Patent US7154331B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US7154331B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Adapting operational amplifier frequency response respective to closed loop gain
Assignee: Intel Corp
•
Filing: 2004-06-29
•
Granted: 2006-12-26
•
Expires: 2024-06-29
Abstract
Abstract Methods and apparatuses relating to current and gain adjustment in an amplifier. A gain of an amplifier, e.g., closed loop gain, may be increased or decreased based on a swing of a received signal. A current of an internal amplifier stage may be increased or decreased in relation to the increasing or decreasing of the gain to provide adjustments to bandwidth and/or frequency response. In one embodiment a programmable gain amplifier having operational amplifier has a variable feedback resistor increased/decreased in steps and a bias current of a differential stage of the operational amplifier may be increased/decreased in proportional steps.
Inventors
- 👤 Sharon Zaguri
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 14:04
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03F; H03F3/00; H03F3/45; H03F3/45071; H03F3/45076; H03F3/45179; H03F3/45183; H03F3/45475; H03F2200/00; H03F2200/153; H03F2203/00; H03F2203/45; H03F2203/45466; H03F2203/45686
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
99 words
A method comprising: adjusting a gain of an operational amplifier stage; the gain of the operational amplifier stage having a corresponding frequency response according to a gain bandwidth product of the operational amplifier stage and adjusting a bias current of transistors of a differential stage of the operational amplifier stage respectively to the gain adjustment, to modify the gain bandwidth product of the operational amplifier stage to adjust a frequency response of the operational amplifier stage in response to the adjusted gain wherein adjusting the bias current includes adjusting a variable resistor to one of multiple discrete wiper settings.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
99 words
A method comprising: adjusting a gain of an operational amplifier stage; the gain of the operational amplifier stage having a corresponding frequency response according to a gain bandwidth product of the operational amplifier stage and adjusting a bias current of transistors of a differential stage of the operational amplifier stage respectively to the gain adjustment, to modify the gain bandwidth product of the operational amplifier stage to adjust a frequency response of the operational amplifier stage in response to the adjusted gain wherein adjusting the bias current includes adjusting a variable resistor to one of multiple discrete wiper settings.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein adjusting the bias current further comprises adjusting a current source to a current output level corresponding to the one discrete wiper setting.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method according to claim 2 , wherein adjusting the current source to the corresponding current level comprises adjusting the current source to a current level that corresponds to only the one discrete wiper setting.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 2 , wherein adjusting the current source to the corresponding current level comprises adjusting the current source to a current level that corresponds to multiple wiper settings.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein adjusting the gain of the amplifier stage comprises adjusting the gain of a signal input stage of the operational amplifier.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein adjusting the bias current respectively to the gain adjustment comprises adjusting the bias current to a percent of a maximum current output proportional to a percent of maximum gain to which the gain adjustment is set.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method according to claim 6 , wherein adjusting the bias current proportionally to the gain comprises setting current to a level to provide a bandwidth sufficient to amplify a specified passband at the gain level.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
120 words
An apparatus comprising: an operational amplifier circuit a gain of the operational amplifier being adjustable, the gain having a corresponding bandwidth in accordance with a gain bandwidth product of the operational amplifier; an adjustable current source coupled to the operational amplifier to provide an adjustable current to the operational amplifier circuit, to modify the gain bandwidth product of the operational amplifier to adjust the bandwidth corresponding to the gain, including adjusting a programmable resistor in a current mirror circuit of the current source in response to a control signal of a control circuit; and an adjustable gain control circuit to control the gain of the operational amplifier, the gain control to be adjusted corresponding to an adjustment of the current.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
120 words
An apparatus comprising: an operational amplifier circuit a gain of the operational amplifier being adjustable, the gain having a corresponding bandwidth in accordance with a gain bandwidth product of the operational amplifier; an adjustable current source coupled to the operational amplifier to provide an adjustable current to the operational amplifier circuit, to modify the gain bandwidth product of the operational amplifier to adjust the bandwidth corresponding to the gain, including adjusting a programmable resistor in a current mirror circuit of the current source in response to a control signal of a control circuit; and an adjustable gain control circuit to control the gain of the operational amplifier, the gain control to be adjusted corresponding to an adjustment of the current.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the control circuit controls the programmable resistor in the current mirror in relation to a level programmed for a variable resistor in a feedback loop of the operational amplifier.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the adjustable current source provides a current setting for multiple different gain settings.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the adjustable current source comprises a current source in a differential stage of the operational amplifier.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
118 words
A system comprising: an amplifier having an operational amplifier having a modifiable gain, the gain to be modified according to a control signal received at the operational amplifier, the gain having a corresponding bandwidth in accordance with a gain bandwidth product of the operational amplifier; and a current generator coupled to the operational amplifier to supply an operating current of one of variable levels to the operational amplifier, the level of current based at least in part on the gain the level of current to provide the gain bandwidth product with the corresponding bandwidth in accordance with the gain; and an analog to digital converter (ADC) coupled to the amplifier to receive an amplified signal from the amplifier.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
