Power-efficient chopper amplifier
First Claim
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1. An electrical circuit device for amplifying a physiological signal, the device comprising:
- a modulation unit configured to receive an input signal generated based on the physiological signal, and to modulate the input signal to produce a modulated signal;
an amplification and transconductance unit configured to amplify an amplitude of the modulated signal and increase a transconductance of the modulated signal to produce a transconductance enhanced modulated and amplified signal, wherein the amplification and transconductance unit comprises at least a first complementary pair of transistors and a second complementary pair of transistors configured to receive the modulated signal and to amplify and increase the transconductance of the modulated signal; and
a demodulation unit configured to receive the transconductance enhanced modulated and amplified signal and to demodulate the transconductance enhanced modulated and amplified signal to generate a chopper-stabilized amplified version of the input signal,wherein a gate of a first PMOS transistor of the first complementary pair of transistors is connected to the modulation unit to receive a first differential voltage signal from the modulation unit, and a drain of the first PMOS transistor of the first complementary pair of transistors is connected to the demodulation unit,wherein a gate of a first NMOS transistor of the first complementary pair of transistors is connected to the modulation unit to receive the first differential voltage signal from the modulation unit, and a drain of the first NMOS transistor of the first complementary pair of transistors is connected to the demodulation unit, wherein;
the drain of the first PMOS transistor is commonly connected to the drain of the first NMOS transistor, andthe voltage at the drain of the first PMOS transistor is substantially equal to the voltage at the drain of the first NMOS transistor throughout a voltage range at the drain of the first PMOS transistor,wherein a gate of a second PMOS transistor of the second complementary pair of transistors is connected to the modulation unit to receive a second differential voltage signal from the modulation unit, and a drain of the second PMOS transistor of the second complementary pair of transistors is connected to the demodulation unit, andwherein a gate of the second NMOS transistor of the second complementary pair of transistors is connected to the modulation unit to receive the second differential voltage signal from the modulation unit, and a drain of the second NMOS transistor of the second complementary pair of transistors is connected to the demodulation unit the demodulation unit, wherein;
the drain of the second PMOS transistor is commonly connected to the drain of the second NMOS transistor, andthe voltage at the drain of the second PMOS transistor is substantially equal to the voltage at the drain of the second NMOS transistor throughout a voltage range at the drain of the second PMOS transistor.
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Abstract
In an example, an electrical circuit device for amplifying a physiological signal includes a modulation unit configured to receive an input signal, to modulate the input signal to produce a modulated signal. The device also includes an amplification and transconductance unit configured to amplify an amplitude of the modulated signal and increase a transconductance of the modulated signal to produce a transconductance enhanced modulated and amplified signal, where the amplification and transconductance unit comprises at least a first complementary pair of transistors and a second complementary pair of transistors configured to receive the modulated signal and to amplify and increase the transconductance of the modulated signal. The device also includes a demodulation unit configured to receive the transconductance enhanced modulated and amplified signal and to demodulate the signal.
177 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An electrical circuit device for amplifying a physiological signal, the device comprising:
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a modulation unit configured to receive an input signal generated based on the physiological signal, and to modulate the input signal to produce a modulated signal; an amplification and transconductance unit configured to amplify an amplitude of the modulated signal and increase a transconductance of the modulated signal to produce a transconductance enhanced modulated and amplified signal, wherein the amplification and transconductance unit comprises at least a first complementary pair of transistors and a second complementary pair of transistors configured to receive the modulated signal and to amplify and increase the transconductance of the modulated signal; and a demodulation unit configured to receive the transconductance enhanced modulated and amplified signal and to demodulate the transconductance enhanced modulated and amplified signal to generate a chopper-stabilized amplified version of the input signal, wherein a gate of a first PMOS transistor of the first complementary pair of transistors is connected to the modulation unit to receive a first differential voltage signal from the modulation unit, and a drain of the first PMOS transistor of the first complementary pair of transistors is connected to the demodulation unit, wherein a gate of a first NMOS transistor of the first complementary pair of transistors is connected to the modulation unit to receive the first differential voltage signal from the modulation unit, and a drain of the first NMOS transistor of the first complementary pair of transistors is connected to the demodulation unit, wherein; the drain of the first PMOS transistor is commonly connected to the drain of the first NMOS transistor, and the voltage at the drain of the first PMOS transistor is substantially equal to the voltage at the drain of the first NMOS transistor throughout a voltage range at the drain of the first PMOS transistor, wherein a gate of a second PMOS transistor of the second complementary pair of transistors is connected to the modulation unit to receive a second differential voltage signal from the modulation unit, and a drain of the second PMOS transistor of the second complementary pair of transistors is connected to the demodulation unit, and wherein a gate of the second NMOS transistor of the second complementary pair of transistors is connected to the modulation unit to receive the second differential voltage signal from the modulation unit, and a drain of the second NMOS transistor of the second complementary pair of transistors is connected to the demodulation unit the demodulation unit, wherein; the drain of the second PMOS transistor is commonly connected to the drain of the second NMOS transistor, and the voltage at the drain of the second PMOS transistor is substantially equal to the voltage at the drain of the second NMOS transistor throughout a voltage range at the drain of the second PMOS transistor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for amplifying a physiological signal, the method comprising:
