Overdrive control system

• US 7,626,456 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2008
• Issued: 12/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics SA (STMicroelectronics NV), STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics SA (STMicroelectronics NV), STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Calo, Pietro Antonio Paolo, Sirito-Olivier, Philippe, Chiricosta, Mario
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOE, HENRY
• Application Number:
  US12/121,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20080284518A1
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 330/207.P, 330/298, 330/310, 330/150, 330/98
• US Class Current: 330/207.00P
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/3211 in differential amplifiers

Abstract

An overdrive control system includes a voltage controlled current source to deliver a compensation current, and being between a first voltage reference and an internal node, which is connected to an output terminal. The voltage controlled current source has a control terminal connected to an output terminal of an adding block, which has a positive input connected to an input terminal. At least one clamping block is between the output terminal and a second voltage reference, and is connected to a negative input of the adding block. The voltage controlled current source delivers its compensation current to the output terminal when a voltage signal on the input terminal has an higher value than a voltage signal on the output terminal, and forces an output voltage signal to follow an input voltage signal to an extent that depends on a clamping voltage provided by the clamping block.

Claims

1. An overdrive control system to be coupled between first and second reference voltages and to an amplification stage having a first input, a second input, and an output, the overdrive control system comprising:

an input terminal and an output terminal to be coupled respectively to the first and second inputs of the amplification stage;

an internal node coupled to said output terminal;

a voltage controlled current source having a control terminal and to be coupled between the first reference voltage and said internal, node;

an adding block having first and second inputs and an output, said first input of said adding block coupled to said input terminal, said output of said adding block being coupled to said control terminal of said voltage controlled current source; and

at least one clamping block to be coupled between said output terminal and the second reference voltage, and coupled to said second input of said adding block;

said voltage controlled current source to deliver a compensation current to said output terminal when a voltage signal on said input terminal has a value greater than a voltage signal on said output terminal to thereby force the voltage signal on the output terminal to follow the voltage signal on the input terminal by an amount based upon a clamping voltage provided by said at least one clamping block.

2. The overdrive control system according to claim 1, wherein said voltage controlled current source comprises an input transistor having a conduction terminal to be coupled to the first reference voltage, a conduction terminal coupled to said internal node, and a control terminal coupled to said input terminal;

and further comprising an output transistor having a conduction terminal to be coupled to the first reference voltage, a conduction terminal coupled to said internal node, and a control terminal coupled to said control terminal of said input transistor.

3. The overdrive control system according to claim 2, further comprising a first clamping diode coupled to said input terminal and said internal node.

4. The overdrive control system according to claim 3, wherein said at least one clamping block comprises second and third clamping diodes to be coupled in series with each other and between said internal node and the second reference voltage.

5. The overdrive control system according to claim 4, further comprising an additional clamping circuit to be coupled between said first and second reference voltages, having an input coupled to said output terminal and an output to be coupled to the first input of the amplification stage.

6. The overdrive control system according to claim 5, wherein said additional clamping circuit comprises:

a reference node;

a first voltage controlled current source having a control terminal and to be coupled to the first reference voltage and said reference node;

a first adding block having an output coupled to said control terminal of said first voltage controlled current source, a first input coupled to said input, and a second input coupled to said reference node;

a second voltage controlled current source having a control terminal and to be coupled to said fist reference voltage and said output of said additional clamping circuit; and

a second adding block having an output coupled to said control terminal of said second voltage controlled current source, a first input coupled to said reference node, and a second input.

7. The overdrive control system according to claim 6, wherein said additional clamping circuit further comprises a first clamping block to be coupled to said reference node and the second reference voltage, and a second clamping block coupled to said reference node and said output of said additional clamping circuit;

and wherein said output of said additional clamping circuit is coupled to said second input of said second adding block.

8. The overdrive control system according to claim 7, wherein said additional clamping circuit further comprises an RC block to be coupled to said reference node and the second reference voltage;

wherein said second voltage controlled current source is to deliver its second compensation current to said RC block to raise a voltage of said reference node to a value not higher than a first clamping voltage of said first clamping block, said second voltage controlled current source to deliver the second compensation current when a voltage signal on said output of said additional clamping circuit drops to a value within a threshold of a second clamping voltage of said second clamping block; and

wherein said reference node has a voltage value retained by a time constant due to said RC block.

9. The overdrive control system according to claim 8, wherein said first voltage controlled current source comprises an input transistor and an input resistor to be coupled in series with each other and between the first reference voltage and said reference node, said input transistor having a control terminal coupled to said input of said additional clamping circuit.

10. The overdrive control system according to claim 9, wherein said second voltage controlled current source comprises an output transistor to be coupled to the first reference voltage and said output, said output transistor having a control terminal coupled to said reference node.

11. The overdrive control system according to claim 10, wherein said additional clamping circuit further comprises first and second clamping diodes to be coupled in series with each other and between said reference node and the second reference voltage.

12. The overdrive control system according to claim 11, wherein said first and second clamping blocks comprise a resistor and a capacitor, to be coupled in parallel with each other and between said reference node and the second reference voltage, said capacitor to be charged by a voltage signal on said input of said additional clamping circuit and to be discharged across said resistor.

