The accompanying figures are included to provide a further understanding of the present invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain principles of the present invention. In the figures:
Referring to
The denominator current source 21 generates a denominator current IC1 that is expressed in Expression F. The denominator current source 21 includes a first inverse proportion current generator 22, a first square current generator 23 and a first constant current generator 24. The first inverse proportion current generator 22 generates an inverse proportion current that has inverse to proportional relation with the control voltage Vc. The first square current generator 23 generates a square current that has square relation with the control voltage Vc, The first constant current generator 24 generates a first constant current.
The numerator current source 25 generates a numerator current IC2 that is expressed in Expression G. The numerator current source 25 includes a second inverse proportion current generator 26, a second square current generator 27, and a second constant current generator 28. The second inverse proportion current generator 26 generates an inverse proportion current that has inverse proportional relation with the control voltage Vc. The second square current generator 27 generates a square current that has square relation with the control voltage Vc. The second constant current generator 24 generates a second constant current.
The differential amplifier 29 amplifies an input differential signal Vin (Vin+ and Vin−) with a voltage gain that is expressed as the ratio between the denominator current IC1 and the numerator current IC2, and outputs an output differential signal Vout (Vout+ and Vout−).
Hereinafter the operation of the denominator current source 21 will be described with reference to
The first inverse proportion current generator 22 in the denominator current source 21 generates a current related to the first term of Expression F by using an analog divider 221, a voltage-to-current converter 222, and a current to mirror 223, The analog divider 221 receives a reference voltage Vr and a control voltage Vc, and outputs a voltage expressed as
The analog divider 221 generates an output voltage (Vr/Vc) that is proportional to a ratio between two input voltages Vr and Vc. Thus, if the reference voltage Vr is 1 (V), the voltage expressed as
becomes an inverse proportion voltage expressed as
converted to a current in the voltage-to-current converter 222. The current is outputted as a first inverse proportion current linv1 through the current mirror 223. Therefore, the first inverse proportion current linv1 has an inverse relation with the control voltage Vc.
The first square current generator 23 generates a square current Isq1 by using a MOS transistor. The square current Isq1 is related to a second term of Expression F. The third term of Expression F] can be transformed into Expression I.
When the PMOS transistor operates in a saturation mode, its drain current is proportional to the square of the difference between its threshold voltage and the voltage between its gate and its source (Vgs). For example, the drain current of a PMOS transistor can be expressed as Expression J.
In Expression J, μp denotes its hole-mobility, Cox denotes the capacitance of its oxide per unit area, W, denotes the width of its gate, L denotes the length of its gate, 1 denotes the voltage at its gate terminal, Vs denotes the voltage at its source terminal, Vth denotes its threshold voltage, and Kp denotes a parameter of the PMOS transistor. The Kp can be determined by a designer by adjusting W and L. If the source terminal of the PMOS transistor is connected to the supply voltage Vdd and the features of the PMOS transistor satisfies Expression K, the current of Expression J can be expressed as Expression I.
Referring to Expression K, the first square current generator 23 can generate a current related to a second term of Expression F by using a PMOS transistor. The PMOS transistor has Kp, Vdd, and Vth that are determined by a. In the PMOS transistor, the voltage between its gate and its source is
times the control voltage Vc. The current generated by the PMOS transistor can be expressed as Expression L.
The first constant current generator 24 generates a constant current Is1 that is related to the third term of Expression F.
The denominator current source 21 sums (adds together) the first square current Isq1 (generated by the first square current generator 23) and the first in constant current Is1 (generated by the first constant current generator 24), and subtracts that sum from the first inverse proportion current linv1 (generated by the first inverse proportion current generator 22), and outputs the difference as denominator current IC1 (through a current mirror) as shown in
The numerator current source 25 may be constructed by substantially as the mirror of current source architecture of the denominator current source 21 by using an NMOS transistor. Thus, a redundant description of the implementation of the numerator current source 25 will be omitted. In the NMOS transistor of the numerator current source 25, Kn has same value as Kp, the Vss that is connected to its source terminal has same value as −Vdd, and the absolute value of its threshold voltage is equal to the threshold voltage of the PMOS transistor of the denominator current source 21. The numerator current source 25 sums (adds together) the second inverse proportion current linv2 (generated by the second inverse proportion current generator 26), the second square current Isq2 (generated by the second square current generator 27) and the second constant current Is2 (generated by the second constant current generator 28), and outputs the sum as numerator current IC2 (through a current mirror) as shown in
Referring to
The denominator current source 41 includes a first inverse proportion current generator 411, a first square current generator 412, and a first constant current generator 413. A first current mirror 42 mirrors the current that is internally generated at node N1 of the denominator current source 41, and outputs the mirrored current as denominator current IC1. The denominator current IC1 is mirrored to the differential amplifier 49 by a fifth NMOS transistor MN5 and a seventh NMOS transistor MN7.
