Circuitry with resistive input impedance for generating pulses from analog waveforms

Abstract

A decoder for generating output pulses or oscillations in response to input analog waveforms includes a circuit having a variable operating point and having a transfer function characterized by an unstable operating region bounded by a first stable operating region and a second stable operating region. In one embodiment, the circuit is characterized by having a resistive input impedance. The analog waveform forces the operating point of the circuit into its unstable and stable regions to produce oscillatory and non-oscillatory behavior at the circuit's output.