Disclosed herein are signal amplifiers having a plurality of amplifier cores. Individual amplifier cores can be designed for particular gain modes to enhance particular advantages while reducing other disadvantages. The signal amplifier can then switch between amplifier cores when switching gain modes to achieve desired performance characteristics (e.g., improving noise figure or linearity). Examples of signal amplifiers disclosed herein include amplifier architectures with a high gain amplifier core that reduces the noise figure and a linearity boost amplifier core that increases linearity (e.g., for lower gain modes). The disclosed signal amplifiers can also have switchable reference biases to provide targeted bias current matching. The disclosed signal amplifiers can also include degeneration switching blocks for individual amplifier cores to improve signal linearity.

Disclosed herein are signal amplifiers having a plurality of amplifier cores. Individual amplifier cores can be designed for particular gain modes to enhance particular advantages while reducing other disadvantages. The signal amplifier can then switch between amplifier cores when switching gain modes to achieve desired performance characteristics (e.g., improving noise figure or linearity). Examples of signal amplifiers disclosed herein include amplifier architectures with a high gain amplifier core that reduces the noise figure and a linearity boost amplifier core that increases linearity (e.g., for lower gain modes). The disclosed signal amplifiers can also have switchable reference biases to provide targeted bias current matching. The disclosed signal amplifiers can also include degeneration switching blocks for individual amplifier cores to improve signal linearity.

A circuit comprises a Sallen-Key filter, which includes a source follower that implements a unity-gain amplifier; and a programmable-gain amplifier coupled to the Sallen-Key filter. The circuit enables programmable gain via adjustment to a current mirror copying ratio in the programmable-gain amplifier, which decouples the bandwidth of the circuit from its gain settings. The programmable-gain amplifier can comprise a differential voltage-to-current converter, a current mirror pair, and programmable output gain stages. The Sallen-Key filter and at least one branch in the programmable-gain amplifier can comprise transistors arranged in identical circuit configurations.

A circuit comprises a Sallen-Key filter, which includes a source follower that implements a unity-gain amplifier; and a programmable-gain amplifier coupled to the Sallen-Key filter. The circuit enables programmable gain via adjustment to a current mirror copying ratio in the programmable-gain amplifier, which decouples the bandwidth of the circuit from its gain settings. The programmable-gain amplifier can comprise a differential voltage-to-current converter, a current mirror pair, and programmable output gain stages. The Sallen-Key filter and at least one branch in the programmable-gain amplifier can comprise transistors arranged in identical circuit configurations.

Regulating voltages at inputs of an electronic device by performing at least the following: receiving, at a voltage monitoring circuit, a monitoring voltage corresponding to a power system, determining, at the voltage monitoring circuit, whether the monitoring voltage is equal to or exceeds a monitoring threshold voltage, receiving, at the voltage monitoring circuit, an output indicating whether an inputted reference voltage and an inputted feedback voltage at a comparator circuit differs, regulating, at the voltage monitoring circuit, a feedback voltage to match the inputted reference voltage based on the output and a determination that the monitoring voltage is equal to or exceeds the monitoring threshold voltage, and providing, from the voltage monitoring circuit, the feedback voltage as an updated inputted feedback voltage for the comparator circuit.

Regulating voltages at inputs of an electronic device by performing at least the following: receiving, at a voltage monitoring circuit, a monitoring voltage corresponding to a power system, determining, at the voltage monitoring circuit, whether the monitoring voltage is equal to or exceeds a monitoring threshold voltage, receiving, at the voltage monitoring circuit, an output indicating whether an inputted reference voltage and an inputted feedback voltage at a comparator circuit differs, regulating, at the voltage monitoring circuit, a feedback voltage to match the inputted reference voltage based on the output and a determination that the monitoring voltage is equal to or exceeds the monitoring threshold voltage, and providing, from the voltage monitoring circuit, the feedback voltage as an updated inputted feedback voltage for the comparator circuit.

High-data rate channel interface modules and equalization methods employing a finite impulse response (FIR) analog receive filter. Embodiments include an illustrative channel interface module having multiple amplifier-based delay units arranged in a sequential chain to convert an analog input signal into a set of increasingly-delayed analog signals that are weighted and combined together with the analog input signal to form an equalized signal; and a symbol decision element operating on the equalized signal to obtain a sequence of symbol decisions. An interface that extracts received data from the sequence of symbol decisions. The delay units may employ one or more delay cells each having a common-source amplifier stage followed by a source follower output stage, the two stages providing approximately equal portions of the propagation delay. An enhanced gate-to-drain capacitance in the common-source amplifier may increase propagation delay while reducing bandwidth limitations.

High-data rate channel interface modules and equalization methods employing a finite impulse response (FIR) analog receive filter. Embodiments include an illustrative channel interface module having multiple amplifier-based delay units arranged in a sequential chain to convert an analog input signal into a set of increasingly-delayed analog signals that are weighted and combined together with the analog input signal to form an equalized signal; and a symbol decision element operating on the equalized signal to obtain a sequence of symbol decisions. An interface that extracts received data from the sequence of symbol decisions. The delay units may employ one or more delay cells each having a common-source amplifier stage followed by a source follower output stage, the two stages providing approximately equal portions of the propagation delay. An enhanced gate-to-drain capacitance in the common-source amplifier may increase propagation delay while reducing bandwidth limitations.

A method for adjusting the clarity of an audio output in a changing environment, including: receiving a content signal; applying a customized gain to the content signal; and outputting the content signal with the customized gain to at least one speaker for transduction to an acoustic signal, wherein the customized gain is applied on a per frequency bin basis such that frequencies of a lesser magnitude are enhanced with respect to frequencies of a greater magnitude and an intelligibility of the acoustic signal is set approximately at a desired level, wherein the customized gain is determined according to at least one of a gain applied to the content signal, a bandwidth of the content signal, and a content type encoded by the content signal.

Apparatus and associated methods relate to a peaking module fabricated on a semiconductor substrate including a follower circuit driving a series peaking circuit-branch, the module configured to extend the bandwidth of a track-and-hold circuit. In an illustrative example, the series peaking circuit-branch may include an inductive element. One or more tracks on a metal interconnect above the semiconductor substrate may form the inductive element, for example. In some examples, one or more peaking modules may be combined creating a customized frequency response. In some examples, one or more combined peaking modules may be adjusted by a controller providing dynamic frequency response customization during operation. The follower circuits may employ constant current biasing and/or constant-g.sub.m biasing to provide substantial immunity to process, temperature and voltage variations, for example. Various implementations of series peaking circuit-branch pre-emphasis may advantageously extend overall bandwidth of various circuits (e.g., high-speed track-and-hold circuits).