IP Library Granted Patent US 7,888,952
Granted Patent B2
US 7,888,952 · App. 12/272,240 · Granted Feb 15, 2011

Circuit arrangement for balancing a resistance circuit

Assignee: Atmel Automotive GmbH
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,888,952
App. No.
12/272,240
Granted
Feb 15, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A circuit arrangement is provided for balancing a resistance circuit, which has a field-effect transistor as a controllable resistor and a control circuit, by which the field-effect transistor can be controlled with a gate-source voltage so that there is a resistance between a drain electrode and a source electrode of the field-effect transistor in a predefinable ratio to a reference resistor. In a balancing operation mode, a reference current can be set by the drain-source path of the field-effect transistor and by the reference resistor, which depends on a differential voltage between a voltage drop, caused by the reference current at the reference resistor and a voltage drop, caused by the reference current, at the drain-source path of the field-effect transistor.

Claims (19)

1. A circuit arrangement for balancing a resistance circuit, said resistance circuit including a field-effect transistor as a controllable resistor and a reference resistor, said circuit arrangement comprising:

a control circuit configured to control the field-effect transistor by a gate-source voltage such that a resistance between a drain electrode and a source electrode of the field-effect transistor is in a predefinable ratio to said reference resistor, said control circuit including a balancing operation circuit, providing a first reference current to the reference resistor and providing a second reference current to the drain-source path of the field-effect transistor, wherein said first and second reference currents function to provide a differential voltage between a first voltage drop caused by the first reference current at the reference resistor and a second voltage drop caused by the second reference current at the drain-source path of the field-effect transistor.

2. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1 , said balancing operation circuit comprising a controllable current source, which generates a balancing current as a function of the differential voltage in a balancing branch of the balancing operation circuit.

3. The circuit arrangement according to claim 2 , further comprising a current mirror circuit, via which the first and second reference currents are generated depending on the balancing current or the differential voltage.

4. An electronic circuit comprising:

at least one field-effect transistor functioning as a controllable resistor, which is a component of a resistance circuit; and

at least one circuit arrangement for balancing the resistance circuit said circuit arrangement including; a control circuit configured to control the field-effect transistor by a gate-source voltage such that a resistance between a drain electrode and a source electrode of the field-effect transistor is in a predefinable ratio to said reference resistor, said control circuit including a balancing operation circuit, providing a first reference current to the reference resistor and providing a second reference current to the drain-source path of the field-effect transistor, wherein said first and second reference currents function to provide a differential voltage between a first voltage drop caused by the first reference current at the reference resistor and a second voltage drop caused by the second reference current at the drain-source path of the field-effect transistor.

5. The electronic circuit according to claim 4 , wherein the electronic circuit is a digital-to-analog converter circuit.

6. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the first reference current and the second reference current are based on the differential voltage.

7. The electronic circuit according to claim 4 , wherein the first reference current and the second reference current are based on the differential voltage.

8. A circuit arrangement comprising:

a current mirror configured to generate a first reference current and a second reference current based on a balancing current;

a reference resistor connectable to the current mirror, the first reference current configured to provide a first voltage drop across the reference resistor;

a field-effect transistor connectable to the current mirror, the second reference current configured to provide a second voltage drop across a drain-source path of the field-effect transistor;

a controllable current source connectable to the current mirror, the controllable current source being configured to provide the balancing current; and

a differential amplifier having a first input connectable to the reference resistor and a second input connectable to the field-effect transistor and having an output connectable to the controllable current source and the field-effect transistor.

9. The circuit arrangement according to claim 8 , wherein the controllable current source is a field-effect transistor.

10. The circuit arrangement according to claim 8 , wherein the output of the differential amplifier is directly connected to the controllable current source and the field-effect transistor.

11. The circuit arrangement according to claim 8 , wherein the output of the differential amplifier is directly connected to an input of the controllable current source and to a gate of the field-effect transistor.

Assignments (11)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059358/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059262/0105 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 25, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059333/0222 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 18, 2018
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047103/0206 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 25, 2018
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 046426/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 10, 2017
From: ATMEL CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 041715/0747 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT COLLATERAL Recorded Apr 7, 2016
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 038376/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 3, 2014
From: ATMEL CORPORATION
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC. AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 031912/0173 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 20, 2011
From: ATMEL DUISBURG GMBH
To: ATMEL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
Reel/Frame 026319/0294 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 4, 2011
From: ATMEL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
To: ATMEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 025899/0710 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 28, 2009
From: FRANKE, REINER
To: ATMEL DUISBURG GMBH
Reel/Frame 022167/0563 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2007 055 104 · Nov 16, 2007 · national
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61014420 · Dec 17, 2007
Related Publication 20090153179A1 · Jun 18, 2009