Amplifiers – With semiconductor amplifying device – Integrated circuits
Patent
1985-10-16
1987-02-03
Mullins, James B.
Amplifiers
With semiconductor amplifying device
Integrated circuits
330252, 330257, 357 45, H03F 304
Patent
active
046411089
ABSTRACT:
An integrated circuit comprising a plurality of gain cells interspersed with a plurality of passive and active, electrically isolated components (e.g. thin-film binarily-weighted resistors and transistors). Each gain cell comprises a differential amplifier gain stage comprising a pair of emitter-coupled transistors, the coupled emitters being connected to a current source. The collectors thereof are coupled to a pair of transistors configured as a current mirror. The emitter-coupled transistors, current source and current-mirror transistors are disposed on a first level of the integrated circuit. A first output stage comprising a common-emitter transistor and a second output stage comprising a transistor having an electrically isolated emitter are disposed on the first level. An upper level of metallization is used for selectively coupling either: the output of the differential amplifier gain stage to the first output stage, thereby configuring the gain cell as a comparator; or, additionally, the second output stage transistor between the collector of the first output stage transistor and the output of the differential amplifier, thereby providing an operational amplifier circuit configuration. With such arrangement, each gain cell has a pre-configured gain stage with predetermined electrical characteristics. The manufacturer may then configure each gain cell as either an analog comparator or an operational amplifier having well-defined electrical characteristics during the final metallization process. The gain cells and passive and active components further are selectively interconnected by second level metallization to thereby configure a desired circuit.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3621562 (1971-11-01), Patel
patent: 4234888 (1980-11-01), Calhoun et al.
patent: 4521799 (1985-06-01), Davies
The Electronic Engineer, Jun. 1967, p. 68.
Seevinch, "An Uncommitted Integrated Circuit", The Transactions of the SA Institute of Electrical Engineers, Aug. 1976, pp. 222-225.
Devlin Peter J.
Mullins James B.
Raytheon Company
Sharkansky Richard M.
LandOfFree
Configurable analog integrated circuit does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Configurable analog integrated circuit, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Configurable analog integrated circuit will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1093068