Active replica transformer hybrid

• US 7,729,429 B1
• Filed: 01/07/2005
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell International Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Sutardja, Sehat
• Primary Examiner(s): PHU, PHUONG M
• Application Number:
  US11/030,205
• Time in Patent Office: 1,971 Days
• Field of Search: 375/258, 375/257, 375/219, 375/220, 375/222, 375/221, 375/350, 370/286, 379/406.1
• US Class Current: 375/258
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 1/0626 by filtering
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 1/66 Digital/analogue converters H03M1/001 – H03M1/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/028 Arrangements specific to the transmitter end

Abstract

A communication circuit comprises a near end transmitter, and adjustable near end replication transmitter and a near end receiver. The near end transmitter is configured to generate a transmission signal and comprises a first plurality of current sources. Outputs of the first plurality of current sources are summed to generate the transmission signal. The adjustable near end replication transmitter comprises a second plurality of current sources. Outputs of the second plurality of current sources are summed to generate a replication signal in accordance with the transmission signal. The replication signal from the adjustable near end replication transmitter is subtracted from the transmission signal from the near end transmitter and a received signal from a communication channel to generate a subtraction signal. The near end receiver is configured to receive the subtraction signal.

Claims

1. A communication circuit comprising:

a near end transmitter,

wherein the near end transmitter is configured to generate a transmission signal,

wherein the near end transmitter comprises a first plurality of current sources, and

wherein outputs of the first plurality of current sources are summed to generate the transmission signal;

an adjustable near end replication transmitter,

wherein the adjustable near end replication transmitter comprises a second plurality of current sources,

wherein outputs of the second plurality of current sources are summed to generate a replication signal in accordance with the transmission signal, and

wherein the replication signal from the adjustable near end replication transmitter is subtracted from the transmission signal from the near end transmitter and a received signal from a communication channel to generate a subtraction signal; and

a near end receiver,

wherein the near end receiver is configured to receive the subtraction signal.

2. The communication circuit of claim 1, comprising:

a summing circuit,

wherein the summing circuit is configured to subtract the replication signal from a combination of the transmission signal and the received signal to generate the subtraction signal.

3. The communication circuit of claim 2, wherein the summing circuit comprises an active summing circuit.

4. The communication circuit of claim 1, comprising:

a high pass filter,

wherein the high pass filter is responsive to the adjustable near end replication transmitter.

5. The communication circuit of claim 4, wherein the high pass filter comprises one of an inductance and a combination of a resistance and a capacitance.

10. The communication circuit of claim 1, wherein the high pass filter means comprises one of an inductor means and a combination of a resistor means and a capacitor means.

6. A communication circuit, comprising:

near end transmitting means for generating a transmission signal,

wherein the near end transmitting means comprises a first plurality of means for generating current, and

wherein outputs of the first plurality of current generating means are summed to generate the transmission signal;

adjustable near end replication transmitting means for generating a replication signal in accordance with the transmission signal,

wherein the adjustable near end replication transmitting means comprises a second plurality of means for generating current,

wherein outputs of the second plurality of current generating means are summed to generate the replication signal, and

wherein the replication signal from the adjustable near end replication transmitting means is subtracted from the transmission signal from the near end transmitting means and a received signal from a communication channel to generate a subtraction signal; and

a near end receiving means for receiving the subtraction signal.

7. The communication circuit of claim 6, comprising:

means for summing,

wherein the summing means is configured to subtract the replication signal from a combination of the transmission signal and the received signal to generate the subtraction signal.

8. The communication circuit of claim 7, wherein the summing means comprises an active summing means.

9. The communication circuit of claim 6, comprising:

a high pass filter means for high pass filtering the replication signal from the adjustable near end replication transmitting means.

11. A method of communicating signals, comprising the steps of:

a.) transmitting a transmission signal;

b.) generating a first plurality of current signals;

c.) summing the first plurality of current signals to generate an adjustable replication signal in accordance with the transmission signal;

d.) subtracting the adjustable replication signal from a combination of the transmission signal and a received signal from a communication channel; and

e.) receiving an output signal of step (d),

wherein step (a) comprises the steps of;

f.) generating a second plurality of current signals; and

g.) summing the second plurality of current signals to generate the transmission signal.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising the step of:

f.) high pass filtering the adjustable replication signal.

13. An Ethernet transceiver, comprising:

a near end transmitter,

wherein the near end transmitter is configured to generate a transmission signal,

wherein the near end transmitter includes a first plurality of current sources, and

wherein outputs of the first plurality of current sources are combined to generate the transmission signal;

an adjustable near end replica transmitter,

wherein the adjustable near end replica transmitter includes a second plurality of current sources,

wherein outputs of the second plurality of current sources are combined to generate a replica signal in accordance with the transmission signal, and

wherein the replica signal from the adjustable near end replica transmitter is subtracted from a combination of the transmission signal from the near end transmitter and a received signal from a communication channel to generate an output signal; and

a near end receiver,

wherein the near end receiver is configured to receive the output signal.

14. The Ethernet transceiver of claim 13, comprising:

a summer circuit,

wherein the summer circuit is configured to subtract the replica signal from the combination of the transmission signal and the received signal to generate the output signal.

15. The Ethernet transceiver of claim 14, wherein the summer circuit comprises an active summer circuit.

16. The Ethernet transceiver of claim 13, comprising:

a high pass filter,

wherein the high pass filter is responsive to the adjustable near end replica transmitter.

17. The Ethernet transceiver of claim 16, wherein the high pass filter comprises one of an inductance and a combination of a resistance and a capacitance.

18. An Ethernet transceiver, comprising:

near end transmitting means for generating a transmission signal,

wherein the near end transmitting means includes a first plurality of means for generating current, and

wherein outputs of the first plurality of current generating means are combined to generate the transmission signal,

adjustable near end replica transmitting means for generating a replica signal in accordance with the transmission signal,

wherein the adjustable near end replica transmitting means includes a second plurality of means for generating current,

wherein outputs of the second plurality of current generating means are combined to generate the replica signal, and

wherein the replica signal from the adjustable near end replica transmitting means is subtracted from a combination of the transmission signal from the near end transmitting means and a received signal from a communication channel to generate an output signal; and

a near end receiving means for receiving the output signal.

19. The Ethernet transceiver of claim 18, comprising:

means for subtracting the replica signal from the combination of the transmission signal and the received signal to generate the output signal.

20. The Ethernet transceiver of claim 19, wherein the subtracting means comprises an active subtracting means.

21. The Ethernet transceiver of claim 18, comprising:

a high pass filter means for high pass filtering the replica signal from the adjustable near end replica transmitting means.

22. The Ethernet transceiver of claim 21, wherein the high pass filter means comprises one of an inductor means and a combination of a resistor means and a capacitor means.