Embodiments of a passive buffer circuit and a wideband communication circuit that uses the passive buffer circuit are disclosed. In an embodiment, the passive buffer circuit includes buffer elements connected between input terminals and output terminals that are connected to input terminals of a communication component circuit with a plurality of input transistors. Each of the buffer elements provides a first path with a resistor and a second path with a series-connected capacitor and inductor. The passive buffer circuit further includes current sources connected between the output terminals and at least one fixed voltage and a feedback loop from the input transistors to the current sources to control direct current (DC) voltage at each of the input terminals of the communication component circuit. The feedback loop includes an error amplifier that controls the current sources based on voltages on the input transistors with respect to a reference voltage.

In one form, a signal chain circuit includes a signal chain processing circuit between an input for receiving a differential input signal having a first common-mode voltage, and an output for providing a differential output signal having a second, different common-mode voltage. It includes an amplifier with a differential output stage coupled to a differential input stage and having positive and negative output terminals forming its output, and positive and negative feedback terminals. The differential output stage provides a first voltage drop between the positive output terminal and the positive feedback terminal, and a second voltage drop between the negative output terminal and the negative feedback terminal. The common-mode feedback circuit regulates a common-mode voltage between the positive and negative feedback terminals to the second common-mode voltage. In another form, an analog-to-digital converter includes a range extending logic circuit to extend the range of a ring oscillator based analog-to-digital converter.

Disclosed herein is a method including sinking current from a pair of input transistors of a differential amplifier while sourcing more current to the pair of input transistors than is sunk. The method further includes generating a pair of input differential signals using a pair of input voltage regulators, and amplifying a difference between the pair of input differential signals to produce a pair of differential output voltages, using the differential amplifier. The method also includes amplifying the pair of differential output voltages using at least one voltage gain amplifier, and generating control signals for current sources that source the current to the pair of input transistors of the differential amplifier, from the pair of differential output voltages after at least amplification.

A precharge circuit comprises a gain amplifier, a comparator, a reservoir capacitor, a switch, a current source, and a switching network. The gain amplifier has a gain G1 and receives an input voltage Vrefp. The gain amplifier outputs an amplified voltage G1Vrefp to the comparator, which compares G1Vrefp to a voltage across the reservoir capacitor. The comparator outputs a control signal for the switch based on the comparison. The switch couples the current source to the reservoir capacitor. The current from the current source charges the reservoir capacitor. The switching network couples the reservoir capacitor to an output of the precharge circuit during a first operating mode and provides the input voltage Vrefp to the output during a second operating mode.

An operational amplifier includes a single-stage amplifier and a current controller. The single-stage amplifier receives an input signal, and amplifies the input signal to generate an output signal, wherein the single-stage amplifier includes a voltage controlled current source circuit that operates in response to a bias voltage input. The current controller receives the input signal, and generates the bias voltage input according to the input signal.

This description relates, generally, to protecting a circuit from an input voltage. Various examples include an apparatus including one or more circuits to draw current from, or provide current to, a pair of connectors for an input circuit. The connectors may be for electrical coupling to first and second terminals of a twisted pair. The one or more circuits may be at least partially responsive to positive and negative biasing signals. The apparatus may additionally include an operational amplifier to generate the positive and negative biasing signals. The operational amplifier may include: a first input terminal at least partially responsive to a reference voltage and a second input terminal at least partially responsive to a common-mode voltage of the input circuit. Related systems and methods are also disclosed.

An analog front end (AFE) circuit including: a continuous time linear equalizer (CTLE) circuit; a transimpedance amplifier (TIA) connected to the CTLE circuit; and a feedback circuit including: a first transistor connected between a first output of the feedback circuit and a first node connected to a first current source; a second transistor connected between a second output of the feedback circuit and a second node connected to a second current source; and a first tunable resistor coupled between the first node and the second node, wherein: a first input of the feedback circuit is connected to a first output of the TIA; a second input of the feedback circuit is connected to a second output of the TIA; the second output of the feedback circuit is connected to a first input of the TIA.

A voltage-to-current converter circuit comprises an amplifier, a resistor, first and second feedback circuits, and an output circuit. The amplifier is configured to receive a differential input voltage signal. The resistor is coupled between first and second nodes of the amplifier. The first feedback circuit is coupled to a third node of the amplifier, provides feedback to the first and second nodes when the value of the input voltage signal is in a first range, and is turned off otherwise. The second feedback circuit is coupled to a fourth node of the amplifier, provides feedback to the first and second nodes when the value of the input voltage signal is in a second range different from the first range, and is turned off otherwise. The output circuit produces a differential current output signal having a value according to the value of the input voltage signal.

An amplifier circuit has: a first amplifier circuit, including a chopper circuit amplifying a first differential signal input between first and second input terminals to output a second differential signal; and a second amplifier circuit amplifying the second differential signal to output a single-ended signal. The second amplifier circuit includes: a first circuit including first and second transistors, the first circuit being connected to the first amplifier circuit so that the second differential signal input into gates of these transistors, the first circuit converting the second differential signal to a current flowing into a first node connected to the first transistor and a current flowing into a second node connected to the second transistor; and a second circuit negatively feeding back a voltage at the second node so that the difference in voltage between these nodes is reduced. The second amplifier circuit outputs the single-ended signal from the first node.

A squelch detection device is provided. The squelch detection device receives first and second input signals and first and second threshold voltages. The squelch detection device determines a first common mode of the first and second input signals and a second common mode of the first and second threshold voltages. The squelch detection device averages the first common mode with the second common mode to produce an average common mode and sets the first common mode of the first and second input signals to the average common mode. The squelch detection device sets the second common mode of the first and second threshold voltages to the average common mode and determines a state of a squelch signal, indicative of whether the first and second input signals are attributable to noise, based on the first and second input signals and the first and second threshold voltages.