Method and system for split voltage domain transmitter circuits
First Claim
1. A method for processing signals, the method comprising:
- in an integrated circuit comprising a transmission line driver;
amplifying a received signal in a plurality of partial voltage domains;
generating said partial voltage domains in a domain splitter in said transmission line driver wherein each of said partial voltage domains is offset by a DC voltage from other of said partial voltage domains and wherein a sum of said plurality of partial domains is equal to a supply voltage of said integrated circuit; and
controlling a voltage domain boundary value between two partial voltage domains utilizing a differential amplifier that samples an output voltage of a cascade amplifier that is an input to the transmission line driver and controls a current supplying said cascade amplifier.
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Abstract
Methods and systems for split voltage domain transmitter circuits are disclosed and may include amplifying a received signal in a plurality of partial voltage domains. Each of the partial voltage domains may be offset by a DC voltage from the other partial voltage domains. A sum of the plurality of partial domains may be equal to a supply voltage of the integrated circuit. A series of diodes may be driven in differential mode via the amplified signals. An optical signal may be modulated via the diodes, which may be integrated in a Mach-Zehnder or a ring modulator. The amplified signals may be communicated to the diodes, connected in a distributed configuration, via even-mode coupled transmission lines. The partial voltage domains may be generated via stacked source follower or emitter follower circuits. The voltage domain boundary value may be at one half the supply voltage due to symmetric stacked circuits.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for processing signals, the method comprising:
in an integrated circuit comprising a transmission line driver; amplifying a received signal in a plurality of partial voltage domains; generating said partial voltage domains in a domain splitter in said transmission line driver wherein each of said partial voltage domains is offset by a DC voltage from other of said partial voltage domains and wherein a sum of said plurality of partial domains is equal to a supply voltage of said integrated circuit; and controlling a voltage domain boundary value between two partial voltage domains utilizing a differential amplifier that samples an output voltage of a cascade amplifier that is an input to the transmission line driver and controls a current supplying said cascade amplifier. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for processing signals, the system comprising:
one or more circuits in an integrated circuit comprising a transmission line driver, said one or more circuits operable to; amplify a received signal in a plurality of partial voltage domains; generate said partial voltage domains in a domain splitter in said transmission line driver, wherein each of said partial voltage domains is offset by a DC voltage from other said partial voltage domains and wherein a sum of said plurality of partial domains is equal to a supply voltage of said integrated circuit; and control a voltage domain boundary value between two partial voltage domains utilizing a differential amplifier that samples an output voltage of a cascade amplifier that is an input to the transmission line driver and controls a current supplying said cascade amplifier. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
Specification