Patent ID: 6011415
Filing Date: 2000-01-04
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
A leakage tolerant input amplifier for receiving a first input signal and an offset signal, the offset signal generated from a direct current leakage current, and for generating an amplified input signal in response to receiving the first input signal, the leakage tolerant input amplifier comprising:an amplifier having a non-inverting input terminal, an inverting input terminal, and an output terminal, the amplifier operable to receive and amplify the first input signal received across its input terminals and the offset signal received at the non-inverting input terminal to generate an amplified signal at the output terminal;an output device operable to receive the amplified signal from the output terminal and to regulate a control current in response;a first current mirror circuitry operable to receive a bias current and to mirror the bias current to the output device and to an output node; anda second current mirror circuitry operable to receive the control current from the output device and to mirror the control current to the output node, and wherein the output node provides the amplified input signal at a value corresponding to the difference between the bias current and the control current, and the output device is operable to regulate the control current to a level that is about equal to the bias current when the offset signal is provided at a constant value.