Transmitting circuit, receiving circuit, interface switching module and interface switching method for SATA and SAS interfaces
First Claim
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1. A transmitting circuit for a serial transmission interface that receives a transmitting data signal to generate a pair of transmitting signals, comprising:
- a first resistor unit controlled by a control signal, wherein the first resistor unit has a predetermined impedance value while the control signal is enabled, or has a high-impedance value while the control signal is disabled;
a first switch unit connected to the first resistor unit and controlled by the transmitting data signal, wherein the connecting node of the first switch unit and the first resistor unit is defined as a first terminal;
a second resistor unit controlled by the control signal, wherein the second resistor unit has the predetermined impedance value while the control signal is enabled or has the high impedance value while the control signal is disabled;
a second switch unit connected to the second resistor unit and controlled by the reverse signal of transmitting data signal, wherein the connecting node of the second switch unit and the second resistor unit is defined as a second terminal; and
an auto-detection circuit for generating the control signal according to a reference signal;
wherein the pair of transmitting signals are output from the first terminal and the second terminal, and the pair of transmitting signals are determined by the transmitting data signal while the control signal is enabled, or the pair of transmitting signals are at a high impedance state without output from the first terminal and the second terminal while the control signal is disabled.
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Abstract
A transmitter circuit, a receiver circuit and an interface switching module for SATA or SAS interface are provided. The invention uses transistors as elements with different impedance and also provides impedance modulating method in coordination with the exterior circuit and the layout design so as to develop an auto-switching mechanism between SATA and SAS interfaces, thereby integrating two transmission interfaces in a single system.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A transmitting circuit for a serial transmission interface that receives a transmitting data signal to generate a pair of transmitting signals, comprising:
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a first resistor unit controlled by a control signal, wherein the first resistor unit has a predetermined impedance value while the control signal is enabled, or has a high-impedance value while the control signal is disabled;
a first switch unit connected to the first resistor unit and controlled by the transmitting data signal, wherein the connecting node of the first switch unit and the first resistor unit is defined as a first terminal;
a second resistor unit controlled by the control signal, wherein the second resistor unit has the predetermined impedance value while the control signal is enabled or has the high impedance value while the control signal is disabled;
a second switch unit connected to the second resistor unit and controlled by the reverse signal of transmitting data signal, wherein the connecting node of the second switch unit and the second resistor unit is defined as a second terminal; and
an auto-detection circuit for generating the control signal according to a reference signal;
wherein the pair of transmitting signals are output from the first terminal and the second terminal, and the pair of transmitting signals are determined by the transmitting data signal while the control signal is enabled, or the pair of transmitting signals are at a high impedance state without output from the first terminal and the second terminal while the control signal is disabled. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A receiving circuit for a serial transmission interface that receives a first receiving signal and a second receiving signal to generate a receiving data signal, comprising:
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a first resistor unit for receiving the first receiving signal and a control signal, wherein the first resistor unit has a predetermined impedance value while the control signal is enabled, or has a high impedance value while the control signal is disabled;
a second resistor unit for receiving the second receiving signal and the control signal, wherein the second resistor unit has the predetermined impedance value while the control signal is enabled, or has the high impedance value while the control signal is disabled;
a first receiving unit, responsive to the first receiving signal, for generating a first differential signal;
a second receiving unit, responsive to the second receiving signal, for generating a second differential signal;
a differential amplifier for receiving the first differential signal and the second differential signal and generating the receiving data signal; and
an auto-detection circuit for generating the control signal according to a reference signal;
wherein both the first resistor unit and the second resistor unit have the high impedance values such that the first receiving signal and the second receiving signal are incapable of passing through the first resistor unit and the second resistor unit respectively while the control signal is disabled. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An interface switching module for a system with two serial transmission interfaces, comprising:
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a first interface connector having two first transmitting pins for delivering a pair of transmitting signals, two first receiving pins for delivering a pair of receiving signals, and a plurality of first ground pins connected to the ground terminal of the system;
a second interface connector having two second transmitting pins connected to the first transmitting pins, two second receiving pins connected to the first receiving pins, a control pin and a plurality of second ground pins connected to the ground terminal of the system, wherein the control pin is grounded when a plug is plugged into the second interface connector, otherwise the control pin is floated; and
a transceiver circuit for generating the pair of transmitting signals to the first interface connector and for receiving the pair of receiving signals from the first interface connector when the control pin is floated. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An interface switching method for a system having an interface switching module that switches between a first serial transmission interface and a second serial transmission interface, the interface switching method comprising:
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connecting the system with a first device having the first serial transmission interface;
determining whether a second device having the second serial transmission interface is connected to the system or not;
disconnecting the system from the first device by using an impedance modulating method if the second device is connected to the system, and then returning to the step of determining; and
connecting the system with the first device by using the impedance modulating method if the second device is not connected to the system, and then returning to the step of determining. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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Specification