US4399374A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Current stabilizer comprising enhancement field-effect transistors
Assignee: US Philips Corp
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Filing: 1981-02-25
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Granted: 1983-08-16
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Expires: 2001-02-25
Abstract
Abstract A current stabilizer equipped with field-effect transistors of the enhancement type has two parallel current paths which are coupled by means of two different current coupling circuits in order to obtain a stabilizing point. At least one of the two coupling circuits comprises two field-effect transistors which are each included in one of the two current paths. One of said field-effect transistors has a gate-source voltage which is a constant fraction of the gate-source voltage of the other transistor. This is achieved by including in series with said one transistor, a third field-effect transistor with interconnected gate and drain electrodes so that the other one of said two transistors has a gate-source voltage which is twice as high as that of the said one transistor. The other current coupling circuit is of the opposite conductivity type and may be a current mirror, but it may also comprise the complementary version of the one current coupling circuit.
Inventors
- 👤 Wouter M. Boeke
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 06:55
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05F; G05F3/00; G05F3/02; G05F3/08; G05F3/10; G05F3/16; G05F3/20; G05F3/26; G05F3/262
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
182 words
A current stabilizer comprising first and second parallel current paths coupled to each other with respect to current via a first and a second current-coupling circuit which define a different relationship of the currents in the first and the second current paths, and with one common value unequal to zero at which the currents in the first and the second current path stabilize themselves, the first current coupling circuit comprising enhancement type field-effect transistors of the first channel conductivity type and the second current coupling circuit comprising a first enhancement type field-effect transistor of a second channel conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type having a channel included in the first current path and a second enhancement type field effect transistor of said second conductivity type having a channel included in the second current path, the source electrodes of the first and the second field effect transistor being coupled to a first common point, and means for defining a fixed relationship between the gate-source voltage of the first field effect transistor and the gate-source voltage of the second field effect transistor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
182 words
A current stabilizer comprising first and second parallel current paths coupled to each other with respect to current via a first and a second current-coupling circuit which define a different relationship of the currents in the first and the second current paths, and with one common value unequal to zero at which the currents in the first and the second current path stabilize themselves, the first current coupling circuit comprising enhancement type field-effect transistors of the first channel conductivity type and the second current coupling circuit comprising a first enhancement type field-effect transistor of a second channel conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type having a channel included in the first current path and a second enhancement type field effect transistor of said second conductivity type having a channel included in the second current path, the source electrodes of the first and the second field effect transistor being coupled to a first common point, and means for defining a fixed relationship between the gate-source voltage of the first field effect transistor and the gate-source voltage of the second field effect transistor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
67 words
A current stabilizer as claimed in claim 1, wherein said voltage defining means comprise a connection between the gate electrodes of the first and the second transistor and at least a third enhancement type field-effect transistor of the second conductivity type having a gate electrode connected to its drain electrode and a channel included between the source electrode of the first transistor and the first common point.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
94 words
A current stabilizer as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the first current coupling circuit comprises a fourth field-effect transistor of the first conductivity type having a channel included in the first current path and a fifth field-effect transistor of the first conductivity type having a channel included in the second current path, the source electrodes of the fourth and fifth transistor being coupled to a second common point, the gate electrodes being interconnected and the drain electrodes being connected to the drain electrodes of the first and the second field-effect transistor respectively.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
A current stabilizer as claimed in claim 3 further comprising a positive feedback between the drain electrode and the gate electrode of the fifth transistor and between the drain electrode and the gate electrode of the first transistor, the gate electrodes of the first and the second transistor being interconnected.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
75 words
A current stabilizer as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the gate electrodes of the first and the second transistor are regeneratively coupled to the drain electrodes of said first and said second transistor, respectively and that the drain electrodes of the first and second transistor are respectively connected to the inverting and the non-inverting inputs of an amplifier having an output connected to the gate electrodes of the fourth and the fifth transistor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
57 words
A current stabilizer as claimed in claim 3, 4 or 5, characterized in that the channel of at least a sixth field effect transistor is included in the second current path between the source electrode of the fifth transistor and the second common point, the gate electrode of said sixth transistor being connected to the drain electrode.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
59 words
A current stabilizer as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said voltage defining means comprise a voltage-follower amplifier having an input connected to the gate electrode of the second transistor and an output, at which a fixed portion of the voltage on the input of said amplifier is available, connected to the gate electrode of the first transistor.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
57 words
A current stabilizer as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said voltage defining means comprise a voltage follower amplifier having an input connected to the gate electrode of the first transistor and an output, at which the voltage on the input appears amplified by a fixed factor, connected to the gate electrode of the second transistor.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
106 words
A current stabilizer as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the first current coupling circuit comprises a current mirror having an input circuit included in the drain circuit of the second transistor and an output circuit included in the drain circuit of the first transistor, the gate electrode of the second transistor being connected to the drain electrode of said second transistor, and a third transistor of the second conductivity type having a channel included between the drain electrode of the second transistor and the input circuit of the current mirror, and whose gate electrode is connected to the drain electrode of the first transistor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
63 words
A current stabilizer as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the first current coupling circuit comprises a current mirror having an input circuit included in the drain circuit of the second transistor and an output circuit included in the drain circuit of the first transistor, the gate electrode of the first transistor being connected to the drain electrode of said first transistor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
126 words
A current stabilizer as claimed in any one of the claims 7, 8, 9 or 10, characterized in that the voltage follower amplifier comprises a fourth transistor of the second conductivity type having a source electrode connected to the first common point and whose gate electrode constitutes said input, and a fifth transistor of said second conductivity type having a source electrode connected to the first common point and whose gate electrode is coupled to said output, the drain circuits including a current mirror whose output drives the gate electrode of the fifth transistor via a sixth transistor so that the voltage on the gate electrode of the fifth transistor follows the voltage on the gate electrode of the fourth transistor with a unity gain factor.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
42 words
A current stabilizer as claimed in claim 11, when appendent to claim 7 or 9, characterized in that between the source and the gate electrode of the fifth transistor there is included a voltage divider having a tapping which constitutes said output.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
60 words
A current stabilizer as claimed in claim 11, when appendent to claim 8 or 10, characterized in that between said output and the source electrode of the fifth transistor there is included a voltage divider via which the sixth transistor drives the fifth transistor, the gate electrode of the fifth transistor being connected to a tapping on the voltage divider.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4188588A
Cited
US4300091A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-08-15 | 1987-02-14 | 1987-08-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-08-15 | 1991-02-14 | 1991-08-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-08-15 | 1995-02-14 | 1995-08-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |