Transistor biasing arrangement

Claim 2

In combination: first and second transistors of the same conductivity type, each having a base and an emitter electrode with a base-emitter junction therebetween, each having a collector electrode; means for direct current conductively coupling said first transistor emitter electrode to said second transistor base electrode so a fixed portion of said second transistor base current will flow as said first transistor emitter current; means for providing forward bias to the base-emitter junctions of said first and said second transistors, said means being connected between said first transistor base electrode and said second transistor emitter electrode; a first current amplifier having an input circuit connected to said first transistor collector electrode, having an outPut circuit, and having an inverting current transfer characteristic between its said input and said output circuits; and utilization means connected to said second transistor collector electrode and connected to said first current amplifier output circuit.

Claim 3

The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said utilization means comprises: a second current amplifier having an input circuit connected to said second transistor collector electrode, having an output circuit and having an inverting current transfer characteristic between its said input and said output circuits; a third transistor of said same conductivity type having an emitter electrode, having a base electrode direct coupled to said first current amplifier output circuit, having a collector electrode direct coupled to said second current amplifier output circuit; means for applying input signal between said base and said emitter electrodes of said third transistor; and means for coupling output signal responsive to said input signal from said third transistor collector electrode.

Claim 4

The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein: said means for direct current conductively coupling said first transistor emitter electrode to said second transistor base electrode is essentially the exclusive direct current conductive coupling to those electrodes, whereby said fixed portion of said second transistor base current is substantially its entirety; and said current transfer characteristics of said first and said second current amplifiers are substantially equivalent to each other.

Claim 5

The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said utilization means comprises: a third transistor of said conductivity type having a base electrode direct coupled to said first current amplifier output circuit, having an emitter electrode direct coupled to said second transistor collector electrode, and having a collector electrode; and means for providing an operating potential to said third transistor collector electrode.

Claim 6

The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said utilization means comprises: third and fourth transistors of said conductivity type, each having base and emitter and collector electrodes, said emitter electrodes thereof being direct current conductively coupled to said second transistor collector electrode, said third transistor base electrode being direct current conductively coupled from said first current amplifier output circuit; and further means for completing the connection of said third and fourth transistors in emitter-coupled differential amplifier configuration.

Claim 7

The combination set forth in claim 5 wherein: said means for direct current conductively coupling said first transistor emitter electrode to said second transistor base electrode is essentially the exclusive direct current conductive coupling to those electrodes, whereby said fixed portion of said second transistor base current is substantially its entirety; and said current transfer characteristic of said first current amplifier is substantially one-half over a frequency range including zero Hertz, which is to say direct current.

Claim 8

The combination set forth in claim 5 wherein said first current amplifier current transfer characteristic is substantially -1 over a frequency range including zero Hertz, which is to say direct current and wherein said utilization means includes: a sixth transistor substantially identically similar to said first transistor, having base and emitter electrodes with a base-emitter junction therebetween and having a collector electrode; means parallelly connecting the base-emitter junctions of said first and said sixth transistors to share current flow substantially equally between them; means for connecting said sixth transistor collector electrode to an operating potential.

Claim 9

The combination set forth in claim 1 having third and fourth transistors of matching types respectively to said firsT transistor and to said second transistor, each having base and emitter electrodes with a base-emitter junction therebetween, each having a collector electrode; means for direct current conductively coupling said third transistor emitter electrode to said fourth transistor base electrode in like manner as said first transistor emitter electrode is direct current conductively coupled to said second transistor base electrode by said means for so doing; means for providing forward bias to the base-emitter junctions of said third and said fourth transistors in like degree as provided to the base-emitter junctions of said first and said fourth transistors by said means for so doing; and means for connecting the collector electrodes of said third and said fourth transistors to an operating potential and to said utilization means, respectively.

Claim 10

The combination claimed in claim 8 wherein said utilization means comprises: fifth and sixth transistors having current transfer characteristics respectively matching those of said second and said fourth transistors, each having base and emitter and collector electrodes, said emitter electrodes of said third and said fourth transistors being coupled to each other and being direct current conductively coupled respectively to separate ones of the collector electrodes of said second and said fourth transistors, said fifth transistor base electrode being direct-current conductively coupled from said first current amplifier output circuit; and further means for completing the connection of said third and fourth transistors in emitter-coupled differential-amplifier configuration.

