Comparator, sense amplifier

Claim 2

A voltage comparator circuit comprising: first and second complementary field effect transistors having respective gate and drain and source electrodes; means connecting the respective drain electrodes of the first and second transistors to a first node; means for applying supply potential between the source electrodes of the first and second transistors; means for applying first and second voltages to be compared to the gate electrodes of the first and second transistors respectively; bistable circuit means having an input circuit for setting or resetting said bistable means without loading its input signal source; and means for selectively connecting the first node to the input circuit of said bistable circuit.

Claim 3

A voltage comparator circuit comprising; first and second transistors of complementary conductivity types each having respective output and common electrodes and a principal conduction path therebetween and having a respective input electrode, the principal conduction path being controlled by potential between the input and common electrodes; means connecting the respective output electrodes of the first and second transistors to a first node; means applying first and second supply potentials to the common electrodes of said first and second transistors, respectively, for conditioning said first and second transistors to conduct for potentials applied to their input electrodes within a range between the potentials applied to their common electrodes; non-inverting amplifier means having respective input and output terminals; first switch means for selectively connecting the output terminal of the amplifier to its input terminal; second switch means for selectively connecting the first node to the input terminal of the amplifier.

Claim 4

A voltage comparator circuit comprising; first and second transistors of complementary conductivity types each having respective output and common electrodes and a principal conduction path therebetween and having a respective input electrode, the principal conduction path being controlled by potential between the input and common electrodes; means connecting the respective output electrodes of the first and second transistors to a first node; means applying first and second supply potentials to the common electrodes of said first and second transistors, respectively, for conditioning said first and second transistors to conduct for potentials applied to their input electrodes within a range between the potentials applied to their common electrodes; non-inverting amplifier means having respective input and output terminals; first switch means for selectively connecting the output terminal of the amplifier to its input terminal; second switch means for selectively connecting the first node to the input terminal of the amplifier.

Claim 5

A comparator as set forth in claim 2 wherein the non-inverting amplifier means comprises: first and second inverting amplifier means each having respective input and output connections; and means connecting the first inverting amplifier in cascade with the second inverting amplifier; means connecting the input connection of the first inverting amplifier as the input terminal of the non-inverting amplifier; and means connecting the output connection of the second inverting amplifier as the output terminal of the non-inverting amplifier.

Claim 6

A comparator as set forth in claim 3 wherein each inverting amplifier comprises: a respective p-channel and a respective n-channel field effect transistor each having respective gate and drain and source electrodes; means connecting the respective drain electrodes of the respective p-channel and n-channel transistors to its respective amplifier output connection; means for applying supply potential between the source electrodes of the respective p-channel and n-channel transistors; and means connecting the respective gate electrodes of the respective p-channel and n-channel transistors to its respective amplifier input connection.

Claim 7

A comparator as set forth in claim 4 further comprising further switch means connecting the input connection of the first inverting amplifier to its output connection for selectively biasing the amplifier at its balance point during a time period that the second switch means is open.

Claim 8

A comparator as set forth in claims 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 wherein the first and second switch means each comprise: a p-channel and an n-channel field effect transistor pair, each transistor of said pair having respective drain and source electrodes and respective conduction channels therebetween and having respective gate electrodes; means connecting the conduction channels of the respective p-channel and n-channel transistors of each transistor pair in parallel; and means for applying complementary switching signals to the respective gate electrode of the transistors of each pair, said switching signals conditioning the first and second switch means for recurrant closure, thereof with each switch to close for a period to the exclusion of the other.

Claim 9

A comparator as set forth in claims 2 or 3 or 4 wherein the first switch means comprises: a further field effect transistor of one conductivity type having drain and source electrodes and a principal conduction path therebetween and having a gate electrode, potential between the gate and source electrode controlling the principal conduction path; and wherein the second switch means comprises a still further field effect transistor of conductivity type complementary to said one conductivity type, having drain and source electrodes and a principal conduction path therebetween, and having a gate electrode, potential between the gate and source electrode controlling the principal conduction path; and means connected to the gate electrodes of the transistors of said first and second switch means for applying a single recurrant switching potential to condition said transistors to conduct alternately.