Transconductance amplifier based precision half wave and full wave rectifier circuit

摘要

A transconductance amplifier-based, rectifier circuit architecture is configured to programmably provide normal or inverted, half-wave or full-wave rectification of a single ended or differentially derived input signal. The output current produced by commonly connected outputs of current mirror circuits of the transconductance amplifier's output stage from its power supply terminals is coupled through a first pair of opposite polarity rectifier elements to a first pair of rectifier terminals. The current mirrors include additional current mirror outputs coupled to auxiliary current mirror stages, whose outputs are coupled through a second pair of opposite polarity rectifier elements to a second pair of rectifier terminals. Respective ones of the first and second pairs of rectifier terminals are programmably coupled to ground or to a single ended input terminal of an output amplifier stage. Depending on this set of programmable connections, the output amplifier stage provides one of a normal or inverted, half-wave or a full-wave rectified voltage output signal.