13. The overdrive control system according to claim 1, wherein said voltage controlled current source, said adding block, and said at least one clamping block are coupled to said amplification stage to define an adaptive gain amplifier.

14. A voltage amplifier to be coupled to first and second reference voltages and having an input terminal and an output terminal, the voltage amplifier comprising:

first and a second amplification stages to be coupled between the first and second reference voltages and coupled, in cascade to each other, between the input and output terminals of the voltage amplifier;

a biasing resistor and a feedback capacitor coupled in series with each other to couple said second input of said second amplification stage to the second reference voltage;

said second amplification stage having a first input, a second input, and an output;

said first amplification stage having an output coupled to said first input of said second amplification stage;

a feedback resistor coupled between said second input terminal and said output of said second amplification stage;

the output of said second amplification stage coupled to the output terminal of the voltage amplifier; and

an overdrive control system coupled to said first and second input terminals of said second amplification stage and comprising

an input terminal and an output terminal coupled respectively to said first and second inputs of said second amplification stage,

an internal node coupled to said output terminal of said overdrive control system,

a voltage controlled current source having a control terminal and to be coupled between the first reference voltage and said internal node,

an adding block having first and second inputs and an output, said first input of said adding block being coupled to said input terminal of said overdrive control system, said output of said adding block being coupled to said control terminal of said voltage controlled current source, and

at least one clamping block to be coupled between said output terminal of said overdrive control system and the second reference voltage, and to said second input of said adding block,

said voltage controlled current source to deliver a compensation current to said output terminal of said overdrive control system when a voltage signal on said input terminal has a value greater than a voltage signal on said output terminal of said overdrive control system to thereby force the voltage signal on said output of said overdrive control system to follow the voltage signal on said input of said overdrive control system by an amount based upon a clamping voltage provided by said at least one clamping block.

15. The voltage amplifier of claim 14, wherein said voltage controlled current source of said overdrive control system comprises an input transistor having a conduction terminal to be coupled to the first reference voltage, a conduction terminal coupled to said internal node, and a control terminal coupled to said input terminal of said overdrive control system;

and wherein said overdrive control system further comprises an output transistor having a conduction terminal to be coupled to the first reference voltage, a conduction terminal coupled to said internal node, and a control terminal coupled to said control terminal of said input transistor.

16. The voltage amplifier of claim 15, wherein said overdrive control system further comprises a first clamping diode coupled to said input terminal of said overdrive control system and said internal node.

17. The voltage amplifier of claim 16, wherein said at least one clamping block of said overdrive control system comprises second and third clamping diodes to be coupled in series with each other and between said internal node and the second reference voltage.

18. A method of making an overdrive control system to be coupled to first and second reference voltages and to an amplification stage having a first input, a second input, and an output, the method comprising:

providing an input terminal and an output terminal to be respectively coupled to the first and second inputs of the amplification stage;

coupling an internal node to the output terminal;

providing a voltage controlled current source to be coupled between the first reference voltage and the internal node;

coupling a first input of an adding block to the input terminal;

coupling a control terminal of the voltage controlled current source to an output of the adding block; and

providing at least one clamping block to be coupled between the output terminal and the second reference voltage, and to be coupled to the second input of the adding block;

the voltage controlled current source to deliver a compensation current to the output terminal when a voltage signal on the input terminal has a value greater than a voltage signal on the output terminal to thereby force the output voltage signal to follow the input voltage signal by an amount based upon a clamping voltage provided by the at least one clamping block.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the voltage controlled current source comprises an input transistor having a conduction terminal to be coupled to the first reference voltage, a conduction terminal coupled to the internal node, and a control terminal coupled to the input terminal;

and further comprising providing a conduction terminal of an output transistor to be coupled to the first reference voltage, coupling a conduction terminal of the output transistor to the internal node, and coupling a control terminal to the control terminal of the input transistor.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising coupling a first clamping diode to the input terminal and the internal node.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the at least one clamping block comprises second and third clamping diodes to be coupled in series with each other and between the internal node and the second reference voltage.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising providing an additional clamping circuit to be coupled between the first and second reference voltages, and respectively coupling an input and an output of the additional clamping circuit to the output terminal and the first input of the amplification stage.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the additional clamping circuit comprises:

a reference node;

a first voltage controlled current source having a control terminal and to be coupled to the first reference voltage and the reference node;

a first adding block having an output coupled to the control terminal of the first voltage controlled current source, a first input coupled to the input, and a second input coupled to the reference node;

a second voltage controlled current source having a control terminal and to be coupled to the fist reference voltage and the output of the additional clamping circuit; and

a second adding block having an output coupled to the control terminal of the second voltage controlled current source, a first input coupled to the reference node, and a second input.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the additional clamping circuit further comprises a first clamping block to be coupled to the reference node and the second reference voltage, and a second clamping block coupled to the reference node and the output of the additional clamping circuit;

and wherein the output of the additional clamping circuit is coupled to the second input of the second adding block.