Front-end circuitry for a data receiver and related systems, methods, and devices

Front-end circuitry for a data receiver, the front-end circuitry comprising:

• a passive equalizer to receive an input signal, the passive equalizer including a first signal path and a second signal path, an impedance of the second signal path substantially the square of a reference impedance divided by an impedance of the first signal path, the first signal path to provide a first equalizer output signal responsive to the received input signal, the second signal path to provide a second equalizer output signal responsive to the received input signal;
• and
• a programmable amplifier circuit to receive the first equalizer output signal and the second equalizer output signal from the passive equalizer, the programmable amplifier circuit comprising:
• a first programmable-gain amplifier to amplify the first equalizer output signal with a first gain to provide a first amplified signal;
• a second programmable-gain amplifier to amplify the second equalizer output signal with a second gain to provide a second amplified signal;
• and
• a summing circuit to add the first amplified signal and the second amplified signal to provide an equalized output signal.

A data receiver comprising front-end circuitry, the front-end circuitry comprising:

• a passive equalizer to receive an input signal, the passive equalizer including a first signal path and a second signal path, an impedance of the second signal path substantially the square of a reference impedance divided by an impedance of the first signal path, the first signal path to provide a first equalizer output signal responsive to the received input signal, the second signal path to provide a second equalizer output signal responsive to the received input signal;
• and
• a programmable amplifier circuit to receive the first equalizer output signal and the second equalizer output signal from the passive equalizer, the programmable amplifier circuit comprising:
• a first programmable-gain amplifier to amplify the first equalizer output signal with a first gain to provide a first amplified signal;
• a second programmable-gain amplifier to amplify the second equalizer output signal with a second gain to provide a second amplified signal;
• and
• a summing circuit to add the first amplified signal and the second amplified signal to provide an equalized output signal.

A method of equalizing an input signal, the method comprising:

• generating a first equalizer output signal responsive to the input signal applied to a first signal path, the first signal path having a first frequency response;
• generating a second equalizer output signal responsive to the input signal applied to a second signal path, the second signal path having a second frequency response, the second frequency response substantially inverse to the first frequency response;
• amplifying the first equalizer output signal with a first gain to generate a first amplified signal;
• amplifying the second equalizer output signal with a second gain to generate a second amplified signal;
• and
• summing the first amplified signal with the second amplified signal to generate an equalized output signal.