An amplifier circuit acting as a line driver in a line between a central station and field devices connected thereto comprising: a DC/DC converter integrated in the circuit as a power stage comprising a DC/pulse converter with two electrically isolated switching stages; a logic block preceding the converter, generating control signals for the switches from a PWM signal and feeding them into the converter in an electrically isolated manner using drivers; a priority block generating the PWM signal; a first and a second controller. The priority block forwards output from the first or second controller. The first controller generates a fault signal based on a voltage limit and an output voltage fed back within the amplifier circuit via a feedback path. The second controller generates a fault signal based on a current limit and the output current. The central station defines the current limit and the voltage limit.

An amplification device includes a first amplifier configured to amplify an input signal in accordance with a first gate voltage, and a second amplifier configured to amplify the input signal in accordance with a second gate voltage, wherein at least one of the first gate voltage and the second gate voltage are controlled on the basis of a current ratio of a first drain current of the first amplifier to a second drain current of the second amplifier.

An amplifier circuit includes: a Schmidt trigger having an input electrically coupled to an input of the amplifier circuit, a switching network electrically coupled to an output of the Schmidt trigger, an inductor electrically coupled to the switching network, a first resistor electrically coupled to the inductor, a capacitor electrically coupled to the first resistor, a first feedback circuit that provides a first feedback signal to the input of the Schmidt trigger based on a voltage at a first node electrically coupled to the first resistor and to the capacitor, a second resistor electrically coupled to the output of the amplifier circuit, a third resistor electrically coupled to the second resistor, and a second feedback circuit that provides a second feedback signal to the input of the Schmidt trigger based on a voltage at a second node electrically coupled to the second resistor and to the third resistor.

An amplifier circuit acting as a line driver in a line between a central station and field devices connected thereto comprising: a DC/DC converter integrated in the circuit as a power stage comprising a DC/pulse converter with two electrically isolated switching stages; a logic block preceding the converter, generating control signals for the switches from a PWM signal and feeding them into the converter in an electrically isolated manner using drivers; a priority block generating the PWM signal; a first and a second controller. The priority block forwards output from the first or second controller. The first controller generates a fault signal based on a voltage limit and an output voltage fed back within the amplifier circuit via a feedback path. The second controller generates a fault signal based on a current limit and the output current. The central station defines the current limit and the voltage limit.

An amplifier circuit includes: a Schmidt trigger having an input electrically coupled to an input of the amplifier circuit, a switching network electrically coupled to an output of the Schmidt trigger, an inductor electrically coupled to the switching network, a first resistor electrically coupled to the inductor, a capacitor electrically coupled to the first resistor, a first feedback circuit that provides a first feedback signal to the input of the Schmidt trigger based on a voltage at a first node electrically coupled to the first resistor and to the capacitor, a second resistor electrically coupled to the output of the amplifier circuit, a third resistor electrically coupled to the second resistor, and a second feedback circuit that provides a second feedback signal to the input of the Schmidt trigger based on a voltage at a second node electrically coupled to the second resistor and to the third resistor.

A circuit that outputs a current which is proportional to an input voltage includes input and output terminals, a comparator, first and second transistors, an inductor, a first resistor, and a differential amplifier. A first input terminal of the comparator is coupled to the input terminal of the circuit, and a second input terminal of the comparator is coupled to an output terminal of the comparator. The first and second transistors are coupled to the output terminal of the comparator. The inductor is coupled to the first and second transistors. The first resistor is coupled between the inductor and the output terminal of the circuit. The differential amplifier includes a first input terminal coupled to a first terminal of the first resistor, a second input terminal coupled to a second terminal to the first resistor, and an output terminal coupled to the first input terminal of the comparator.

A circuit that outputs a current which is proportional to an input voltage includes input and output terminals, a comparator, first and second transistors, an inductor, a first resistor, and a differential amplifier. A first input terminal of the comparator is coupled to the input terminal of the circuit, and a second input terminal of the comparator is coupled to an output terminal of the comparator. The first and second transistors are coupled to the output terminal of the comparator. The inductor is coupled to the first and second transistors. The first resistor is coupled between the inductor and the output terminal of the circuit. The differential amplifier includes a first input terminal coupled to a first terminal of the first resistor, a second input terminal coupled to a second terminal to the first resistor, and an output terminal coupled to the first input terminal of the comparator.

A self-biasing output booster amplifier having an input amplifier stage, an output amplifier stage being operatively connected to an output of the input amplifier stage, and first and second current copying circuits. The second current copying circuit is biased from an output of the self-biasing output booster amplifier. The first and second current copying circuits are configured to copy at least a portion of the current through the output amplifier stage. The sum of the output of the second current copying circuit and the output of the output amplifier stage provides the output current of the self-biasing output booster amplifier, Finally, the input amplifier stage is biased from the output of the second current copying.

A self-biasing output booster amplifier having an input amplifier stage, an output amplifier stage being operatively connected to an output of the input amplifier stage, and first and second current copying circuits. The second current copying circuit is biased from an output of the self-biasing output booster amplifier. The first and second current copying circuits are configured to copy at least a portion of the current through the output amplifier stage. The sum of the output of the second current copying circuit and the output of the output amplifier stage provides the output current of the self-biasing output booster amplifier, Finally, the input amplifier stage is biased from the output of the second current copying.