Electricity: power supply or regulation systems – Self-regulating – Using a three or more terminal semiconductive device as the...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-25
2001-04-10
Wong, Peter S. (Department: 2838)
Electricity: power supply or regulation systems
Self-regulating
Using a three or more terminal semiconductive device as the...
C327S346000, C327S350000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06215292
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to electronics, and, more particularly, to a power rising electronic device and related methods.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Power rising electronic devices are commonly used in various applications, such as analog calculating systems, for example. A power rising electronic device provides an output current which is a function of a power of an input current with either a positive or negative relative whole-number exponent. In the case of a square law electronic device, the output current is proportional to the square of the input current.
Power rising electronic devices are formed with one or more multiplier circuits. A disadvantage of this approach is that the electronic device requires a fairly complex structure. If the electronic device is produced in an integrated form on a chip of semiconductor material, a considerable amount of surface area of the semiconductor material is required. Moreover, multiplier circuits require very precise tuning of their components to prevent drift of the output current due to temperature variations, for example.
A different approach includes the use of one or more MOS field effect transistors in which the current at the drain terminal is proportional to the square of the voltage between the source terminal and the gate terminal. However, this relationship is significantly influenced by variations in temperature, and in the drain terminal voltage so that the electronic device is not very precise.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks. To achieve this object, a power rising electronic device receives an input current and supplies an output current that is a function of a power of the input current having a relative whole-number exponent.
The power rising electronic device includes a plurality of diodes equal to the absolute value of the relative whole-number exponent. The diodes are connected in series with one another to produce from the input current an input voltage which is a logarithmic function of a power of the input current having an exponent equal to the absolute value of an output junction element. The electronic device further include means for applying a voltage which is a function of the input voltage to the output junction element to produce a current that is an exponential function of the voltage applied. The output current is derived from the produced current.
A corresponding power rising method is also provided.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5521544 (1996-05-01), Hatanaka
patent: 5585757 (1996-12-01), Frey
patent: 5680038 (1997-10-01), Fiedler
patent: 5835994 (1998-11-01), Adams
patent: 5880625 (1999-03-01), Park et al.
patent: 5889665 (1999-03-01), Han
Ghozeil Adam
Maggi Riccardo
Allen Dyer Doppelt Milbrath & Gilchrist, P.A.
Galanthay Theodore E.
Laxton Gary L.
STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
Wong Peter S.
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