Arrangement and method for temperature compensation for resistance

• US 7,944,270 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2006
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Austriamicrosystems AG (Ams-Osram AG)
• Original Assignee: Austriamicrosystems AG (Ams-Osram AG)
• Inventors: Denier, Urs, Sharma, Vivek
• Primary Examiner(s): Donovan; Lincoln
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROJAS, DANIEL E
• Application Number:
  US11/918,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20090219129A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,866 Days
• Field of Search: 327/513
• US Class Current: 327/513
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/08 Modifications of amplifiers to reduce detrimental influences of internal impedances of amplifying elements wide-band amplifiers with inter-stage coupling networks incorporating these impedances H03F1/42
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/447 the amplifier being protected to temperature influence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/45524 the FBC comprising one or more active resistors and being coupled between the LC and the IC
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/087 with IC amplifier blocks H03F3/085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/45475 using IC blocks as the active amplifying circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/45928 using IC blocks as the active amplifying circuit

Abstract

An arrangement and a method for temperature compensation for a resistance (1). A resistance (1) with a controllable resistance value is compared with a reference resistance (2) which is in the form of a switched capacitor. A comparator (3) compares the two resistance values with one another. The comparator (3) takes an error signal as a basis for actuating the controllable resistance (1). This produces a thermally stable resistance. The principle can preferably be applied in transimpedance amplifiers.

Claims

1. A temperature compensation arrangement for a resistance comprising:

a resistance having a controllable resistance value;

a reference resistance which forms a switched capacitor;

a comparator having an input side which is coupled to the resistance having the controllable resistance value and to the reference resistance and having an output for outputting an error signal;

a control input on the resistance having the controllable resistance value which is coupled to the output of the comparator for controlling the resistance value; and

a common current source which is switchably connected to two current paths;

wherein a first current path of the two current paths comprises the resistance having the controllable resistance and a second current path of the two current paths comprises the reference resistance which forms the switched capacitor.

2. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resistance having the controllable resistance value forms a series circuit comprising a fixed-value resistance and the resistance having the controllable resistance value.

3. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reference resistance forms a switched capacitor comprising a capacitance and at least one switch for periodic changeover at a reference clock frequency.

4. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a reference clock generator which is coupled to the reference resistance which forms the switched capacitor.

5. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resistance having the controllable resistance value is arranged in a return path of an amplifier.

6. The arrangement as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

wherein the resistance having the controllable resistance value is arranged in a useful signal path, set up for signal processing for a useful signal in a useful frequency range, and the useful frequency range is different than the frequency of the reference clock frequency.

7. The arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein the useful signal path comprises a transimpedance amplifier, the resistance having the controllable resistance value is in a feedback path of the transimpedance amplifier, and the comparator has a first input connected to an output of the transimpedance amplifier and has a second input connected to the second current path.

8. The arrangement as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:

a plurality of useful signal paths which are coupled to a common second current path via switches for calibration in a time-division multiplex mode.

9. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the arrangement comprises integrated circuitry.

10. A method for temperature compensation for a resistance, comprising the steps of

providing a controllable resistance;

providing and actuating a reference resistance as a switched capacitor;

comparing a resistance value of the controllable resistance with the resistance value of the reference resistance;

controlling resistance value of the controllable resistance based on a comparison result from the, comparison of the resistance value of the controllable resistance with the resistance value of the reference resistance; and

alternately supplying a first current path and a second current path with a common current, the first current path comprising the controllable resistance and the second current path comprising the reference resistance.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

providing the resistance value of the controllable resistance as a sum of a fixed-value resistance value and a controllable resistance value.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

providing the reference resistance through periodic changeover of a switchable capacitance under control of a reference clock.

13. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

providing the controllable resistance in a return path of an amplifier.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

processing a useful signal in a useful frequency range using the controllable resistance, and

controlling the switchable capacitance using the reference clock, the frequency of which is different than the useful frequency range.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising:

amplifying the useful signal using a transimpedance amplifier based on the resistance value of the controllable resistance, and

comparing the amplified useful signal with a signal derived from the reference resistance.

16. The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising:

alternately calibrating a plurality of useful signal paths in a time-division multiplex mode using a common calibration signal based on a common reference resistance.