Transmission line drivers and serial interface data transmission devices including the same

• US 7,701,262 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2007
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Kim, Ji Young, Kim, Hyun-Goo, Kwak, Myoung Bo, Yang, Seung Hee, Kim, Chi Won, Shin, Jong Shin, Park, Jae Hyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Long
• Assistant Examiner(s): Goyal; Shikha
• Application Number:
  US11/880,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20080024178A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 327108-112, 327/170, 327/379, 327/389, 327/391, 327 63- 70, 327/563, 326 21- 24, 326 26- 27, 326/30, 326 82- 83, 326/87, 330/258
• US Class Current: 327/108
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/0016 by using a control or a clock signal, e.g. in order to apply power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/018528 with at least one differential stage
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0276 Arrangements for coupling common mode signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/028 Arrangements specific to the transmitter end

Abstract

A transmission line driver and a serial interface data transmission device including the same are provided. The transmission line driver includes a pre-driver configured to generate and output differential input data signals based on a serial transmission data signal, a differential amplifier configured to receive the differential input data signals and to output differential output data signals, and a common mode controller configured to drive the differential output data signals to a predetermined common mode voltage in an idle mode. Accordingly, power consumption can be reduced and a common mode specification can be supported.

Claims

1. A transmission line driver, comprising:

a pre-driver configured to generate and output differential input data signals based on a serial transmission data signal;

a differential amplifier configured to receive the differential input data signals through a first input terminal and a second input terminal and to output differential output data signals through a first output terminal and a second output terminal; and

a common mode controller configured to drive the differential output data signals to a predetermined common mode voltage in an idle mode and configured to be turned off in a normal mode;

wherein the common mode controller comprises;

a plurality of switch pairs connected to the first power supply terminal and the first and second output terminals, the plurality of switch pairs being responsive to logic operation result signals that arc generated based on an idle mode signal and a plurality of predetermined control signals.

2. The transmission line driver of claim 1, further comprising a bias unit configured to control a magnitude of the differential output data signals.

3. The transmission line driver of claim 2, wherein the differential amplifier comprises:

a first switch pair connected to the bias unit and the first output terminal and the second output terminal, which respectively output the differential output data signals, and responsive to the differential input data signals;

a second switch pair connected to the first power supply terminal and the first and second output terminals and responsive to the differential input data signals; and

a first resistor connected between the first output terminal and the second output terminal.

4. The transmission line driver of claim 3, wherein the common mode controller comprises a third switch pair connected to the first power supply terminal and the first and second output terminals and responsive to an idle mode signal;

wherein the third switch pair is connected to the first and second output terminals via a second resistor and a third resistor, respectively.

5. The transmission line driver of claim 4, wherein the second resistor and the third resistor have about the same resistance value as a resistance value of a transmission line connected to the first and second output terminals;

wherein the first resistor has a resistance value that is about double that of the resistance value of the transmission line.

6. The transmission line driver of claim 4, wherein the first switch pair comprises switches implemented by NMOS transistors, and

wherein the second switch pair and the third switch pair comprise switches implemented by PMOS transistors.

7. The transmission line driver of claim 6, wherein the bias unit comprises a plurality of bias supply transistors each comprising a first terminal connected to a terminal of the first switch pair, a second terminal connected to a second power supply terminal, and a third terminal that receives a bias voltage based on a corresponding control signal among a plurality of predetermined control signals.

8. The transmission line driver of claim 6, wherein a channel width to length ratio of the second switch pair PMOS transistors is about double that of a channel width to length ratio of the third switch pair PMOS transistors.

9. The transmission line driver of claim 3, wherein the common mode controller further comprises:

a plurality of logic operation elements configured to perform a logic operation with respect to the idle mode signal and the plurality of predetermined control signals, respectively, and to output the logic operation result signals.

10. The transmission line driver of claim 9, wherein the first resistor has a resistance value that is about double that of a resistance value of a transmission line connected to the first output terminal and the second output terminal.

11. The transmission line driver of claim 9, wherein the first switch pair comprises switches implemented by NMOS transistors, and

wherein the second switch pair and the plurality of switch pairs comprise switches implemented by PMOS transistors.

12. The transmission line driver of claim 11, wherein the bias unit comprises a plurality of bias supply transistors each comprising a first terminal connected to a terminal of the first switch pair, a second terminal connected to a second power supply terminal, and a third terminal that receives a bias voltage based on a corresponding control signal among a the plurality of predetermined control signals.

13. The transmission line driver of claim 12, wherein a channel width to length ratio of each of the PMOS transistors of the plurality of switch pairs is proportional to a channel width to length ratio of a corresponding bias supply transistor among the plurality of bias supply transistors.

14. A serial interface data transmission device, comprising:

a serial converter configured to convert and output parallel data to be transmitted as serial transmission data signals; and

a transmission line driver configured to generate and output differential output data signals having a predetermined common mode voltage responsive to the serial transmission data signals and an idle mode signal,

wherein the transmission line driver comprises;

a pre-driver configured to generate and output differential input data signals based on the serial transmission data signal;

a differential amplifier configured to receive the differential input data signals through a first input terminal and a second input terminal and to output differential output data signals through a first output terminal and a second output terminal; and

a common mode controller configured to drive the differential output data signals to a predetermined common mode voltage in an idle mode and configured to be turned off in a normal mode;

wherein the common mode controller comprises;

a plurality of switch pairs connected to the first power supply terminal and the first and second output terminals, the plurality of switch pairs being responsive to logic operation result signals that are generated based on an idle mode signal and a plurality of predetermined control signals.

15. The serial interface data transmission device of claim 14, wherein the transmission line driver further comprises a bias unit configured to control a magnitude of the differential output data signals.

16. The serial interface data transmission device of claim 14, wherein the common mode controller further comprises:

a plurality of logic operation elements configured to perform a logic operation with respect to the idle mode signal and the plurality of predetermined control signals, respectively, and to output the logic operation result signals.