Transmission line driver circuits

• US 4,952,818 A
• Filed: 05/17/1989
• Issued: 08/28/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Reed, Timothy P., Erdelyi, Charles K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Stanley D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RUBIN, MARGARET R
• Application Number:
  US07/353,378
• Time in Patent Office: 468 Days
• Field of Search: 307/443, 307/448, 307/451, 307/471, 307/473, 307/270
• US Class Current: 327/108
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/00384 in field effect transistor circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/018571 of complementary type, e.g. CMOS

Abstract

A driver circuit is provided which includes an output stage having first and second transistors and an output terminal, the first transistor being of a first type conductivity is coupled from the output terminal to a first point of reference potential and the second transistor being of a second type conductivity is coupled from the output terminal to a second point of reference potential. A first voltage divider includes transistors of the first type conductivity and a second voltage divider includes transistors of the second type conductivity. A second transistor of the first type conductivity is connected between the first point of reference potential and a control electrode of the first transistor of the first type conductivity and a second transistor of the second type conductivity is connected between the second point of reference potential and a control electrode of the first transistor of the second type conductivity. An input terminal and the output terminal are connected to the first and second voltage dividers, with an output from the first divider being connected to the control electrode of the first transistor of the second type conductivity and with an output of the second divider being connected to the control electrode of the first transistor of the first type conductivity. Transistors of the first and second type conductivities are preferably P-channel and N-channel field effect transistors, respectively.

Claims

1. A driver circuit comprising

first and second points of reference potential,

an output circuit including an output terminal and a first transistor of one conductivity type coupled between said first and second points of reference potential, said transistor being disposed between said output terminal and one of said first and second points of reference potential,

a voltage divider including serially arranged second and third transistors coupled between said first and second points of reference potential, respectively, each of said second and third transistors being of a conductivity type opposite to that of said first transistor, the common point between said second and third transistors being coupled to a control electrode of said first transistor,

means for applying an input to a control electrode of said third transistor, and

means for coupling said output terminal to a control electrode of said second transistor.

2. A driver circuit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said output circuit further includes an impedance disposed between said first transistor and said output terminal.

3. A driver circuit as set forth in claim 2 wherein said impedance is a resistor.

4. A driver circuit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first, second and third transistors are field effect transistors.

5. A driver circuit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first transistor is disposed between said output terminal and said second point of reference potential and said third transistor is disposed between said second point of reference potential and said second transistor.

6. A driver circuit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first transistor is disposed between said output terminal and said first point of reference potential and said third transistor is disposed between said first point of reference potential and said second transistor.

7. A driver circuit comprising

first and second points of reference potential,

an output circuit including an output terminal and a first transistor of one conductivity type coupled between said first and second points of reference potential, said transistor being disposed between said output terminal and one of said first and second points of reference potential,

a voltage divider including second and third transistors coupled between said first and second points of reference potential, respectively, each of said second and third transistors being a conductivity type opposite to that of said first transistor, the common point between said second and third transistors being coupled to a control electrode of said first transistor, said first transistor being an N-channel field effect transistor and said second and third transistors being P-channel field effect transistors,

means for applying an input voltage to a control electrode of said third transistor, and

means for coupling said output terminal to a control electrode of said second transistor.

8. A driver circuit as set forth in claim 7 wherein said first transistor is a P-channel field effect transistor and said second and third transistors are N-channel field effect transistors.

9. A driver circuit comprising

a source of supply voltage having first and second points of reference potential,

an output circuit including an output terminal and first and second transistors, said first transistor being of a first type conductivity and disposed between said output terminal and said first point of reference potential and said second transistor being of a second type conductivity and disposed between said output terminal and said second point of reference potential,

a first voltage divider including serially arranged third and fourth transistors disposed between said first and second points of reference potential, each of said third and fourth transistors being of said second type conductivity, the common point between said third and fourth transistors being coupled to a control electrode of said first transistor,

a second voltage divider including serially arranged fifth and sixth transistors disposed between said first and second points of reference potential, respectively, each of said fifth and sixth transistors being of said first type conductivity, the common point between said first and sixth transistors being coupled to a control electrode of said second transistor,

means for applying an input voltage to a control electrode of said fourth transistor and to a control electrode of said fifth transistor, and

means for coupling said output terminal to a control electrode of said third transistor and to a control electrode of said sixth transistor.

