Low supply voltage differential signal driver

• US 6,617,888 B2
• Filed: 01/02/2002
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Volk, Andrew M.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, TOAN V
• Application Number:
  US10/039,260
• Publication Number:
  US 20030122593A1
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• Field of Search: 327/65, 327/67, 327/77, 327/87, 327/89, 327/560-563, 330/258
• US Class Current: 327/67
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0274 Arrangements for ensuring balanced coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/028 Arrangements specific to the transmitter end

Abstract

The invention provides a low voltage differential signaling driver (LVDS) which can operate with a lower supply voltage than conventional LVDS drivers. The common-mode voltage of the driver circuit is set to a certain level, or maintained within a certain range, by adjusting the driver current, the pull-up resistance, or both. In one implementation, the common-mode voltage of a differential driver circuit is regulated via a feedback signal.

Claims

1. A driver comprising:

a voltage source;

current source with one end coupled to ground;

two differential current steering transistor legs to drive a signal, each leg including at least two transistors coupled in series, one end of each leg coupled to the voltage source and the other end of each leg coupled to the current source, the output for each leg is measured where the two transistors intersect; and

a voltage amplifier to compare the common-mode voltage at the output of the two differential current steering transistor legs to a target common-mode voltage, the amplifier to provide a feedback output voltage to adjust the common-mode voltage to the level of the target common-mode voltage;

wherein the current source includes, a first current source to provide a fixed current, and a second current source to provide a variable current, the variable current to vary according to the feedback output voltage signal from the amplifier to adjust the common-mode voltage to the level of the target common-mode voltage wherein the second current source includes a plurality of current conducting legs, each current conducting leg individually configurable to provide a desired current.

2. The driver of claim 1 wherein the voltage source provides less than 2.5 volts while maintaining the common-mode voltage at approximately 1.25 volts.

3. The driver of claim 1 wherein the voltage source provides less than or equal to 1.8 volts while maintaining the common-mode voltage at approximately 1.25 volts.

4. The driver of claim 1 wherein the output signal of the voltage amplifier serves to adjust the current source to maintain the common-mode voltage at the target common-mode voltage level.

5. The driver of claim 1 wherein the two differential current steering transistor legs include,

a first and second transistors coupled in series, one end of the first transistor coupled to the voltage source and the second transistor coupled to the current source,

a third and fourth transistors coupled in series with one end of the third transistor coupled to the voltage source and the fourth transistor coupled to the current source, and

the transistors are biased such that the first and fourth transistors are conducting when the second and third transistors are non-conducting and the second and third transistors are conducting when the first and fourth transistors are non-conducting.

6. The driver of claim 5 wherein the transistors are biased by a data signal voltage.

7. The driver of claim 1 wherein the output signal of the voltage amplifier serves to adjust the voltage source to maintain the common-mode voltage at the target common-mode voltage level.

8. The driver of claim 1 wherein the output signal of the voltage amplifier serves to adjust the driver resistance to maintain the common-mode voltage at the target common-mode voltage level.

9. The driver of claim 1 wherein the output signal of the voltage amplifier serves to adjust the driver resistance and driver current to maintain the common-mode voltage at the target common-mode voltage level.

10. The driver of claim 1 further comprising:

two resistors of equal value, the first end of each resistor coupled to the output of one of the two differential current steering transistor legs, the second ends of the resistors coupled to each other, the common-mode voltage for the driver measured where the second ends of the resistors are coupled to each other.

11. The driver of claim 1 wherein the amplifier'"'"'s output voltage adjusts the effective resistance between the voltage source and the output for each leg to adjust the common-mode voltage to the level of the target common-mode voltage.

29. The driver of claim 1 wherein each first transistor in each leg is operated in a linear region of the first transistor.

12. A differential signal driver comprising:

means for providing a voltage source;

means for providing a current source;

two differential current steering transistor legs to drive a signal, each leg including at least two transistors coupled in series, one end of each leg coupled to the voltage source means and the other end of each leg coupled to the current source means, the output for each leg measured where the at least two transistors intersect; and

means for adjusting the driver'"'"'s common-mode voltage to the level of a target common-mode voltage;

wherein said current source comprises;

a fixed current source to provide a fixed current; and

a second current source to provide a variable current, the variable current to vary according to the means for adjusting the driver'"'"'s common-mode voltage;

wherein the second current includes a plurality of conducting legs, each current conducting leg individually configurable to provide a desired current.

