Back to results
US 2004/0000925 A1Published application
Power saving termination technique for differential signaling
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorMaynard C. Falconer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A technique for reducing power consumption in voltage and current steered differential busses that transmit and receive encoded signals is described. A circuit is used to save power in the static state. The circuit blocks static current flow, but allows the frequency components associated with the signaling band.
Claims23
An electrical circuit comprising:
- a first transmission line, wherein the first transmission line transmits a first signal at a first frequency;
- a second transmission line, wherein the second transmission line transmits a second signal at a second frequency, wherein the first and second signals form a differential pair;
- a termination network to terminate the first transmission line and the second transmission line;
- and
- m capacitors, wherein m is an integer greater than or equal to one, wherein the m capacitors are used to help reduce current flow in the circuit during static state.
2 more elements
A method of blocking static current flow in a differential signaling scheme, comprising:
- transmitting a pair of differential signals, wherein the differential signals are transmitted across a pair of transmission lines;
- terminating a pair of transmission lines;
- and
- blocking static current flow, wherein at least one capacitor is used to block static current flow.
1 more element
A method of saving power in a termination network, comprising the steps of:
- generating a pair of differential signals;
- transmitting the pair of differential signals across a plurality of transmission lines;
- terminating the plurality of transmission lines using a termination network, wherein the termination network is bypassed if the pair of differential signals are direct current signals.
A current steered differential bus comprising:
- a current source, wherein the current source has a first node and a second node;
- a first transmission line, wherein the first transmission line has a first node and a second node, wherein the first node of the first transmission line is coupled to the first node of the current source;
- a second transmission line, wherein the second transmission line has a first node and a second node, wherein the first node of the second transmission line is coupled to the second node of the current source;
- an inductor, wherein the inductor has a first node and a second node, wherein the first node of the inductor is coupled to the second node of the first transmission line, wherein the second node of the inductor is coupled to the second node of the second transmission line.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.