Claim 11

In combination with an emitter-coupled differential amplifier including first and second and third transistors, each having base and emitter electrodes with a base-emitter junction therebetween, each having a collector electrode and a collector-base junction between its said collector and base electrodes; means for direct current conductively coupling each of the emitter electrodes of said first and said second transistors to said third transistor collector electrode; means for forward biasing said third transistor base-emitter junction coupled thereto; first and second input terminals for receiving an input signal therebetween, which terminals are respectively coupled to the base electrodes of said first and said second transistors; means for forward biasing the base-emitter junctions of said first and said second transistors and for reverse biasing the collector-base junction of said third transistor, coupled between said third transistor emitter electrode and each of the base electrodes of said first and said second transistors; means for reverse biasing the collector-base junctions of each of said first and said second transistors and for providing an impedance across which is developed an output signal responsive to collector current variations of at least one of said first and said second transistors as caused by said input signal, said means being connected between the collector electrodes of said first and said second transistors, the improvement comprising: means coupled to the base electrode of said third transistor and responsive to the flow of base current in said third transistor, for producing a response current proportional to said third transistor base current by a constant of proportionality; and inverting amplifier means having an input circuit to which said response current is supplied, having an output circuit connected to said first transistor base electrode, and having a current gain therebetween which is one half times as large as the reciprocal of said constant of proportionality.

Claim 12

In combination with an emitter-coupled differential amplifier including first and second and third transistors, each having base and emitter electrodes with a base-emitter junction therebetween, each having a collector electrode and a collector-base junction between its said collector and base electrodes; means for direct current conductively coupling each of the emitter electrodes of said first and said second transistors to said third transistor collector electrode; means for forward biasing said third transistor base-emitter junction coupled thereto; first and second input terminals for receiving an input signal therebetween, which terminals are respectively coupled to the base electrodes of said first and said second transistors; means for forward biasing the base-emitter junctions of said first and said second transistors and for reverse biasing the collector-base junction of said third transistor, coupled between said third transistor emitter electrode and each of the base electrodes of said first and said second transistors; means for reverse biasing the collector-base junctions of each of said first and said second transistors and for providing an impedance across which is developed an output signal responsive to collector current variations of at least one of said first and said second transistors as caused by said input signal, said means being connected between the collector electrodes of said first and said second transistors, the improvement comprising: means coupled to the base electrode of said third transistor and responsive to the flow of base current in said third transistor, for producing a response current proportional to said third transistor base current by a constant of proportionality; and inverting amplifier means having an input circuit to which said response current is supplied, having an output circuit connected to said first transistor base electrode, and having a current gain therebetween which is one half times as large as the reciprocal of said constant of proportionality.

Claim 13

The combination set forth in claim 10 wherein said means for forward biasing said third transistor base-emitter junction coupled thereto and said means responsive to the flow of base current in said third transistor together comprise: a fourth transistor having a principal conduction path between first and seconD electrodes connected respectively to said third transistor base electrode and to said input circuit of said inverting current amplifier means, having a control electrode, being responsive to potential appearing between its control and first electrodes to have the conductance of said principal conduction path determined and thereby give rise to potential follower action between said control and said first electrodes, and means for providing a potential applied between said fourth transistor control electrode and said third transistor emitter electrode, which potential is of a polarity to forward bias said third transistor base-emitter junction.

Claim 14

The combination set forth in claim 11 wherein said fourth transistor is a bipolar type having base, emitter and collector electrodes corresponding to said control, said first and said second electrodes, respectively.

Claim 15

The combination set forth in claim 11 wherein said fourth transistor is a field-effect type having a gate, a source and a drain electrodes corresponding to said control, said first and said second electrodes, respectively.

Claim 16

The combination set forth in claim 11 wherein said means for forward biasing said third transistor base-emitter junction coupled thereto and said means responsive to the flow of base current in said third transistor together further comprise: a fifth transistor of the same type as said fourth transistor and matched in characteristics therewith, said fifth transistor having a principal conduction path between first and second electrodes and having a control electrode, the first and the control electrodes of said fifth transistor being connected to the corresponding electrodes of said fourth transistor, and means for supplying current connected between said fifth transistor second electrode and said third transistor emitter electrode.

Claim 17

In combination: a first transistor of a first conductivity type having base and emitter and collector electrodes and having a common-emitter forward current gain of hfe; a second transistor of said first conductivity type having a control electrode and having a principal conduction path between first and second electrodes, the conductance of said principal conduction path being controllable in response to potential applied between said control and said first electrodes, said control electrode of said second transistor being connected to said first transistor collector electrode; direct current conductive means connected between the first electrode of said second transistor and the base electrode of said first transistor, said direct current conductive means being the sole direct current conductive means of substantial effect connected either to the first electrode of said second transistor or to the base electrode of said first transistor; means connected to said first transistor collector electrode for supplying an input current thereto; and means for utilizing an output current applied thereto from said second electrode of said second transistor, which output current is proportional to said input current by a factor 1/hfe.

