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US4119960A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method and apparatus for sampling and holding an analog input voltage which eliminates offset voltage error

Assignee: Vishay Siliconix Inc
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Filing: 1977-02-11
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Granted: 1978-10-10
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Expires: 1997-02-11
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Abstract

Abstract A sample and hold circuit uses two amplifiers the second being a Miller integrator and the first a comparator which compares the feed back stored capacitor voltage to the sampled voltage to bring the stored voltage of the capacitor to the sample voltage value. This stored voltage will have included in it the offset voltage of the first amplifier. However on readout this offset voltage is eliminated by disconnecting the sample input and also the connection between the output of the first amplifier and the input of the second and instead connecting the output of the first amplifier to the sample input and taking the output from this interconnection line. Since the noninverting or plus terminal of the first amplifier has impressed upon it the stored voltage of the capacitor the unwanted offset voltage is effectively subtracted. The foregoing sample and hold circuit also finds preferred use in a 12 bit recirculating A to D converter where cumulative offset errors would cause error. In such a configuration one of the sample and hold circuits can have the feedback interconnection of the first amplifier configured to perform suitable multiplication and subtraction, for example, for a Gray code. Here a second sample and hold circuit stores successive computational results.

Inventors

  • 👤 Lorimer K. Hill

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 07:59
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11C; G11C27/00; G11C27/02; G11C27/024; G11C27/026; H; H03; H03M; H03M1/00; H03M1/12; H03M1/124; H03M1/129; H03M1/1295

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 170 words
A method of sampling and holding an analog input voltage utilizing a two amplifier sample and hold circuit, the output of the first amplifier being connected to an input of the second amplifier, the second amplifier forming a Miller integrator and providing a feedback of the stored voltage on the capacitor of the Miller integrator to one input of the first amplifier which is a comparator and having the analog input voltage as another input which is compared with the feedback of the stored voltage to produce a correcting output, the method comprising the following steps: sampling and holding said analog voltage by use of said two amplifier sample and hold circuit; thereafter disconnecting said analog input voltage from the input of said first amplifier and disconnecting the output of the first amplifier from the input of the second amplifier; and converting said first amplifier to an amplifier of predetermined gain by connecting the output to said disconnected input such connection also providing a voltage proportional to said stored voltage.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 170 words
A method of sampling and holding an analog input voltage utilizing a two amplifier sample and hold circuit, the output of the first amplifier being connected to an input of the second amplifier, the second amplifier forming a Miller integrator and providing a feedback of the stored voltage on the capacitor of the Miller integrator to one input of the first amplifier which is a comparator and having the analog input voltage as another input which is compared with the feedback of the stored voltage to produce a correcting output, the method comprising the following steps: sampling and holding said analog voltage by use of said two amplifier sample and hold circuit; thereafter disconnecting said analog input voltage from the input of said first amplifier and disconnecting the output of the first amplifier from the input of the second amplifier; and converting said first amplifier to an amplifier of predetermined gain by connecting the output to said disconnected input such connection also providing a voltage proportional to said stored voltage.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 71 words
A method as in claim 1 where said second amplifier includes an inverting input to which said capacitor is connected and the output of said first amplifier and also a non-inverting input and where said disconnection of said first amplifier from the inverting input of the second amplifier produces a pedestal effect said method including the step of biasing said non-inverting input of said second amplifier to compensate for said pedestal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 27 words
A method as in claim 1 where in said converting step said gain is unity and said voltage at said connection is equal to said stored voltage.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 135 words
Apparatus for sampling and holding an analog input voltage utilzing a two amplifier sample and hold circuit, the output of the first amplifier being connected to an input of the second amplifier, the second amplifier forming a Miller integrator and providing a feedback of the stored voltage on the capacitor of the Miller integrator to one input of the first amplifier which is a comparator and having the analog input voltage as another input which is compared with the feedback of the stored voltage to produce a correcting output, said apparatus comprising means for disconnecting said analog input voltage from the input of said first amplifier and disconnecting the output of the first amplifier from the input of the second amplifier; and means for connecting said output of said first amplifier to its disconnected input.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 135 words
Apparatus for sampling and holding an analog input voltage utilzing a two amplifier sample and hold circuit, the output of the first amplifier being connected to an input of the second amplifier, the second amplifier forming a Miller integrator and providing a feedback of the stored voltage on the capacitor of the Miller integrator to one input of the first amplifier which is a comparator and having the analog input voltage as another input which is compared with the feedback of the stored voltage to produce a correcting output, said apparatus comprising means for disconnecting said analog input voltage from the input of said first amplifier and disconnecting the output of the first amplifier from the input of the second amplifier; and means for connecting said output of said first amplifier to its disconnected input.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 20 words
Apparatus as in claim 4 where said means for connecting includes a resistive divider to provide analog multiplication and subtraction.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 45 words
Apparatus as in claim 5 where said analog multiplication and subtraction provides a Gray code function and together with a second said sample and hold circuit for temporarily storing each successive result of the Gray code computation for forming a recirculating analog to digital converter.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 25 words
Apparatus as in claim 4 where said means for connecting forms a feedback loop and includes means for increasing loop gain whereby accuracy is improved.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 15 words
Apparatus as in claim 7 where said means for increasing loop gain includes an amplifier.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3588881A Cited
US3982241A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1981-10-09 1982-04-10 1982-10-10 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1985-10-09 1986-04-10 1986-10-10 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1989-10-09 1990-04-10 1990-10-10 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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