Patent ID: 7221190

Claim:
A differential comparator comprising: a first node for a first supply voltage and a second node for a second supply voltage; an output stage connected between said first node and said second node; an input stage connected between said first node and said second node, coupled to said output stage, and with a negative voltage reference node; a first differential input coupled to a first differential pair transistor in said input stage and operative to receive a first input signal; a second differential input coupled to a second differential pair transistor in said input stage and operative to receive a second input signal, the first input signal and the second input signal forming a differential input signal; and a common mode sensing circuit in said input stage and interconnected between the first differential input, the second differential input, and the negative voltage reference node, the common mode sensing circuit being operative to sense a common mode voltage of the differential input signal and set a voltage potential at the negative voltage reference node substantially equal to the sensed common mode voltage including when said common mode voltage lies outside of the voltage range from said first supply voltage to said second supply voltage; and loads, for said first differential pair transistor and said second differential pair transistor, directly connected to said negative voltage reference node.