Apparatus and methods for removing a large-signal voltage offset from a biomedical signal

Abstract

Apparatus and methods remove a voltage offset from an electrical signal, specifically a biomedical signal. A signal is received at a first operational amplifier and is amplified by a gain. An amplitude of the signal is monitored, by a first pair of diode stages coupled to an output of the first operational amplifier, for the voltage offset. The amplitude of the signal is then attenuated by the first pair of diode stages and a plurality of timing banks. The attenuating includes limiting charging, by the first pair of diode stages, of the plurality of timing banks and setting a time constant based on the charging. The attenuating removes the voltage offset persisting at a threshold for a duration of at least the time constant. Saturation of the signal is limited to a saturation recovery time while the saturated signal is gradually pulled into monitoring range over the saturation recovery time.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A circuit for processing an electrical signal having a large differential voltage offset, comprising:
 a first operational amplifier having a differential input and a differential output, and configured to receive the electrical signal at the differential input;   a second operational amplifier having a common mode voltage input and configured to output a common mode reference voltage to a common mode node;   a first pair of diode stages coupled between respective ones of the differential outputs of the first operational amplifier and respective ones of a first differential node and a second differential node;   a plurality of timing banks coupled between the respective ones of the first differential node and the second differential node and the common mode node; and   a second pair of diode stages coupled between the respective ones of the first differential node and the second differential node and the common mode node, and   wherein the circuit is configured to attenuate the large differential voltage offset and output a compensating electrical signal at an output of each of the second pair of diode stages.   
     
     
         2 . The circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the first pair of diode stages limits charging of the plurality of timing banks in response to respective voltage outputs of the differential output of the first operational amplifier being less than a breakdown voltage of a diode in the first pair of diode stages. 
     
     
         3 . The circuit of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first operational amplifier has a gain;   each diode of the first pair of diode stages has a first breakdown voltage;   the plurality of timing banks comprises a resistor-capacitor network, configured to set a plurality of time constants;   the second pair of diode stages has a second breakdown voltage; and   in response to the large differential voltage offset being above an activation threshold for a first duration of time at least as long as a time constant from the plurality of time constants, the circuit is configured to:   amplify the large differential voltage offset with the gain to output respective voltages at respective outputs of the differential output, wherein the respective voltages are greater than the first breakdown voltage;   charge the plurality of timing banks with respective attenuated voltages for a second duration of time equal to at least the time constant, wherein the respective attenuated voltages are the respective voltages attenuated by the first breakdown voltage;   in response to charging the plurality of timing banks, generate a first voltage difference between the first differential node and the common mode node and a second voltage difference between the second differential node and the common mode node such that the first voltage difference and the second voltage difference are greater than the second breakdown voltage; and   attenuate the large differential voltage offset by pulling an output voltage at the output of each of the second pair of diode stages towards the common mode reference voltage.   
     
     
         4 . The circuit of  claim 3 , wherein each time constant of the plurality of time constants is 2 milliseconds to 10 milliseconds. 
     
     
         5 . The circuit of  claim 3 , wherein the activation threshold is 100 mV. 
     
     
         6 . The circuit of  claim 3 , wherein the activation threshold is determined by the gain of the first operational amplifier. 
     
     
         7 . The circuit of  claim 6 , wherein the gain of the first operational amplifier is about 40. 
     
     
         8 . The circuit of  claim 1 , wherein a breakdown voltage of one or more diodes in the second pair of diode stages sets an activation threshold and wherein the second pair of diode stages is configured to limit attenuation of the large differential voltage offset through the second pair of diode stages from the first differential node and the second differential node in response to respective voltages at the first and second differential nodes being less than the activation threshold. 
     
     
         9 . The circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the first operational amplifier has a gain and the first pair of diode stages has a breakdown voltage, the gain and the breakdown voltage setting an activation threshold, and wherein, in response to the large differential voltage offset being less than the activation threshold, the first pair of diode stages limits charging of the plurality of timing banks. 
     
     
         10 . The circuit of  claim 1 , wherein a breakdown voltage of the first pair of diode stages and a gain of the first operational amplifier set an activation threshold and wherein, in response to the large differential voltage offset being greater than the activation threshold, the circuit is configured to pull a respective voltage at the output of each of the second pair of diode stages toward the common mode reference voltage of the common mode node. 
     
     
         11 . The circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the second pair of diode stages disconnects an output of the circuit to a system in response to the large differential voltage offset being below an activation threshold. 
     
     
         12 . The circuit of  claim 1 , wherein a breakdown voltage of one or more diodes of the second pair of diode stages sets an activation threshold and wherein the circuit is configured to, in response to a voltage difference across the plurality of timing banks being greater than the activation threshold, limit a saturation duration of the large differential voltage offset to shorter than a saturation recovery time. 
     
     
         13 . The circuit of  claim 12 , wherein the saturation recovery time is less than 100 milliseconds.