10. A driver circuit as set forth in claim 9 wherein each of said transistors is a field effect transistor.

11. A driver circuit as set forth in claim 9 further including a transmission line connected to said output terminal.

12. A driver circuit comprising

a voltage source having a first terminal at a given voltage and a second terminal at a reference potential,

an output circuit including a first N-channel field effect transistor, a first P-channel field effect transistor and an output terminal, said first P-channel field effect transistor being coupled between said first terminal and said output terminal and said first N-channel field effect transistor being coupled between said second terminal and said output terminal,

an input terminal,

second and third serially connected P-channel field effect transistors coupled between said first and second terminal, said second P-channel field effect transistor having a control electrode connected to said input terminal and said third P-channel field effect transistor having a control electrode connected to said output terminal, the common point between said second and third P-channel field effect transistor being connected to a control electrode of said first N-channel field effect transistor,

second and third serially connected N-channel field effect transistors coupled between said first and second terminals, said second N-channel field effect transistor having a control electrode connected to said input terminal and said third N-channel field effect transistor having a control electrode connected to said output terminal, the common point between said second and third N-channel field effect transistor being connected to a control electrode of said first P-channel field effect transistor,

a fourth P-channel field effect transistor connected between said first terminal and the control electrode of said first P-channel field effect transistor and having a control electrode connected to said input terminal, and

a fourth N-channel field effect transistor connected between said second terminal and the control electrode of said first N-channel field effect transistor and having a control electrode connected to said input terminal.

13. A driver circuit as set forth in claim 12 wherein said output circuit further includes first and second resistors, said first resistor being connected between said first P-channel field effect transistor and said output terminal and said second resistor being connected between said first N-channel field effect transistor and said output terminal.

14. A driver circuit as set forth in claim 12 further including a transmission line connected to said output terminal.

15. A driver circuit comprising

a voltage source having first and second points of reference potential,

an input terminal,

an output terminal,

a first P-channel field effect transistor coupled between said first point of reference potential and said output terminal,

a first N-channel field effect transistor coupled between said second point of reference potential and said output terminal,

drive limiting block means having an input, first and second outputs and a feedback terminal coupled between said first and second points of reference potential, said input being connected to said input terminal, said first output being connected to a control electrode of said first P-channel field effect transistor, said second output being connected to a control electrode of said first N-channel field effect transistor and said feedback terminal being connected to said output terminal,

a second P-channel field effect transistor connected between said first point of reference potential and the control electrode of said first P-channel field effect transistor and said input terminal being connected to a control electrode of said second P-channel field effect transistor, and

a second N-channel field effect transistor connected between said first point of reference potential and the control electrode of said first N-channel field effect transistor and said input terminal being connected to a control electrode of said second P-channel field effect transistor.

16. A driver circuit as set forth in claim 15 wherein said drive limiting block means includes

a first voltage divider including third and fourth N-channel field effect transistors, and

a second voltage divider including third and fourth P-channel field effect transistors,

the control electrode of said first P-channel field effect transistor being connected to said first voltage divider and the control electrode of said first N-channel field effect transistor being connected to said second voltage divider,

said input of said drive limiting block means being connected to a control electrode of said third N-channel field effect transistor and to a control electrode of said third P-channel field effect transistor, and said feedback terminal of said drive limiting block means being connected to a control electrode of said fourth N-channel field effect transistor and to a control electrode of said fourth P-channel field effect transistor.

17. A driver circuit comprising

first and second points of reference potential,

an output circuit including an output terminal and a first transistor of one conductivity type coupled between said first and second points of reference potential, said transistor being disposed between said output terminal and said first point of reference potential,

a voltage divider including second and third transistors coupled between said first and second points of reference potential, respectively, with said third transistor being disposed between said first point of reference potential and said second transistor, each of said second and third transistors being a conductivity type opposite to that of said first transistor, the common point between said second and third transistors being coupled to a control electrode of said first transistor, said first transistor being an N-channel field effect transistor and said second and third transistors being P-channel field effect transistors,

means for applying an input voltage to a control electrode of said third transistor, and

means for coupling said output terminal to a control electrode of said second transistor.

