Resonant line drivers
First Claim
1. An electronic driver circuit for generating a circuit output signal providable to an electrical conductor that furnishes a conductor output signal providable to a load, the circuit and conductor output signals respectively making corresponding circuit and conductor output transitions approximately between a pair of output voltage levels between which there is an intermediate voltage level, inductance and capacitance of the conductor and the load producing resonance that enables the conductor output signal to largely complete each conductor output transition while the circuit output signal is being held at approximately the intermediate voltage level for a non-zero intermediate-level holding period during the corresponding circuit output transition, the circuit comprising a ramp control circuit for controlling partial circuit output transitions between at least one of the pair of output voltage levels and the intermediate level to provide a substantially non-zero transition time for a partial circuit output transition.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic driver circuit for comnmunicating a logic value along a conductor (12) from one part of a system (10) to another (14) by representing each of two logic values by one of two logic levels (VDD, Vss).A capacitor (CR1) reduces ground and power reference differences between a chip containing the driver and the board on which it is mounted. The capacitor also provides power and ground decoupling. According to another aspect, a controlled slew rate ramp initiates an incident or outbound wave or turn-on and circuits are described for this. The time taken to complete the controlled slew rate ramp can be adjusted. The arrangements allow reduced power consumption, whilst at the same time producing desirable signal characteristics.
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Citations
30 Claims
- 1. An electronic driver circuit for generating a circuit output signal providable to an electrical conductor that furnishes a conductor output signal providable to a load, the circuit and conductor output signals respectively making corresponding circuit and conductor output transitions approximately between a pair of output voltage levels between which there is an intermediate voltage level, inductance and capacitance of the conductor and the load producing resonance that enables the conductor output signal to largely complete each conductor output transition while the circuit output signal is being held at approximately the intermediate voltage level for a non-zero intermediate-level holding period during the corresponding circuit output transition, the circuit comprising a ramp control circuit for controlling partial circuit output transitions between at least one of the pair of output voltage levels and the intermediate level to provide a substantially non-zero transition time for a partial circuit output transition.
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5. (canceled)
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11. (canceled)
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14. (canceled)
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17-18. -18. (canceled)
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20-22. -22. (canceled)
- 23. An electronic driver circuit for generating a circuit output signal providable to an electrical conductor that furnishes a conductor output signal providable to a load, the circuit and conductor output signals respectively making corresponding circuit and conductor output transitions approximately between a pair of output voltage levels between which there is an intermediate voltage level, inductance and capacitance of the conductor and the load producing resonance that enables the conductor output signal to largely complete each conductor output transition while the circuit output signal is being held at approximately the intermediate voltage level for a non-zero intermediate-level holding period during the corresponding circuit output transition, the circuit including at least a first capacitor element between the intermediate voltage level and the first voltage level and at least a second capacitor element between the intermediate voltage level and the second voltage level.
- 24. (canceled)
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28. An electronic driver circuit for generating a circuit output signal providable to an electrical conductor that furnishes a conductor output signal providable to a load, the circuit and conductor output signals respectively making corresponding circuit and conductor output transitions approximately between a first voltage, a second voltage and an intermediate voltage between the first and second voltages, the circuit comprising:
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a first transistor having (a) a first flow electrode coupled to a source of the first voltage, (b) a second flow electrode coupled to an output node from which a circuit output signal is provided, and (c) a control electrode responsive to a first control signal for controlling current flow between the first transistor'"'"'s flow electrodes;
a second transistors having (a) a first flow electrode coupled to a source of the second voltage, (b) a second flow electrode coupled to the output node, and (c) a control electrode responsive to a second control signal for controlling current flow between the second transistor'"'"'s flow electrodes;
a third transistors having (a) a first flow electrode coupled to a source of the intermediate voltage, (b) a second flow electrode coupled to the output node, and (c) a control electrode responsive to a third control signal for controlling current flow between the third transistor'"'"'s flow electrodes; and
fourth and fifth transistors connected between the control electrode of the third transistor and the sources of the first and second voltage levels respectively, and control circuitry for selectively discharging the control electrode of the third transistor to the first and second voltage levels respectively through the fourth and fifth transistors such that the control electrode of the third transistor makes partial transitions between the first and second voltage levels, whereby the output signal makes rising and falling circuit output transitions approximately between the first and second voltages controlled by the first, second and third control signals, and the circuit output signal stays approximately at the intermediate voltage for a non-zero intermediate-level holding period during each circuit output transition. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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30-31. -31. (canceled)
Specification