Apparatus and method for converting single-ended signals to a differential signal, and transceiver employing same
First Claim
1. A communication circuit for a network transceiver, comprising:
- a first sub-circuit having a first input which receives a composite differential signal including first and second differential signal components, a second input which receives a differential replica transmission signal, and an output which provides a differential receive signal which comprises the composite differential signal minus the differential replica transmission signal;
a second sub-circuit which produces first and second single-ended replica transmission signals which together substantially comprise a replica of the first differential signal component of the composite differential signal, wherein when one of the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals is asserted, the other of the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals has a value of zero,wherein the second sub-circuit is configured to generate a current signal,wherein the first differential signal component of the composite differential signal comprises the current signal,wherein voltage signals are derived in accordance with the current signal, andwherein the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals comprise the voltage signals; and
a third sub-circuit, which is coupled to the first and second sub-circuits, and which produces the differential replica transmission signal from the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals, wherein the third sub-circuit includes only a single differential operational amplifier.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A communication circuit for an Ethernet or other network transceiver includes a first sub-circuit having a first input which receives a composite differential signal including first and second differential signal components, a second input which receives a differential replica transmission signal, and an output which provides a differential receive signal which comprises the composite differential signal minus the differential replica transmission signal. The communication circuit also includes a second sub-circuit which produces first and second single-ended replica transmission signals which together substantially comprise a replica of the first differential signal component of the composite differential signal and a third sub-circuit, which is coupled to the first and second sub-circuits, and which produces the differential replica transmission signal from the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals.
306 Citations
72 Claims
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1. A communication circuit for a network transceiver, comprising:
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a first sub-circuit having a first input which receives a composite differential signal including first and second differential signal components, a second input which receives a differential replica transmission signal, and an output which provides a differential receive signal which comprises the composite differential signal minus the differential replica transmission signal; a second sub-circuit which produces first and second single-ended replica transmission signals which together substantially comprise a replica of the first differential signal component of the composite differential signal, wherein when one of the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals is asserted, the other of the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals has a value of zero, wherein the second sub-circuit is configured to generate a current signal, wherein the first differential signal component of the composite differential signal comprises the current signal, wherein voltage signals are derived in accordance with the current signal, and wherein the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals comprise the voltage signals; and a third sub-circuit, which is coupled to the first and second sub-circuits, and which produces the differential replica transmission signal from the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals, wherein the third sub-circuit includes only a single differential operational amplifier. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A communication circuit, comprising:
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a summer having a first input which receives a composite differential signal including a differential transmission signal component and a differential receive signal component, a second input which receives a differential replica transmission signal, and an output which provides a differential receive signal which comprises the composite differential signal minus the differential replica transmission signal; a transmission signal replicator which provides first and second single-ended replica transmission signals which together substantially comprise a replica of the differential transmission signal component of the composite differential signal, wherein when one of the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals is asserted, the other of the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals has a value of zero, wherein the transmission signal replicator is configured to generate a current signal wherein the differential transmission signal component of the composite differential signal comprises the current signal, wherein voltage signals are derived in accordance with the current signal, and wherein the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals comprise the voltage signals; and a converter which converts the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals into the differential replica transmission signal, wherein the converter includes only a single differential operational amplifier. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A network controller, comprising:
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a summing circuit that produces a differential receive signal as a difference between a composite differential signal and a differential replica transmission signal, the composite differential signal comprising a differential transmission signal component and a differential receive signal component; a replica circuit which produces first and second single-ended replica transmission signals which together substantially replicate the differential transmission signal component of the composite differential signal, wherein when one of the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals is asserted, the other of the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals has a value of zero, wherein the replica circuit is configured to generate a current signal, wherein the differential transmission signal component of the composite differential signal comprises the current signal, wherein voltage signals are derived in accordance with the current signal, and wherein the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals comprise the voltage signals; and a converter circuit which produces the differential replica transmission signal from the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals, wherein the converter circuit includes only a single differential operational amplifier. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A communication circuit for a network transceiver, comprising:
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summing means having a first input for receiving a composite differential signal including first and second differential signal components, a second input for receiving a differential replica transmission signal, and an output for providing a differential receive signal which comprises the composite differential signal minus the differential replica transmission signal; replicating means for producing first and second single-ended replica transmission signals which together substantially comprise a replica of the first differential signal component of the composite differential signal, wherein when one of the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals is asserted, the other of the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals has a value of zero, wherein the replicating means is configured to generate a current signal, wherein the first differential signal component of the composite differential signal comprises the current signal, wherein voltage signals are derived in accordance with the current signal, and wherein the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals comprise the voltage signals; and converting means coupled to the summing means and the replicating means for producing the differential replica transmission signal from the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals, wherein the converting means includes only a single differential operational amplifier. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A communication circuit, comprising:
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a summing means having a first input for receiving a composite differential signal including a differential transmission signal component and a differential receive signal component, a second input for receiving a differential replica transmission signal, and an output for providing a differential receive signal which comprises the composite differential signal minus the differential replica transmission signal; a replicating means for providing first and second single-ended replica transmission signals which together substantially comprise a replica of the differential transmission signal component of the composite differential signal, wherein when one of the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals is asserted, the other of the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals has a value of zero, wherein the replicating means is configured to generate a current signal, wherein the differential transmission signal component of the composite differential signal comprises the current signal, wherein voltage signals are derived in accordance with the current signal, and wherein the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals comprise the voltage signals; and a converting means for converting the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals into the differential replica transmission signal, wherein the converting means includes only a single differential operational amplifier. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A network controller, comprising:
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summing means for producing a differential receive signal as a difference between a composite differential signal and a differential replica transmission signal, the composite differential signal comprising a differential transmission signal component and a differential receive signal component; replicating means for producing first and second single-ended replica transmission signals which together substantially replicate the differential transmission signal component of the composite differential signal, wherein when one of the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals is asserted, the other of the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals has a value of zero, wherein the replicating means is configured to generate a current signal, wherein the differential transmission signal component of the composite differential signal comprises the current signal, wherein voltage signals are derived in accordance with the current signal, and wherein the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals comprise the voltage signals; and combining means for producing the differential replica transmission signal from the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals, wherein the combining means includes only a single differential operational amplifier. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A communication method for a network transceiver, comprising:
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receiving a composite differential signal including first and second differential signal components at a first input; receiving a differential replica transmission signal at a second input; combining the composite differential signal and the differential replica transmission signal to thereby provide at an output a differential receive signal which comprises the composite differential signal minus the differential replica transmission signal; producing first and second single-ended replica transmission signals which together substantially comprise a replica of the first differential signal component of the composite differential signal, wherein when one of the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals is asserted, the other of the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals has a value of zero, wherein the step of producing further comprises the steps of; generating a current signal, wherein the first differential signal component of the composite differential signal comprises the current signal; and deriving voltage signals in accordance with the current signal wherein the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals comprise the voltage signals; and developing the differential replica transmission signal from the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals wherein the developing is performed with a single differential operational amplifier. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. A communication method, comprising:
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receiving at a first input a composite differential signal including a differential transmission signal component and a differential receive signal component; receiving at a second input a differential replica transmission signal; providing at an output a differential receive signal which comprises the composite differential signal minus the differential replica transmission signal; providing first and second single-ended replica transmission signals which together substantially comprise a replica of the differential transmission signal component of the composite differential signal, wherein when one of the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals is asserted, the other of the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals has a value of zero, wherein the second step of providing further comprises the steps of; generating a current signal, wherein the differential transmission signal component of the composite differential signal comprises the current signal; and deriving voltage signals in accordance with the current signal wherein the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals comprise the voltage signals; and converting the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals into the differential replica transmission signal, wherein the converting is performed with a single differential operational amplifier. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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65. A network controller communication method, comprising:
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producing a differential receive signal as a difference between a composite differential signal and a differential replica transmission signal, the composite differential signal comprising a differential transmission signal component and a differential receive signal component; producing first and second single-ended replica transmission signals which together substantially replicate the differential transmission signal component of the composite differential signal, wherein when one of the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals is asserted, the other of the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals has a value of zero, wherein the second step of producing further comprises the steps of; generating a current signal, wherein the differential transmission signal component of the composite differential signal comprises the current signal; and deriving voltage signals in accordance with the current signal, wherein the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals comprise the voltage signals; and producing the differential replica transmission signal from the first and second single-ended replica transmission signals, wherein the producing is performed with a single differential operational amplifier. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72)
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Specification