118 words
A system comprising: an amplifier having an operational amplifier having a modifiable gain, the gain to be modified according to a control signal received at the operational amplifier, the gain having a corresponding bandwidth in accordance with a gain bandwidth product of the operational amplifier; and a current generator coupled to the operational amplifier to supply an operating current of one of variable levels to the operational amplifier, the level of current based at least in part on the gain the level of current to provide the gain bandwidth product with the corresponding bandwidth in accordance with the gain; and an analog to digital converter (ADC) coupled to the amplifier to receive an amplified signal from the amplifier.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
50 words
A system according to claim 12 , wherein the gain to be modified according to a control signal comprises the gain to be modified to amplify a received data signal to result in the amplified data signal having a signal swing approximately equal to an input range of the ADC.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system according to claim 12 , wherein the gain is modified to one or multiple discrete levels of gain.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system according to claim 14 , wherein one discrete level of gain comprises approximately 1.0 dB of gain.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
A system according to claim 12 , wherein supplying the level of current based at least in part on the gain comprises supplying a higher current when the gain is modified to a higher level.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
40 words
A system according to claim 16 , wherein supplying a higher current with a higher gain comprises increasing the current to a percentage of a maximum current corresponding to a percentage of maximum gain to which the gain is increased.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
37 words
A system according to claim 16 , further comprising categorizing the levels of gain into groups, and wherein supplying the level of current based on the gain comprises supplying one of four current levels to a group.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
121 words
A wireless receive path comprising: a receive antenna to receive a signal; an amplifier coupled with the antenna to amplify the signal, the amplifier having a dynamically adjustable first-stage current and a dynamically adjustable gain, the gain having a corresponding frequency response in accordance with a gain bandwidth product of the amplifier, the gain and the current to be adjusted in relation to each other, an adjustment to the current to modify the gain bandwidth product and the corresponding frequency response in relation to an adjustment to the gain, based at least in part on a signal range of the signal; and an analog to digital converter (ADC) coupled with the amplifier to convert the amplified signal to a digital representation.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
121 words
A wireless receive path comprising: a receive antenna to receive a signal; an amplifier coupled with the antenna to amplify the signal, the amplifier having a dynamically adjustable first-stage current and a dynamically adjustable gain, the gain having a corresponding frequency response in accordance with a gain bandwidth product of the amplifier, the gain and the current to be adjusted in relation to each other, an adjustment to the current to modify the gain bandwidth product and the corresponding frequency response in relation to an adjustment to the gain, based at least in part on a signal range of the signal; and an analog to digital converter (ADC) coupled with the amplifier to convert the amplified signal to a digital representation.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
27 words
A wireless receive path according to claim 19 , wherein the gain and current are increased in relation to each other when the signal range is low.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
19 words
A wireless receive path according to claim 20 , wherein the gain and current are increased in equal proportions.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
27 words
A wireless receive path according to claim 19 , wherein the gain and current are decreased in relation to each other if the signal range causes clipping.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
41 words
A wireless receive path according to claim 19 , wherein the first stage current has fewer steps of adjustment than a number of steps of gain adjustment, and wherein one step of current adjustment corresponds to multiple steps of gain adjustment.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
25 words
A wireless receive path according to claim 19 , further comprising a digital signal processor coupled with the ADC to process the converted amplified signal.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
90 words
A method comprising: determining a signal strength of a signal received on a radio frequency receiver; altering a gain of a programmable gain amplifier (PGA) in response to determining the signal strength the gain having a corresponding frequency response in accordance with a gain bandwidth product of the PGA; and altering a bias current of an operational amplifier differential stage of the PGA proportionally to the gain alteration to modify the gain bandwidth product of the PGA, to adjust a frequency response of the PGA proportionally to the gain alteration.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
90 words
A method comprising: determining a signal strength of a signal received on a radio frequency receiver; altering a gain of a programmable gain amplifier (PGA) in response to determining the signal strength the gain having a corresponding frequency response in accordance with a gain bandwidth product of the PGA; and altering a bias current of an operational amplifier differential stage of the PGA proportionally to the gain alteration to modify the gain bandwidth product of the PGA, to adjust a frequency response of the PGA proportionally to the gain alteration.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 25 , wherein altering the gain and the bias current further comprises generating a digital control signal to indicate a gain and bias current alteration.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method according to claim 25 , wherein altering the bias current proportionally to the gain alteration comprises altering the bias current to a discrete bias current level corresponding to at least one discrete gain level to which the PGA is altered.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2009-12-25 | 2010-06-26 | 2010-12-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2013-12-25 | 2014-06-26 | 2014-12-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2017-12-25 | 2018-06-26 | 2018-12-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |