US Patent 9564863 Circuits and methods for variable gain amplifiers

A variable gain amplifier circuit includes a differential pair of transistors and a variable current source circuit. The differential pair of transistors generates an output signal based on an input signal. The variable current source circuit is coupled to the differential pair of transistors. A gain of the output signal relative to the input signal varies in response to variations in a bias current through the variable current source circuit. The variable gain amplifier circuit maintains a common mode voltage of the output signal substantially constant in response to the variations in the bias current through the variable current source circuit.