistor, said emitter electrode on said third transistor coupled to ground whereby collector current in said third transistor is at a predetermined phase relationship to collector current flowing in said second transistor, and means for extracting an output signal from said third transistor.

Claim 19

An electrical circuit comprising in combination: a first transistor having base, emitter and collector electrodes, a second transistor having base, emitter and collector electrodes, the collector of said second transistor being direct current coupled to the emitter of said first transistor, the combination being coupled from a power source to ground, means for applying a voltage to said base electrode on said first transistor, means for applying an input signal to said collector electrode on said second transistor, a feedback path coupled from said collector electrode on said first transistor to said base electrode on said second transistor, a third transistor having base, emitter and collector electrodes, said third transistor thermally coupled to said second transistor, said base electrode on said third transistor coupled to said base electrode on said second transistor, said emitter electrode on said third transistor coupled to ground whereby collector current in said third transistor is at a predetermined phase relationship to collector current flowing in said second transistor, and means for extracting an output signal from said third transistor.

Claim 20

A circuit as defined in claim 14 wherein said voltage applied to said base terminal on said first transistor is a direct reference voltage.

Claim 21

A circuit as defined in claim 14 wherein said voltage applied to said base terminal of said first transistor is a signal voltage.

Claim 22

An electrical circuit comprising in combination: a first transistor having base, collector and emitter electrodes, a second transistor having base and emitter electrodes and a collector electrode direct current coupled to said emitter of said first transistor and including feedback circuit means for applying signals appearing at said collector electrode on said first transistor to said base electrode on said second transistor, means for applying an input signal to said collector electrode on said second transistor, a third transistor having base, collector and emitter electrodes, said last-named base being coupled to said base electrode of said second transistor, said emitter electrode of said third transistor coupled to a predetermined reference potential bearing a fixed relationship to the emitter voltage on said second transistor, said third transistor being thermally coupled to said second transistor whereby collector current in said third transistor is in phase with collector current in said second transistor and has a magnitude related to the respective base-emitter areas of said third and second transistors, and means for extracting an output signal from said third transistor.

Claim 23

An electrical circuit comprising in combination: a first transistor having base, collector and emitter electrodes, a second transistor having base and emitter electrodes and a collector electrode direct current coupled to said emitter of said first transistor and including feedback circuit means for applying signals appearing at said collector electrode on said first transistor to said base electrode on said second transistor, means for applying an input signal to said collector electrode on said second transistor, a third transistor having base, collector and emitter electrodes, said last-named base being coupled to said base electrode of said second transistor, said emitter electrode of said third transistor coupled to a predetermined reference potential bearing a fixed relationship to the emitter voltage on said second transistor, said third transistor being thermally coupled to said second transistor whereby collector current in said third transistor is in phase with collector current in said second transistor and has a magnitude related to the respective base-emitter areas of said third and second transistors, and means for extracting an output signal from said third transistor.