INPUT CURRENT CONTROLLER ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD

• US 20080192518A1
• Filed: 03/12/2007
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria Ag (Infineon Technologies AG), Technische Universitat Munchen
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria Ag (Infineon Technologies AG), Technische Universitat Munchen
• Inventors: Klapf, Christian, MISSONI, ALBERT
• Granted Patent: US 7,960,959 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 363/65
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 1/0017 the device being at least one of the amplifying solid state elements of the amplifier

Abstract

An arrangement having a first converting element configured to convert an input current linearly into an auxiliary current, a second converting element configured to convert the auxiliary current into an output voltage, and a separating element configured to separate slow changes of the auxiliary current from fast changes of the auxiliary current, wherein the first, second, and separating elements are arranged as a dynamic control loop regulating the input current with the slow changes.

Claims

1. An arrangement comprising:

a first converting element configured to convert an input current linearly into an auxiliary current;

a second converting element configured to convert the auxiliary current into an output voltage; and

a separating element configured to separate slow changes of the auxiliary current from fast changes of the auxiliary current,

wherein the first, second, and separating elements are arranged as a dynamic control loop regulating the input current with the slow changes.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the control loop comprises a feedback from the output of the first converting element to the input of the first converting element.

3. The arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the feedback comprises the separating element and a current regulating element.

4. The arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the current regulating element exclusively uses the slow changes of the auxiliary current as a controlling feedback variable for regulating the current.

5. The arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the current regulating element generates a second auxiliary current which is added to the input current.

6. The arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the first converting element comprises a current mirror circuit.

7. The arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the output voltage is used as the controlling feedback variable.

8. The arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the output voltage is compared with a constant reference voltage by a third converting element and the result is output as a difference voltage.

9. The arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the third converting element comprises a differential amplifier.

10. The arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the difference voltage is converted by a fourth converting element into a second auxiliary current.

11. The arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the fourth converting element comprises a voltage-controlled current source.

12. The arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the voltage-controlled current source is realized by at least one transistor.

13. The arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the addition of the input current and the second auxiliary current generates a constant current.

14. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the arrangement is a receiver in a communication system.

15. The arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the arrangement is a receiver in an RFID system.

16. A method for controlling an input current comprising:

converting an input current into a first auxiliary current;

converting the auxiliary current into an output voltage; and

dynamically regulating the input current according to slow changes of the first auxiliary current.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the step of dynamically regulating comprises separating the slowly changing component of the first auxiliary current from a rapidly changing component.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising using the first auxiliary current with the slowly changing component of the first auxiliary current as a regulating variable.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising using a second auxiliary current of the slowly changing component of the first auxiliary current as a controlling feedback variable.

20. The method according to claim 18, further comprising adding the controlling feedback variable to the input current.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the output voltage has a level which is held within a defined range of voltage levels.

22. The method according to claim 18, further comprising generating the second auxiliary current by converting a difference between the output voltage and a reference voltage into the second auxiliary current.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the addition of the input current and the second auxiliary current generates a constant current.

24. An input current controller arrangement comprising:

a converting element configured to convert an input current to a first auxiliary current, wherein the input current includes a slowly changing component and a rapidly changing component, and the slowly changing current component has a wide dynamic range of values requiring compensation; and

a current to voltage converting element configured to generate an output voltage from the first auxiliary current, wherein the output voltage has a voltage level that constantly remains within defined limits.

25. The arrangement according to claim 24, further comprising a dynamic control loop, which comprises:

an element configured to convert the first auxiliary current into a component that changes slowly and a component that changes rapidly; and

a current control element configured to regulate the slowly changing component of the first auxiliary current.

26. The arrangement according to claim 25, wherein the first auxiliary current is used as a regulating variable, and a second auxiliary current, which is generated by the current regulating element, is used as a controlling feedback variable.

27. The arrangement according to claim 26, wherein the output voltage is used as the regulating variable, and the control loop comprises a voltage to current converting element.

28. The arrangement according to claim 27, wherein the second auxiliary current is additively superimposed onto the input current, and compensates for the dynamic range.

29. An arrangement comprising:

a first converting means for converting an input current linearly into an auxiliary current;

a second converting means for converting the auxiliary current into an output voltage; and

a separating means for separating slow changes of the auxiliary current from fast changes of the auxiliary current,

wherein the first, second, and separating means are arranged as a dynamic control loop regulating the input current with the slow changes.