The first inverse proportion current generator 411 (among a current mirror's transistors MN2, 451 and 411) mirrors the inverse proportion current linv generated by a shared inverse proportion current source 43, and the current mirror comprised of transistors MN2, 451 and 411 outputs to each of the denominator current source 41 and the numerator current source 45 a first inverse proportion current related to a first term of Expression F. The inverse proportion current source 43 may include an analog divider 221 and a voltage-to-current converter 222 as illustrated in the inverse proportion current generator 22 shown in
The first square current generator (e.g., saturation mode PMOS transistor MP1) 412 includes a first PMOS transistor MP1. A voltage
is applied to the gate terminal of the first PMOS transistor MP1 and a first square current related to a second term of Expression F is outputted through its drain terminal.
The first constant current generator 413 generates a first constant current related to a third term of Expression F.
The first square current (from 412) and the first constant current (from 413) are added together at first node N1 and the first inverse proportion current (from 43 and 451) is subtracted from the first node N1, and the summation output current (the difference) is applied to the first current mirror 42 and output as denominator current IC1.
The numerator current source 45 includes a second inverse proportion current generator 451 (among a current mirror's transistors MN2, 451 and 411), a second square current generator 452 (e.g., NMOS transistor MN1), and a second constant current generator 453. A second current mirror 46 mirrors the current that internally generated at node N2 of the numerator current source 45′ and outputs the mirrored current as numerator current IC2. The numerator current IC2 is mirrored to the differential amplifier 49 by a third NMOS transistor MN3 and a sixth NMOS transistor MN6.
The second inverse proportion current generator 451 mirrors the inverse proportion current linv generated by the inverse proportion current source 43, and outputs a second inverse proportion current related to a first term of Expression G to the numerator current source 45. The current mirror comprising the second inverse proportion current generator 451 and the inverse proportion current generator 451, can mirror the inverse proportion current linv in common with the first inverse proportion current generator 411. In alternative embodiments, the second inverse proportion current generator 451 can receive the inverse proportion current from a separate inverse proportion current source (not shown).
The second square current generator 452 includes a first saturation-mode NMOS transistor MN1. A voltage
is applied to the gate terminal of the first NMOS transistor MN1, and a second square current related to a second term of Expression C is outputted through its drain terminal, The second constant current generator 453 generates a second constant current related to a third term of Expression G.
The second inverse proportion current (from 451), the second square current (from 452), and the second constant current (from 453) are summed (added together) at a second node N2, and the summation output is applied to the second current mirror 46 and output as the numerator current IC2.
The denominator current IC1 and the numerator current IC2 are applied respectively to terminals of the differential amplifier 49 as a bias current by the current mirrors comprised of the fifth NMOS transistor MN3 and the seventh NMOS transistor MN7, and of the third NMOS transistor MN3 and the sixth NMOS transistor MN6, respectively.
The differential amplifier 49 receives the differential input signal Vin (Vin+ and Vin−), and outputs a differential output signal Vout (Vout+ and Vout−). The differential amplifier 49 may include active resistors (loads, biased transistors MP2 and MP3) the resistance of which is determined by a bias voltage Vbias. In the differential amplifier 49, the voltage gain is expressed as the proportion of bias currents (denominator current IC1 and numerator current IC2) applied to the differential amplifier 49. For example, a differential pair that consists of an eighth NMOS transistor MN8 and a ninth NMOS transistor MN9 is biased by the numerator current IC2, And, a denominator current IC1 is applied to a pair of output resistors (a tenth NMOS transistor MN10 and an eleventh NMOS transistor MN11). The voltage at ach output resistor (the tenth NMOS transistor NM10 and the eleventh NMOS transistor NM11) is the reciprocal of the voltage gain of the small signal, and a resistance of the output resistor NM10 and NM11 is much smaller than the resistance of output resistors of a sixth PMOS transistor MP6 and a seventh PMQS transistor MP7. The voltage gain of the differential amplifier 49 is equal to a value that is generated by dividing a small signal voltage gain of the eighth NMOS transistor MN8 by the small signal voltage gain of the tenth NMOS transistor MN10 In addition, the small signal voltage gain of the eighth NMOS transistor MN8 is proportional to the square root of the numerator current IC2 and the small signal voltage gain of the tenth NMOS transistor NM10 is proportional to the square root of the denominator current IC10. Therefore, the voltage gain of the differential amplifier 49 is proportional to
Referring to
Referring to
In accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a method of varying the voltage gain, a variable voltage gain amplifier, and an automatic voltage gain control circuit can vary the voltage gain by using a third-order polynomial function as an exponential function.
In accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a method of varying a voltage gain, a variable voltage gain amplifier, and an automatic voltage gain control circuit can implement the third order polynomial expression using a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) transistor by approximating the exponential function to a fraction where each of a denominator and a numerator is expressed as a third order polynomial expression and transforming the third order polynomial expression of the numerator and the denominator to an expression that includes an inversed first order polynomial term, a first order polynomial term, and a second order polynomial term.
In accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a to method of varying a voltage gain, a variable voltage gain amplifier, and an automatic voltage gain control circuit can have a variable voltage gain that is substantially dB-linear with a control voltage in a broad range.
While the exemplary embodiments of the present invention and their features have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations may be made herein without departing from the scope of the invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-78290 | Aug 2006 | KR | national |