Patent ID: 7777569

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: an input stage having biasing circuitry that is coupled to a first intermediate node and a second intermediate node, wherein the input stage is adapted to receive at least one input signal, and wherein at least a portion of the input stage is actuated by a first control signal; a control amplifier stage, wherein at least a portion of the control amplifier stage is actuated by a second signal, and wherein the control amplifier stage includes: a current source; a transistor that is coupled between the first and second intermediate nodes; and a capacitor that is coupled to the control electrode of the transistor, wherein the capacitor is charged by the current source to provide a linear ramp for voltage on the capacitor, and wherein the slope of the linear ramp allow the transistor to be turned on at a predetermined rate; a control circuit that is coupled to the control amplifier stage, the bias circuitry, at least one of the first and second intermediate nodes, wherein at least a portion of the control circuit is actuated by the second control signal; and an output stage that is coupled to the first and second intermediate nodes, wherein the output stage is adapted to provide at least one output signal.