Claim 18

In combination: a first transistor of a first conductivity type having base and emitter and collector electrodes and having a common-emitter forward current gain of hfe; a second transistor of said first conductivity type having a control electrode and having a principal conduction path between first and second electrodes, the conductance of said principal conduction path being controllable in response to potential applied between said control and said first electrodes, said control electrode of said second transistor being connected to said first transistor collector electrode; direct current conductive means connected between the first electrode of said second transistor and the base electrode of said first transistor, said direct current conductive means being the sole direct current conductive means of substantial effect connected either to the first electrode of said second transistor or to the base electrode of said first transistor; means connected to said first transistor collector electrode for supplying an input current thereto; and means for utilizing an output current applied thereto from said second electrode of said second transistor, which output current is proportional to said input current by a factor 1/hfe.

Claim 19

The combination set forth in claim 15 wherein said means for utilizing an output current applied thereto comprises: a third transistor of said first conductivity type having a base and an emitter and a collector electrodes and having a common-emitter forward current gain of hfe; a first current amplifier having an input circuit to which said second electrode of said second transistor is connected, having an output circuit to which said third transistor base electrode is connected and having an inverting current transfer characteristic between its said input and said output circuits, a resistor connecting said third transistor emitter electrode to said first transistor collector electrode being included in said means for supplying an input current; and means further connecting said third transistor as an amplifier connected to the base, emitter and collector electrodes of said third transistor.

Claim 20

In combination: first and second transistors of the same conductivity type, each having a base and an emitter electrodes with a base emitter junction therebetween each having a collector electrode; means for direct current conductively coupling said first transistor emitter electrode to said second transistor base electrode so a fixed portion of said second transistor base current will flow as said first transistor emitter current; means connecting said first transistor base electrode to said second transistor collector electrode; means for applying a biasing current to said second transistor collector electrode; a first current amplifier having an input circuit connected to said first transistor collector electrode, having an output circuit, and having an inverting current transfer characteristic between its said input and said output circuits; and utilization means connected to said second transistor collector electrode and connected to said first current amplifier output circuit.

Claim 21

In combination: first and second transistors of the same conductivity type, each having a base and an emitter electrodes with a base emitter junction therebetween each having a collector electrode; means for direct current conductively coupling said first transistor emitter electrode to said second transistor base electrode so a fixed portion of said second transistor base current will flow as said first transistor emitter current; means connecting said first transistor base electrode to said second transistor collector electrode; means for applying a biasing current to said second transistor collector electrode; a first current amplifier having an input circuit connected to said first transistor collector electrode, having an output circuit, and having an inverting current transfer characteristic between its said input and said output circuits; and utilization means connected to said second transistor collector electrode and connected to said first current amplifier output circuit.

Claim 22

The combination set forth in claim 17 wherein said utilization means comprises: a second current amplifier having an input circuit connected to said second transistor collector electrode, having an output circuit and having an inverting current transfer characteristic between its said input and said output circuits; a third transistor of said same conductivity type, having an emitter electrode, having a base electrode direct coupled to said first current amplifier output circuit, and having a collector electrode direct coupled to said second current amplifier output circuit; means for applying input signal between said base and said emitter electrodes of said third transistor; and means for coupling output signal responsive to said input signal from said third transistor collector electrode.

Claim 23

The combination set forth in claim 18 wherein: said means for direct current conductively coupling said first transistor emitter electrode to said second transistor base electrode is essentially the exclusive direct current conductive coupling to those electrodes, whereby said fixed portion of said second transistor base current is substantially its entirety; and said current transfer characteristics of said first and said second current amplifiers are substantially equivalent to each other.

Claim 24

The combination set forth in claim 17 wherein said utilization means comprises: a third transistor having a base electrode direct coupled to said first current amplifier output circuit, having an emitter electrode direct coupled to said second transistor collector electrode, and having a collector electrode; and means for providing an operating potential to said third transistor collector electrode.

Claim 25

The combination set forth in claim 17 wherein said utilization means comprises: third and fourth transistors of said same conductivity type, each having a base and an emitter and a collector electrodes, said emitter electrodes thereof being direct current conductively coupled to said second transistor collector electrode, said third transistor base electrode being direct current conductively coupled from said first current amplifier output circuit; and further means for completing the connection of said third and said fourth transistors in emitter-coupled differential amplifier configuration.

Claim 26

In combination: first and second transistors, each having base and emitter electrodes with a base-emitter junction therebetween and each having a collector electrode; a third transistor having a principal conduction path between first and second electrodes, and having a control electrode whereby the conductances of said principal conduction path is controlled in response to potential appearing between said control and said first electrode to cause the potential at said first electrode to follow the poteNtial at said control electrode, said first electrode being connected to said first transistor base electrode; means for providing a biasing potential connected between said third transistor control electrode and said first transistor emitter electrode, said biasing potential being of such polarity as to cause base current flow in said first transistor; a first inverting current amplifier having an input circuit to which said third transistor second electrode is connected and having an output circuit to which said second transistor base electrode is connected; a direct current conductive coupling of said first transistor collector electrode to said second transistor emitter electrode; and means for providing an operating potential connected between said first transistor emitter electrode and said second transistor collector electrode.

