In accordance with the present invention, a receiver circuit and a method
of controlling voltage pulses, thereby improving the performance of the
receiver are provided. The receiver circuit includes a switch for
blocking high voltages and for converting voltage signals to current
signals. The switch includes first and second signal terminals and a
control terminal. The switch exhibits an ON resistance when closed,
wherein the ON resistance is controlled by an electric value at the
control terminal. The receiver circuit also includes a control circuit
coupled to the switch for controlling the ON resistance of the switch in
closed mode. The first switch signal terminal is coupled to an output of
a transducer and the second switch signal terminal is coupled to an input
of a low-noise amplifier circuit. The switch is a transmit/receive switch
which is open during a transmission time interval and closed during a
reception time interval. The switch passes only low-voltage pulses to the
low-noise amplifier circuit which requires an input resistance and a
feedback resistance. The ON resistance of the switch is the input
resistance of the low-noise amplifier circuit. The control circuit is a
servo-loop circuit for generating an electric value at the control
terminal of the switch when closed.