Smart pixel optical receiver employing sense amplifier and method of operation thereof
First Claim
1. An optical receiver, comprising:
- an optical sensor for receiving an optical signal, generating in response thereto an analog electrical signal and transmitting said analog electrical signal therefrom along an electrical path; and
a sense amplifier having cross-coupled inverting amplifiers and a clock input, at least one of first and second inputs of said cross-coupled inverting amplifiers coupled to said electrical path to allow said sense amplifier to detect said analog electrical signal when a clock signal at said clock input is high, regenerative feedback within said sense amplifier driving first and second outputs of said cross-coupled inverting amplifiers to complementary logic levels when said clock signal is low, said clock signal controlling said regenerative feedback of said sense amplifier to amplify said analog electrical signal into said output electrical signal provided at said first and second outputs and suitable for use by digital circuitry.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical receiver, a method of converting an optical signal into an output electrical signal suitable for use by digital circuitry and an optoelectronic data processing system. The optical receiver includes: (1) an optical sensor for receiving an optical signal, generating in response thereto an analog electrical signal and transmitting the analog electrical signal therefore along an electrical path and (2) a sense amplifier having cross-coupled inverting amplifiers and a clock input, at least one of first and second inputs of the sense amplifier coupled to the electrical path, respectively, to allow the sense amplifier to detect the analog electrical signal when a clock signal at the clock input is high, regenerative feedback within the sense amplifier driving the first and second outputs to complementary logic levels when the clock signal is low, the clock signal controlling the regenerative feedback of the sense amplifier to amplify the analog electrical signal into an output electrical signal provided at the first and second outputs and suitable for use by digital circuitry operating as part of an optoelectronic data processing system.
43 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An optical receiver, comprising:
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an optical sensor for receiving an optical signal, generating in response thereto an analog electrical signal and transmitting said analog electrical signal therefrom along an electrical path; and a sense amplifier having cross-coupled inverting amplifiers and a clock input, at least one of first and second inputs of said cross-coupled inverting amplifiers coupled to said electrical path to allow said sense amplifier to detect said analog electrical signal when a clock signal at said clock input is high, regenerative feedback within said sense amplifier driving first and second outputs of said cross-coupled inverting amplifiers to complementary logic levels when said clock signal is low, said clock signal controlling said regenerative feedback of said sense amplifier to amplify said analog electrical signal into said output electrical signal provided at said first and second outputs and suitable for use by digital circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of converting an optical signal into an output electrical signal suitable for use by digital circuitry, comprising the steps of:
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receiving said optical signal into an optical sensor, said optical sensor generating in response thereto an analog electrical signal and transmitting said analog electrical signal to a sense amplifier having cross-coupled inverting amplifiers with first and second inputs and a clock input; and detecting said analog electrical signal from said optical sensor in said sense amplifier when a clock signal at said clock input is high, regenerative feedback within said sense amplifier driving first and second outputs of said cross-coupled inverting amplifiers to complementary logic levels when said clock signal is low, said clock signal controlling said regenerative feedback of said sense amplifier to amplify said analog electrical signal into said output electrical signal provided at said first and second outputs and suitable for use by digital circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An optoelectronic data processing system, comprising:
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electronic general purpose digital data processing and storage circuitry for receiving, processing, generating and transmitting data in electronic form; and optical data communicating circuitry for communicating data with said electronic general purpose data processing and storage circuitry, said optical data communicating circuitry comprising optical transmitters and receivers coupled to one another by at least one optical bus, each of said optical receivers including; an optical sensor for receiving an optical signal, generating in response thereto an analog electrical signal and transmitting said analog electrical signal therefrom along an electrical path, and a sense amplifier having cross-coupled inverting amplifiers and a clock input, at least one of first and second inputs of said cross-coupled inverting amplifiers coupled to said electrical path to allow said sense amplifier to detect said analog electrical signal when a clock signal at said clock input is high, regenerative feedback within said sense amplifier driving first and second outputs of said cross-coupled inverting amplifiers to complementary logic levels when said clock signal is low, said clock signal controlling said regenerative feedback of said sense amplifier to amplify said analog electrical signal into said output electrical signal provided at said first and second outputs and suitable for use by said electronic general purpose digital data processing and storage circuitry. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification