Patent ID: 7595705

Claim:
An attenuator for generating an attenuated signal by attenuating an input signal at a predetermined rate, the attenuator comprising a plurality of attenuators comprising: a first impedance component having a terminal connected to the input signal; a second impedance component having a terminal connected to the other terminal of the first impedance component and the other terminal outputting the attenuated signal; a third impedance component having a terminal connected to a common terminal of the first and second impedance components; a fourth impedance component having a terminal connected to a ground voltage; a fifth impedance component having a terminal connected to the other terminal of the fourth impedance component and the other terminal connected to the ground voltage; and a sixth impedance component having a terminal connected to a common terminal of the fourth and fifth impedance components and the other terminal connected to the other terminal of the third impedance component, wherein the plurality of attenuators have different attenuation rates, and wherein the plurality of attenuators generate attenuated signals obtained by attenuating the same input signal at predetermined attenuation rates, respectively.