Granted Patent B2

US 11,716,062 · App. 17/397,042 · Granted Aug 1, 2023

Inventor: Paul Allen (Saratoga Springs, UT)

Assignee: Owlet Baby Care, Inc.

H03F3/45636H03F3/68H03G3/008H03G3/10

Abstract

Claims (71)

1. A multi-channel common-mode coupled alternating current (AC) gain amplifier (MC-CM-AC Amp) comprising:

a first operational amplifier including:

a first non-inverting input port configured to be coupled to a first input signal;

a first inverting input port configured to be coupled to a first capacitor;

a second operational amplifier including:

a second non-inverting input port configured to be coupled to a second input signal;

a second inverting input port configured to be coupled to a second capacitor; and

one or more gain-setting resistors configured to be coupled between the first capacitor and the second capacitor;

wherein the one or more gain-setting resistors is configured to amplify an alternating current (AC) component of the first input signal or the second input signal without amplifying a direct current (DC) component of the first input signal or the second input signal.

2. The MC-CM-AC Amp of claim 1 , wherein the first input signal or the second input signal has a value from about 100 nanovolts to about 3 millivolts.

3. The MC-CM-AC Amp of claim 1 , wherein the first capacitor or the second capacitor are non-polarized capacitors with a capacitance ranging from about 10 microfarads to about 500 microfarads.

4. The MC-CM-AC Amp of claim 1 , wherein:

the first operational amplifier includes a first output port configured to direct a first output signal; and

the second operational amplifier further includes a second output port configured to direct a second output signal.

5. The MC-CM-AC Amp of claim 4 , wherein:

the first input signal is channelized; or

the second input signal is channelized; or

the first output signal is channelized; or

the second output signal is channelized.

6. The MC-CM-AC Amp of claim 1 , further comprising:

an nth operational amplifier including:

an nth non-inverting input port configured to be coupled to an nth input signal;

an nth inverting input port configured to be coupled to an nth capacitor; and

an nth group of gain-setting resistors configured to be coupled between the nth capacitor and one or more of the first capacitor or the second capacitor,

wherein n is an integer greater than 2.

7. A multi-channel common-mode coupled alternating current (AC) gain amplifier (MC-CM-AC Amp) system, comprising:

a first operational amplifier including: a first non-inverting input port configured to be coupled to a first input signal, and a first inverting input port configured to be coupled to a first capacitor and a first gain-setting resistor;

a second operational amplifier including: a second non-inverting input port configured to be coupled to a second input signal, and a second inverting input port configured to be coupled to a second capacitor and a second gain-setting resistor; and

a third operational amplifier including a third non-inverting input port configured to be coupled to a third input signal, and a third inverting input port configured to be coupled to a third capacitor and a third gain-setting resistor;

wherein the first capacitor and the first gain-setting resistor are configured to amplify an alternating current (AC) component of the first input signal without amplifying a direct current (DC) component of the first input signal;

wherein the second capacitor and the second gain-setting resistor are configured to amplify an AC component of the second input signal without amplifying a DC component of the second input signal; and

wherein the third capacitor and the third gain-setting resistor are configured to amplify an AC component of the third input signal without amplifying a DC component of the third input signal.

8. The MC-CM-AC Amp system of claim 7 , further comprising:

a first ground-coupled resistor coupled to the first inverting input port;

a second ground-coupled resistor coupled to the second inverting input port; and

a third ground-coupled resistor coupled to the third inverting input port.

9. The MC-CM-AC Amp system of claim 7 , wherein:

the first input signal is a first channel signal;

the second input signal is a second channel signal; and

the third input signal is a third channel signal.

10. The MC-CM-AC Amp system of claim 7 , further comprising:

a first operational amplifier including a first output port configured to direct a first output signal; and

a second operational amplifier further including a second output port configured to direct a second output signal; and

a third operational amplifier further including a third output port configured to direct a third output signal;

wherein:

the first output signal is channelized;

the second output signal is channelized; and

the third output signal is channelized.

11. The MC-CM-AC Amp system of claim 10 , further comprising:

a first feedback resistor coupled to the first output port;

a second feedback resistor coupled to the second output port; and

a third feedback resistor coupled to the third output port.

12. The MC-CM-AC Amp system of claim 10 , further comprising:

a first output filter coupled to the first output port;

a second output filter coupled to the second output port; and

a third output filter coupled to the third output port.

13. The MC-CM-AC Amp system of claim 12 , wherein:

the first output filter includes a first resistor in series with the first output port and a first parallel capacitor in parallel with the first output port, wherein the first parallel capacitor is coupled to ground;

the second output filter includes a second resistor in series with the second output port and a second parallel capacitor in parallel with the second output port, wherein the second parallel capacitor is coupled to ground; and

the third output filter includes a third resistor in series with the third output port and a third parallel capacitor in parallel with the third output port, wherein the third parallel capacitor is coupled to ground.

14. The MC-CM-AC Amp system of claim 7 , wherein:

the first gain-setting resistor is coupled to the second gain-setting resistor and the third gain-setting resistor;

the second gain-setting resistor is coupled to the first gain-setting resistor and the third gain-setting resistor; and

the third gain-setting resistor is coupled to the first gain-setting resistor and the second gain-setting resistor.

15. A method for amplifying a small alternating current (AC) component of a first input signal or a second input signal, comprising:

providing a first input signal to a first non-inverting input port of a first operational amplifier;

providing a second input signal to a second non-inverting input port of a second operational amplifier;

coupling a first capacitor and a second capacitor between a first inverting input port of the first operational amplifier and a second inverting input port of the second operational amplifier;

applying a selected level of gain to the small AC component of the first input signal or the second input signal using a gain setting resistor coupled between the first capacitor and the second capacitor; and

providing an amplified small AC component of a first output signal or a second output signal; and amplifying the small AC component of the first input signal or the second input signal with the selected level of gain without substantially amplifying a direct current (DC) component of the first input signal or the second input signal.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first input signal or the second input signal has a source impedance of from 15 kOhm to 20 kOhm.

Assignments (8)

Continuity (2)