Serdes voltage-mode driver with skew correction

• US 9,264,263 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2014
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Hafizi, Madjid, Kong, Xiaohua, Zhu, Zhi, Li, Miao
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayard, Emmanuel
• Application Number:
  US14/257,848
• Publication Number:
  US 20150304134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 375257-259
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/018528 with at least one differential stage
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 5/12 by steepening leading or trailing edges
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0276 Arrangements for coupling common mode signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/0091 Transmitter details

Abstract

A driver circuit for transmitting serial data on a communication link combines voltage-mode and current-mode drivers. The driver circuit uses a voltage-mode driver as the main output driver. One or more auxiliary current-mode drivers are connected in parallel with the voltage-mode driver to adjust the output signal by injecting currents into the outputs. The voltage-mode driver supplies most of the output drive. Thus, the output driver circuit can provide the power efficiency benefits associated with voltage-mode drivers. The current-mode drivers can provide, for example, pre-emphasis, level adjustment, skew compensation, and other modifications of the output signals. Thus, the driver circuit can also provide the signal adjustment abilities associated with current-mode drivers.

Claims

1. A driver circuit for driving data values on a differential output including a positive output node and a negative output node, the driver circuit comprising:

a voltage-mode driver module configured to drive voltages on the positive output node and the negative output node based on values on a data input of the voltage-mode driver module; and

a first current-mode driver module including;

a head current source operable to source a first current;

a tail current source operable to sink a second current; and

switches configured to selectively couple the head current source to the negative output node and the tail current source to the positive output node or couple the head current source to the positive output node and the tail current source to the negative output node based on values on a data input of the first current-mode driver module,

wherein the magnitudes of the first current and the second current are independently selectable.

2. The driver circuit of claim 1, wherein the magnitudes of the first current and the second current are selected based at least in part on correcting skew on the output of the driver circuit.

3. The driver circuit of claim 2, wherein the magnitudes of the first current and the second current are further selected based at least in part on adjusting an output swing of the driver circuit.

4. The driver circuit of claim 1, wherein the head current source includes a digital-to-analog converter to determine the first current, and wherein the tail current source includes a digital-to-analog converter to determine the second current.

5. The driver circuit of claim 4, further comprising a skew measurement module coupled to the output of the driver circuit and configured to measure skew on the differential output of the driver circuit and control the digital-to-analog converter of the head current source and the digital-to-analog converter of the tail current source based at least in part on the measured skew.

6. The driver circuit of claim 1, wherein the data input of the voltage-mode driver module is coupled to the data input of the first current-mode driver module.

7. The driver circuit of claim 1, wherein the data input of the first current-mode driver module includes a positive input node and a negative input node, and wherein the switches of the first current-mode driver module include:

a first p-channel transistor having a gate coupled to the negative input node, a drain coupled to the positive output node, and a source coupled to the head current source;

a first n-channel transistor having a gate coupled to the negative input node, a drain coupled to the positive output node, and a source coupled to the tail current source;

a second p-channel transistor having a gate coupled to the positive input node, a drain coupled to the negative output node, and a source coupled to the head current source; and

a second n-channel transistor having a gate coupled to the positive input node, a drain coupled to the negative output node, and a source coupled to the tail current source.

8. The driver circuit of claim 1, further comprising a second current-mode driver module including:

a second head current source operable to source a third current;

a second tail current source operable to sink a fourth current; and

switches configured to selectively couple the second head current source and the second tail current source to the positive output node and the negative output node based on values on a data input of the second current-mode driver module,

wherein the magnitudes of the third current and the fourth current are selected based at least in part on a pre-emphasis to be provided on the output of the driver circuit.

9. The driver circuit of claim 8, wherein the values on the data input of the second current-mode driver module are delayed copies of the values on the data input of the voltage-mode driver module.

10. The driver circuit of claim 1, further comprising a pre-driver module configured to supply the data input to the voltage-mode driver module and the data input to the first current-mode driver module based on an input of the driver circuit.

11. The driver circuit of claim 1, wherein the voltage-mode driver module includes a plurality of transistors having sources and drains coupled in parallel, and a voltage-mode pre-driver module configured to supply signals to drive gates of the plurality of transistors to produce a selected output impedance of the voltage-mode driver.

