High-speed CMOS pseudo-ECL output driver

• US 5,548,230 A
• Filed: 06/01/1994
• Issued: 08/20/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pmc-Sierra Limited (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: PMC-Sierra Incorporated (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Huscroft, Kevin, Mallinson, Martin, Gerson, Brian D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Westin, Edward P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CALOGERO, STEPH
• Application Number:
  US08/251,960
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 341/133, 341/136, 326/73, 326/88
• US Class Current: 326/73
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/018521 of complementary type, e.g. CMOS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0266 Arrangements for providing Galvanic isolation, e.g. by means of magnetic or capacitive coupling

Abstract

A complementary metal oxide silicon (CMOS) data to emitter coupled logic (ECL) data translator system comprised of translator apparatus for receiving data signals from a CMOS circuit powered from a CMOS voltage power source, apparatus for powering an ECL circuit from the power source, a transmission line carrying output signals from the translator apparatus to the ECL circuit, having a predetermined characteristic, a load having the characteristic impedance connecting the transmission line to the power source, and the translator apparatus comprising apparatus for outputting a data signal on the transmission line which corresponds to the received data signals but having an amplitude compatible with the ECL circuit and referenced to a voltage of the power source.

Claims

1. A complementary metal oxide silicon (CMOS) data to emitter coupled logic (ECL) data translator system comprising:

(a) translator means for receiving data signals from a CMOS circuit, which CMOS circuit is powered from a CMOS voltage power source,

(b) means for powering an ECL circuit from said power source,

(c) a transmission line carrying output signals from the translator means to the ECL circuit, having a predetermined characteristic impedance,

(d) a load having said characteristic impedance connecting the transmission line to said power source,

(e) the translator means comprising means for outputting a data signal on the transmission line which corresponds to said received data signals but having an amplitude compatible with said ECL circuit and referenced to a voltage of said power source, and being formed of a one bit digital to analog converter (DAC) and is further comprised of a pair of programmable current steering switches a connected to the DAC for establishing higher and lower output currents for opposite logic values of the output signals, means for applying said data signals to the DAC and for receiving said output signals and applying them to said transmission line.

2. A system as defined in claim 1, including resistor means for programming said current steering switches, each connected to one of said switches, the resistor means having the values

3. A system as defined in claim 1 including means for splitting the received data signals into an input in-phase and an output 180 degrees out-of-phase signal and for applying the in-phase and out-of-phase signals to a pair of DACs for translation therein into in-phase and out-of-phase output signals, and means for capacitively coupling the input in-phase and input out-of-phase signals to terminals carrying the translated in-phase and out-of-phase signals to form bootstrapped in-phase and out-of-phase output signals.

4. A system as defined in claim 3 in which the capacitive coupling means is comprised of capacitors each having the value

5. A system as defined in claim 2 including means for splitting the received data signals into an input in-phase and an output 180 degrees out-of-phase signal and for applying the in-phase and out-of-phase signals to a pair of DACs for translation therein into in-phase and out-of-phase output signals, and means for capacitively coupling the input in-phase and input out-of-phase signals to terminals carrying the translated in-phase and out-of-phase signals to form bootstrapped in-phase and out-of-phase output signals.

6. A system as defined in claim 5 in which the capacitive coupling means is comprised of capacitors each having the value