13. The driver of claim 12 wherein the means for adjusting the driver'"'"'s common-mode voltage regulates the current source means to maintain target common-mode voltage level.

14. The driver of claim 12 wherein the means for adjusting the driver'"'"'s common-mode voltage regulates the voltage source means to maintain the common-mode voltage at the target common-mode voltage level.

15. The driver of claim 12 wherein the means for adjusting the driver'"'"'s common-mode voltage regulates the driver resistance to maintain the common-mode voltage at the target common-mode voltage level.

16. The driver of claim 12 wherein the means for adjusting the driver'"'"'s common-mode voltage regulates the driver resistance and driver current to maintain the common-mode voltage at the target common-mode voltage level.

17. The driver of claim 12 wherein the voltage source means provides less than 2.5 volts while maintaining the driver'"'"'s common-mode voltage at approximately 1.25 volts.

18. The driver of claim 12 wherein the voltage source means provides less than or equal to 1.8 volts while maintaining the driver'"'"'s common-mode voltage at approximately 1.25 volts.

30. The differential signal driver of claim 12 wherein each first transistor in each transistor leg is operated in a linear region of the first transistor.

19. A method comprising:

measuring a common-mode voltage of a differential signaling driver circuit, the differential signaling driver circuit including a plurality of current steering transistor legs, each transistor leg including a first transistor coupled to a voltage source;

operating each first transistor in a plurality of current steering transistor legs as a voltage-controlled resistor;

comparing the driver'"'"'s common-mode voltage to a target common-mode voltage level; and

adjusting the driver'"'"'s total direct current (DC) to bring the driver'"'"'s common-mode voltage to the same level as the target common-mode voltage, wherein adjusting the driver'"'"'s total direct current (DC) comprises;

providing a first current source to provide a fixed current; and

providing a second current source to provide a variable current, the variable current being controlled to adjust the driver'"'"'s common-mode voltage, wherein the second current source includes a plurality of current conducting legs, each current conducting leg individually configurable to provide a desired current.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the total driver DC current is adjusted while keeping the effective driver resistance fixed.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the total driver DC current is adjusted incrementally.

22. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

adjusting the driver'"'"'s total pull-up resistance to bring the driver'"'"'s common-mode voltage to the same level as the target common-mode voltage.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein a supply voltage of the differential signaling driver circuit is less than 2.5 volts while maintaining the driver'"'"'s common-mode voltage at approximately 1.25 volts.

24. The method of claim 19 wherein a supply voltage of the differential signaling driver circuit does not exceed 1.8 volts while maintaining the driver'"'"'s common-mode voltage at approximately 1.25 volts.

31. The method of claim 19 wherein each first transistor in each current steering transistor leg is operated in a linear region of the first transistor.

25. A method comprising:

measuring a common-mode voltage of a differential signaling driver circuit, the differential signaling driver circuit including a plurality of current steering transistor legs, each transistor leg including a first transistor coupled to a voltage source;

operating each first transistor in a plurality of current steering transistor legs as a voltage-controlled resistor;

comparing the driver'"'"'s common-mode voltage to a target common-mode voltage; and

adjusting the resistance of the driver circuit, while keeping the driver'"'"'s total direct current (DC) fixed, to bring the driver'"'"'s common-mode voltage to substantially the same level as the 10 target common-mode voltage, wherein adjusting the driver'"'"'s total direct current (DC) comprises;

providing a first current source to provide a fixed current; and

providing a second current source to provide a variable current, the variable current being controlled to adjust the driver'"'"'s common-mode voltage, wherein the second current source includes a plurality of current conducting legs, each current conducting leg individually configurable to provide a desired current.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein adjusting the resistance of the driver circuit includes adjusting a pull-up resistance between the driver circuit and a voltage source.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein a supply voltage of the differential signaling driver circuit is less than 2.5 volts while maintaining the driver circuit'"'"'s common-mode voltage at approximately 1.25 volts.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein a supply voltage of the differential signaling driver circuit is no greater than 1.8 volts while maintaining the driver circuit'"'"'s common-mode voltage at approximately 1.25 volts.

32. The method of claim 25 wherein each first transistor in each current steering transistor leg is operated in a linear region of the first transistor.