U.S. Patent No. 5,539,778 Kvaser CAN Pages, CAN Introduction Reception comparator INVENTORS: Kienzler; Rainer, Reutlingen, Federal Republic of Germany; Fleischer; Ulrich, Pliezhausen, Federal Republic of Germany; Elbracht; Berthold, Reutlingen, Federal Republic of Germany; ASSIGNEES:Robert Bosch GmbH, Stuttgart, Federal Republic of Germany ISSUED: July 23, 1996 FILED: Sep. 16, 1993 Abstract A receiving comparator for a data-transmission system comprising at least one control unit and data-transmission lines, in particular for at least one Controller Area Network (CAN) controller and one CAN bus system having a CAN bus (CB) is proposed, which is distinguished by the feature that the individual circuit elements are monolithically integrated. By generating a switching threshold which is independent of the operating voltage and temperature with the aid of a current source (IS), one prevents the CAN bus potentials from being asymmetrically influenced. The arrangement guarantees a processing of digital signals with a high data rate, whereby the input common-mode range extends up to above the supply voltage and to below ground. First Claim 1. A receiving comparator for a data-transmission system having at least one control unit and at least one data-transmission line, the receiving comparator comprising: a signal conditioning device having an input for connection to the at least one data-transmission line, the signal conditioning device including an input divider for adjusting input potentials from the at least one data-transmission line; a comparator circuit, coupled to the signal conditioning device and having a threshold-value generating device, the input divider including a reference-voltage source whose potential is selected to provide input signals to the comparator circuit which lie within a supply band; a signal-amplifier stage coupled to the comparator circuit; and an output stage coupled to the signal-amplifier stage; wherein the signal conditioning device, comparator circuit, signal amplifier stage, and output stage are monolithically integrated.