12. A method for driving a serial data signal on a communication link, the method comprising:

driving the communication link using a voltage-mode driver module having differential outputs coupled to a positive output node and a negative output node, wherein the voltage-mode driver module is configured to drive voltages on the outputs based on values on a data input of the voltage-mode driver module;

driving the communication link using a current-mode driver module having outputs coupled to the positive output node and the negative output node, wherein the current-mode driver module is operable to selectively couple a head current source and a tail current source to the positive output node and the negative output node; and

selecting currents of the head current source and the tail current source based at least in part on correcting skew on the positive output node and the negative output node.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the current of the head current source and the current of the tail current source differ.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising selecting the currents of the head current source and of the tail current source based at least in part on adjusting an output swing of the positive output node and the negative output node.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising measuring the skew on the positive output node and the negative output node, wherein selecting currents of the head current source and the tail current source based at least in part on correcting skew uses the measured skew.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

driving the communication link using a second current-mode driver module having outputs coupled to the positive output node and the negative output node, wherein the second current-mode driver module is operable to selectively couple a second head current source and a second tail current source to the positive output node and the negative output node; and

selecting currents of the second head current source and the second tail current source based at least in part on a pre-emphasis to be provided on the positive output node and the negative output node.

17. A driver circuit, comprising:

means for driving voltages on a differential output including a positive output node and a negative output node, wherein the driven voltages are based on values on a data input of the means for driving voltages circuit; and

means for driving currents on the differential output, including;

a head current source operable to source a first current;

a tail current source operable to sink a second current; and

switches configured to selectively couple the head current source to the negative output node and the tail current source to the positive output node or couple the head current source to the positive output node and the tail current source to the negative output node based on values on a data input of the means for driving currents,

wherein the magnitudes of the first current and the second current are independently selectable.

18. The driver circuit of claim 17, wherein the magnitude of the first current and the magnitude of the second current are selected based at least in part on correcting skew on the output of the driver circuit.

19. The driver circuit of claim 18, wherein the magnitudes of the first current and the second current are further selected based at least in part on adjusting an output swing of the driver circuit.

20. The driver circuit of claim 17, wherein the head current source includes a digital-to-analog converter to source the first current, and wherein the tail current source includes a digital-to-analog converter to sink the second current.

21. The driver circuit of claim 20, further comprising a means for measuring skew coupled to the output of the driver circuit and configured to measure skew on the output of the driver circuit and control the digital-to-analog converter of the head current source and the digital-to-analog converter of the tail current source based at least in part on the measured skew.

22. The driver circuit of claim 17, wherein the data input of the means for driving voltages is coupled to the data input of the means for driving currents.

23. The driver circuit of claim 17, wherein the data input of the means for driving currents includes a positive input node and a negative input node, and wherein the switches of the means for driving currents include:

a first p-channel transistor having a gate coupled to the negative input node, a drain coupled to the positive output node, and a source coupled to the head current source;

a first n-channel transistor having a gate coupled to the negative input node, a drain coupled to the positive output node, and a source coupled to the tail current source;

a second p-channel transistor having a gate coupled to the positive input node, a drain coupled to the negative output node, and a source coupled to the head current source; and

a second n-channel transistor having a gate coupled to the positive input node, a drain coupled to the negative output node, and a source coupled to the tail current source.

24. The driver circuit of claim 17, further comprising a second means for driving currents on the differential output, including:

a second head current source operable to source a third current;

a second tail current source operable to sink a fourth current; and

switches configured to selectively couple the second head current source and the second tail current source to the positive output node and the negative output node based on values on a data input of the second means for driving currents,

wherein the magnitudes of the third current and the fourth current are selected based at least in part on a pre-emphasis to be provided on the output of the driver circuit.

25. The driver circuit of claim 24, wherein the values on the data input of the second means for driving currents are delayed copies of the values on the data input of the means for driving voltages.

26. The driver circuit of claim 17, further comprising a pre-driver module configured to supply the data inputs to the means for driving voltages and the means for driving currents based on an input of the driver circuit.

27. The driver circuit of claim 17, wherein the means for driving voltages includes a plurality of transistors having sources and drains coupled in parallel, and a voltage-mode pre-driver module configured to supply signals to drive the gates of the plurality of transistors to produce a selected output impedance of the voltage-mode driver.