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modulating, with a modulation unit, an input signal generated based on the physiological signal, and to produce a modulated signal; amplifying an amplitude and increasing a transconductance of the modulated signal with an amplification and transconductance unit comprising a first complementary pair of transistors and a second complementary pair of transistors configured to receive the modulated signal, to produce a transconductance enhanced modulated and amplified signal; and demodulating, with a demodulation unit, the transconductance enhanced modulated and amplified signal to generate a chopper-stabilized amplified version of the input signal, wherein a gate of a first PMOS transistor of the first complementary pair of transistors is connected to the modulation unit to receive a first differential voltage signal from the modulation unit, and a drain of the first PMOS transistor of the first complementary pair of transistors is connected to the demodulation unit, wherein a gate of a first NMOS transistor of the first complementary pair of transistors is connected to the modulation unit to receive the first differential voltage signal from the modulation unit, and a drain of the first NMOS transistor of the first complementary pair of transistors is connected to the demodulation unit, wherein; the drain of the first PMOS transistor is commonly connected to the drain of the first NMOS transistor, and the voltage at the drain of the first PMOS transistor is substantially equal to the voltage at the drain of the first NMOS transistor throughout a voltage range at the drain of the first PMOS transistor, wherein a gate of a second PMOS transistor of the second complementary pair of transistors is connected to the modulation unit to receive a second differential voltage signal from the modulation unit, and a drain of the second PMOS transistor of the second complementary pair of transistors is connected to the demodulation unit, and wherein a gate of the second NMOS transistor of the second complementary pair of transistors is connected to the modulation unit to receive the second differential voltage signal from the modulation unit, and a drain of the second NMOS transistor of the second complementary pair of transistors is connected to the demodulation unit, wherein; the drain of the second PMOS transistor is commonly connected to the drain of the second NMOS transistor, and the voltage at the drain of the second PMOS transistor is substantially equal to the voltage at the drain of the second NMOS transistor throughout a voltage range at the drain of the second PMOS transistor. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus for amplifying a physiological signal, the apparatus comprising:
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means for modulating an input signal generated based on the physiological signal, and to produce a modulated signal; means for receiving the modulated signal and amplifying an amplitude and an increasing a transconductance of the modulated signal to produce a transconductance enhanced modulated and amplified signal, wherein the means for receiving and amplifying comprises at least a first complementary pair of transistors and a second complementary pair of transistors configured to receive the modulated signal and to amplify and increase the transconductance of the modulated signal; and means for demodulating the transconductance enhanced modulated and amplified signal to generate a chopper-stabilized amplified version of the input signal, wherein a gate of a first PMOS transistor of the first complementary pair of transistors is connected to the means for modulating to receive a first differential voltage signal from the means for modulating, and a drain of the first PMOS transistor of the first complementary pair of transistors is connected to the means for demodulating, wherein a gate of a first NMOS transistor of the first complementary pair of transistors is connected to the means for modulating to receive the first differential voltage signal from the means for modulating, and a drain of the first NMOS transistor of the first complementary pair of transistors is connected to the means for demodulating, wherein; the drain of the first PMOS transistor is commonly connected to the drain of the first NMOS transistor, and the voltage at the drain of the first PMOS transistor is substantially equal to the voltage at the drain of the first NMOS transistor throughout a voltage range at the drain of the first PMOS transistor, wherein a gate of a second PMOS transistor of the second complementary pair of transistors is connected to the means for modulating to receive a second differential voltage signal from the means for modulating, and a drain of the second PMOS transistor of the second complementary pair of transistors is connected to the means for demodulating, and wherein a gate of the second NMOS transistor of the second complementary pair of transistors is connected to the means for modulating to receive the second differential voltage signal from the means for modulating, and a drain of the second NMOS transistor of the second complementary pair of transistors is connected to the means for demodulating, wherein; the drain of the second PMOS transistor is commonly connected to the drain of the second NMOS transistor, and the voltage at the drain of the second PMOS transistor is substantially equal to the voltage at the drain of the second NMOS transistor throughout a voltage range at the drain of the second PMOS transistor.
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Specification
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Current AssigneeMedtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
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Original AssigneeMedtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
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InventorsCong, Peng, Terry, Michael B.
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Primary Examiner(s)Nguyen, Khanh V
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Application NumberUS14/474,858Publication NumberTime in Patent Office1,302 DaysField of Search330 9US Class CurrentCPC Class CodesA61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG...A61B 5/4836 Diagnosis combined with tre...A61B 5/6847 mounted on an invasive deviceA61B 5/686 Permanently implanted devic...A61B 5/6868 BrainA61B 5/7228 Signal modulation applied t...A61N 1/36125 Details of circuitry or ele...A61N 1/36507 controlled by gradient or s...H03F 1/303 using a switching device H0...H03F 2200/171 A filter circuit coupled to...H03F 2200/231 the input of an amplifier c...H03F 2200/261 Amplifier which being suita...H03F 2203/45138 Two or more differential am...H03F 2203/45424 the CMCL comprising a compa...H03F 3/2178 using more than one switch ...H03F 3/393 with field-effect devicesH03F 3/45192 Folded cascode stagesH03F 3/45237 Complementary long tailed p...H03F 3/45475 using IC blocks as the acti...H03F 3/4565 Controlling the common sour...
