Comparator and relaxation oscillator employing same

Abstract

A relaxation oscillator has a comparator that includes first through third bias current transistors coupled to a first supply rail. First and second input transistors form a pair of parallel coupled transistors connected to the first bias current transistor. A first current mirror control transistor connects the first input transistor to a second supply rail. A first current mirror output transistor is coupled to the first current mirror control transistor, and connects the second bias current transistor to the second supply rail. A second current mirror control transistor connects the second input transistor to the second supply rail. A second current mirror output transistor is coupled to the second current mirror control transistor, and connects the third bias current transistor to the second supply rail. A transition time reduction transistor, coupled across the third bias current transistor, is coupled to the second bias current transistor, and provides a comparator output.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to generation of clock signals for integrated circuits and, more particularly, to comparators and relaxation oscillators that use comparators.[0002]Relaxation oscillator circuits are found in many electronic circuit applications and are often used for generating clock signals that control the timing of such electronic circuits. For example, relaxation oscillator circuits can be used DC / DC converters, counters, shifting modules, microcontrollers and modulation circuitry. Typically, the period of the clock signal provided by a relaxation oscillator circuit is determined primarily by charging and discharging of two capacitors. Such charging and discharging is often controlled by current sources or current mirrors supplying charge currents to the capacitors and the discharging is effected by controlling transistors coupled across the capacitors.[0003]The charging and discharging of the capacitors typically provides ramp or s...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a comparator circuit that can generate clock signals for integrated circuits without using large quiescent currents. The comparator circuit uses a combination of comparators and relaxation oscillators to generate the clock signals. The invention also includes improvements to the comparators to reduce delays and improve accuracy. The technical effects of the invention include reducing delays in generating clock signals and improving accuracy without using large quiescent currents.

Problems solved by technology

However, comparators have inherent low to high and high to low transition delays that can affect the upper limits and accuracy of the frequency of the oscillator circuit.

Furthermore, such inherent transition delays are undesirable for comparator circuits that require a rapid response time.

However, such rapid response times are obtained at the expense of relatively large and undesirable quiescent currents that flow through either or both pull up and pull down transistors.

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