Digitally controlled programmable attenuator

Details Digitally controlled programmable attenuator Digitally controlled programmable attenuator

1996-12-23

1998-05-26

Callahan, Timothy P.

Miscellaneous active electrical nonlinear devices, circuits, and

Signal converting, shaping, or generating

Amplitude control

327306, 327530, 333 81R, H03G 300

Patent

active

057572208

ABSTRACT:
A digitally controlled programmable attenuator maintains tight phase matching between attenuated signals over wide ranges of frequencies and power levels regardless of the selected attenuation level. This is achieved with a multi-tap ladder network that sets a desired tap-to-tap dB step-size, a plurality of unity gain digitally switched voltage-to-voltage buffers that are connected between the respective taps and a common output, and a fixed gain stage that sets the attenuator's overall gain/attenuation. The buffers maintain a high and substantially constant impedance whether turned on or turned off. Phase matching within 0.2.degree. at frequencies up to 300 MHz for 30 dB of gain variation has been realized. The buffers can be implemented with complementary bipolar or BiCMOS processes

REFERENCES:
patent: 4851842 (1989-07-01), Iwamatsu
patent: 5006735 (1991-04-01), Taylor
patent: 5007541 (1991-04-01), Gilbert

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Digitally controlled programmable attenuator does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Digitally controlled programmable attenuator, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Digitally controlled programmable attenuator will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1966070