Claim 27

In combination: first and second transistors, each having base and emitter electrodes with a base-emitter junction therebetween and each having a collector electrode; a third transistor having a principal conduction path between first and second electrodes, and having a control electrode whereby the conductances of said principal conduction path is controlled in response to potential appearing between said control and said first electrode to cause the potential at said first electrode to follow the poteNtial at said control electrode, said first electrode being connected to said first transistor base electrode; means for providing a biasing potential connected between said third transistor control electrode and said first transistor emitter electrode, said biasing potential being of such polarity as to cause base current flow in said first transistor; a first inverting current amplifier having an input circuit to which said third transistor second electrode is connected and having an output circuit to which said second transistor base electrode is connected; a direct current conductive coupling of said first transistor collector electrode to said second transistor emitter electrode; and means for providing an operating potential connected between said first transistor emitter electrode and said second transistor collector electrode.

Claim 28

In combination: first and second transistors, each having base and emitter electrodes with a base-emitter junction therebetween and each having a collector electrode; a third transistor having a principal conduction path between first and second electrodes, and having a control electrode whereby the conductance of said principal conduction path is controlled in response to potential appearing between said control and said first electrode to cause the potential at said first electrode to follow the potential at said control electrode, said first electrode being connected to said first transistor base electrode; means for providing a biasing potential between said third transistor control electrode and said first transistor emitter electrode, said biasing potential being of such polarity as to cause base current flow in said first transistor; a first inverting current amplifier having an input circuit to which said third transistor second electrode is connected and having an output circuit to which said second transistor base electrode is connected; and a second inverting current amplifier having an input circuit to which said first transistor collector electrode is connected and having an output circuit to which said second transistor collector electrode is connected.

Claim 29

In combination: first and second transistors, each having base and emitter electrodes with a base-emitter junction therebetween and each having a collector electrode; a third transistor having a principal conduction path between first and second electrodes, and having a control electrode whereby the conductance of said principal conduction path is controlled in response to potential appearing between said control and said first electrode to cause the potential at said first electrode to follow the potential at said control electrode, said first electrode being connected to said first transistor base electrode; means for providing a biasing potential between said third transistor control electrode and said first transistor emitter electrode, said biasing potential being of such polarity as to cause base current flow in said first transistor; a first inverting current amplifier having an input circuit to which said third transistor second electrode is connected and having an output circuit to which said second transistor base electrode is connected; and a second inverting current amplifier having an input circuit to which said first transistor collector electrode is connected and having an output circuit to which said second transistor collector electrode is connected.

Claim 30

In combination: first and second transistors, each having base and emitter electrodes with a base-emitter junction therebetween and each having a collector electrode; a third transistor having a principal conduction path between first and second electrodes, and having a control electrode whereby the conductance of said principal conduction path is controlled in response to potential appearing between said control electrode and said first electrode to cause the potential at said first electrode to follow the potential at said control electrode, said control electrode being connected to said first transistor collector electrode, said first electrode being connected to said first transistor base electrode; a first inverting current amplifier having an input circuit to which said third transistor second electrode is connected and having an output circuit to which said second transistor base electrode is connected; a direct current conductive coupling of said first transistor collector electrode to said second transistor emitter electrode; and means for providing an operating potential connected between said first transistor emitter electrode and said second transistor collector electrode.

Claim 31

In combination: first and second transistors, each having base and emitter electrodes with a base-emitter junction therebetween and each having a collector electrode; a third transistor having a principal conduction path between first and second electrodes, and having a control electrode whereby the conductance of said principal conduction path is controlled in response to potential appearing between said control electrode and said first electrode to cause the potential at said first electrode to follow the potential at said control electrode, said control electrode being connected to said first transistor collector electrode, said first electrode being connected to said first transistor base electrode; a first inverting current amplifier having an input circuit to which said third transistor second electrode is connected and having an output circuit to which said second transistor base electrode is connected; a direct current conductive coupling of said first transistor collector electrode to said second transistor emitter electrode; and means for providing an operating potential connected between said first transistor emitter electrode and said second transistor collector electrode.

Claim 32

The combination set forth in claim 24 wherein said direct current conductive coupling of said first transistor collector electrode to said second transistor electrode comprises: a resistive element connecting said second transistor emitter electrode to said first transistor collector electrode.