Low-voltage differential signal driver for high-speed digital transmission

• US 7,579,872 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2006
• Issued: 08/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Jiang, Jian Hong
• Primary Examiner(s): Tan; Vibol
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tabler; Matthew C
• Application Number:
  US11/421,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20070279095A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,182 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 326/83
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0272 Arrangements for coupling to multiple lines, e.g. for differential transmission

Abstract

A low-voltage differential signal driver for high-speed digital transmission includes a first converter operable to receive a signal in a first type and convert the signal into a second type, wherein a resistance of the first converter is variable. A second converter couples to the first converter, the second converter is operable to receive a signal in the second type and convert the signal into the first type, wherein a resistance of the second converter is variable. The driver is operable to scale the resistance of the first and second converters to provide a constant ratio between the resistance of the first and second converters.

Claims

1. A low-voltage differential signal driver for high-speed digital transmission, comprising:

a first signal converter operable to receive a signal in a first type and convert the signal into a second type, wherein a resistance of the first signal converter is variable;

a common-mode feedback circuit coupled to the first signal converter, the common-mode feedback circuit comprising an amplifier that receives an input at a terminal, wherein the input is a differential voltage measured across output nodes of the driver and the common-mode feedback circuit is operable to control the first signal converter by controlling a common-mode voltage;

a second signal converter coupled to the first signal converter, the second signal converter operable to receive a signal in the second type and convert the signal into the first type, wherein a resistance of the second signal converter is variable;

a current bias coupled to the second signal converter to form a cascode current mirror;

wherein the first and second signal converters each comprise a first set of one or more transistors coupled in parallel with a second set of one or more transistors, and a switch associated with each of the first and second sets, the switch operable to allow and prevent current flow through the first and second sets;

wherein the driver is operable to scale the resistances of the first and second signal converters to provide a constant ratio between the resistances of the first and second signal converters and differential output voltage of the driver increases according to the resistances of the first and second signal converters being scaled by reducing an overdrive voltage of the first signal converter; and

wherein the cascode current mirror further increases the differential output voltage.

2. The driver of claim 1, wherein:

the first signal converter comprises a plurality of switches operable to vary the resistance of the first signal converter; and

the second signal converter comprises a plurality of switches operable to vary the resistance of the second signal converter.

3. The driver of claim 2, wherein the plurality of switches in the first signal converter is operable to scale the resistance of the first signal converter to the resistance of the second signal converter.

4. The driver of claim 1, wherein the first signal converter comprises a plurality of p-channel metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistors.

5. The driver of claim 1, wherein the second signal converter comprises a plurality of n-channel metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistors.

6. The driver of claim 1, wherein the first signal converter and the second signal converter are operable to drive signals at an Ethernet switch.

15. The driver of claim 1, wherein the common-mode feedback circuit is further operable to apply common-mode negative feedback to suppress common-mode variations.

7. A method for driving a low-voltage differential signal driver for high-speed digital transmission, comprising:

varying a resistance of a first signal converter and a resistance of a second signal converter;

receiving a signal in a first type at the first signal converter;

converting the signal into a second type at the first signal converter;

receiving an input at a terminal of an amplifier included in a common-mode feedback circuit, wherein the input is a differential voltage measured across output nodes of the driver;

controlling the first signal converter by controlling a common-mode voltage at the common-mode feedback circuit;

receiving a signal in the second type at the second signal converter;

converting the signal into the first type at the second signal converter;

forming a cascode current mirror by coupling a current bias to the second signal converter;

wherein the first and second signal converters each comprise a first set of one or more transistors coupled in parallel with a second set of one or more transistors, and a switch associated with each of the first and second sets, the switch operable to allow and prevent current flow through the first and second sets;

wherein varying the resistance of the first signal converter and the resistance of the second signal converter comprises scaling the resistances of the first and second signal converters to provide a constant ratio between the resistances of the first and second signal converters and differential output voltage of the driver increases according to the resistances of the first and second signal converters being scaled by reducing an overdrive voltage of the first signal converter; and

wherein the cascode current mirror further increases the differential output voltage.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein scaling the resistances of the first and second signal converters comprises providing a constant resistive ratio between the first and second signal converters.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the signal in the first type is a digital signal, and the signal in the second type is an analog signal.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising driving signals at an Ethernet switch.

11. A system for driving a low-voltage differential signal driver for high-speed digital transmission, comprising:

means for varying a resistance of a first signal converter and a resistance of a second signal converter;

means for receiving a signal in a first type at the first signal converter;

means for converting the signal into a second type at the first signal converter;

means for receiving an input at a terminal of an amplifier included in a common-mode feedback circuit, wherein the input is a differential voltage measured across output nodes of the driver;

means for controlling the first signal converter by controlling the common-mode voltage at a common-mode feedback circuit;

means for receiving a signal in the second type at the second signal converter;

means for converting the signal into the first type at the second signal converter;

means for forming a cascode current mirror by coupling a current bias to the second signal converter;

wherein the first and second signal converters each comprise a first set of one or more transistors coupled in parallel with a second set of one or more transistors, and a switch associated with each of the first and second sets, the switch operable to allow and prevent current flow through the first and second sets;

wherein varying the resistance of the first signal converter and the resistance of the second signal converter comprises scaling the resistances of the first and second signal converters to provide a constant ratio between the resistances of the first and second signal converters and differential output voltage of the driver increases according to the resistances of the first and second signal converters being scaled by reducing an overdrive voltage of the first signal converter; and

wherein the cascode current mirror further increases the differential output voltage.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising means for providing a constant resistive ratio between the first and second signal converters.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the signal in the first type is a digital signal, and the signal in the second type is an analog signal.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising means for driving signals at an Ethernet switch.