18. A driver circuit comprising

first and second points of reference potential,

an output circuit including an output terminal and a first transistor of one conductivity type coupled between said first and second points of reference potential, said transistor being disposed between said output terminal and said first point of reference potential,

a voltage divider including second and third transistors coupled between said first and second points of reference potential, respectively, said third transistor being disposed between said second point of reference potential and said second transistor, each of said second and third transistors being of a conductivity type opposite to that of said first transistor, the common point between said second and third transistors being coupled to a control electrode of said first transistor, said first transistor being a P-channel field effect transistor and said second and third transistors being N-channel field effect transistors,

means for applying an input voltage to a control electrode of said third transistor, and

means for coupling said output terminal to a control electrode of said second transistor.

19. A driver circuit comprising

a source of supply voltage having first and second points of reference potential,

an output circuit including an output terminal, first and second transistors, said first transistor being of a first type conductivity and disposed between said output terminal and said first point of reference potential and said second transistor being of a second type conductivity and disposed between said output terminal and said second point of reference potential, and first and second impedances, said first impedance being disposed between said first transistor and said output terminal and said second impedance being disposed between said second transistor and said output terminal,

a first voltage divider including third and fourth transistors disposed between said first and second points of reference potential, each of said third and fourth transistors being of said second type conductivity, the common point between said third and fourth transistors being coupled to a control electrode of said first transistor,

a second voltage divider including fifth and sixth transistors disposed between said first and second points of reference potential, respectively, each of said fifth and sixth transistors being of said first type conductivity, the common point between said first and sixth transistors being coupled to a control electrode of said second transistor,

means for applying an input voltage to a control electrode of said fourth transistor and to a control electrode of said fifth transistor, and

means for coupling said output terminal to a control electrode of said third transistor and to a control electrode of said sixth transistor.

20. A driver circuit comprising

a source of supply voltage having first and second points of reference potential,

an output circuit including an output terminal, first and second transistors, said first transistor being an N-channel field effect transistor and disposed between said output terminal and said first point of reference potential and said second transistor being a P-channel field effect transistor and disposed between said output terminal and said second point of reference potential, and first and second impedances, said first impedance being disposed between said first transistor and said output terminal and said second impedance being disposed between said second transistor and said output terminal,

a first voltage divider including third and fourth transistors disposed between said first and second points of reference potential, each of said third and fourth transistors being P-channel field effect transistors, the common point between said third and fourth transistors being coupled to a control electrode of said first transistor,

a second voltage divider including fifth and sixth transistors disposed between said first and second points of reference potential, respectively, each of said fifth and sixth transistors being N-channel field effect transistors, the common point between said first and sixth transistors being coupled to a control electrode of said second transistor,

means for applying an input voltage to a control electrode of said fourth transistor and to a control electrode of said fifth transistor, and

means for coupling said output terminal to a control electrode of said third transistor and to a control electrode of said sixth transistor.

21. A driver circuit comprising

a source of supply voltage having first and second points of reference potential,

an output circuit including an output terminal and first and second transistors, said first transistor being of a first type conductivity and disposed between said output terminal and said first point of reference potential and said second transistor being of a second type conductivity and disposed between said output terminal and said second point of reference potential,

a first voltage divider including third and fourth transistors disposed between said first and second points of reference potential, each of said third and fourth transistors being of said second type conductivity, the common point between said third and fourth transistors being coupled to a control electrode of said first transistor,

a second voltage divider including fifth and sixth transistors disposed between said first and second points of reference potential, respectively, each of said fifth and sixth transistors being of said first type conductivity, the common point between said first and sixth transistors being coupled to a control electrode of said second transistor,

means for applying an input voltage to a control electrode of said fourth transistor and to a control electrode of said fifth transistor,

means for coupling said output terminal to a control electrode of said third transistor and to a control electrode of said sixth transistor, and

a seventh transistor of said first type conductivity and an eight transistor of said second type conductivity, said seventh transistor being connected between the control electrode of said first transistor and said first point of reference potential and having a control electrode coupled to said input voltage applying means, and said eighth transistor being connected between the control electrode of said second transistor and said second point of reference potential and having a control electrode coupled to said input voltage applying means.

22. A driver circuit as set forth in claim 21 wherein said first, fifth, six and seventh transistors are N-channel field effect transistors and said second, third, fourth and eighth transistors are P-channel field effect transistors.