Controlling overload of a transimpedance amplifier in an optical transceiver
OwnerMiaobin Gao, Ryan Huang +1inventors
InventorsMiaobin Gao, Ryan Huang, Chien-Chang Liu
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Abstract
Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, a transimpedance amplifier of an optical transceiver or the like has a feedback element in a feedback arrangement and is capable of receiving an electrical current from an optical-to-electrical converter to generate an output voltage in response to the electrical current. A control circuit coupled to the feedback element is capable of providing a control signal to control a bias current of the transimpedance amplifier to maintain DC current flowing through the feedback element at or near zero by changing the bias current in response to the control circuit detecting a non-zero DC current flowing through the feedback element.
Claims15
An apparatus, comprising:
- an optical-to-electrical converter capable of generating an electrical current in response to an optical signal, the electrical current being representative of information stored in the optical signal;
- a transimpedance amplifier capable of receiving the electrical current from said optical-to-electrical converter to generate a single-ended output voltage from a non-differential amplifier stage in response to the electrical current, the transimpedance amplifier having a feedback element in a feedback amplifier arrangement, a first terminal of the feedback element being coupled to the singled-ended output and a second terminal of the feedback element being coupled to the input of the transimpedance amplifier;
- and
- a control circuit comprising a first and a second input, the first input and the second input being coupled across the feedback element, the control circuit being capable of providing a control signal to control a bias current of the transimpedance amplifier to maintain DC current flowing through the feedback element at or near zero by changing the bias current in response to the control circuit detecting a non-zero DC current flowing through the feedback element.
A method, comprising:
- receiving an electrical current in response to an optical signal, the electrical current being representative of information stored in the optical signal;
- generating a singled-ended output voltage from a non-differential amplifier stage in response to said receiving the electrical current, the output voltage being based at least in part on a gain selected with a feedback element, a first terminal of the feedback element being coupled to the singled-ended output and a second terminal of the feedback element being coupled to the input of the transimpedance amplifier;
- and
- providing a control signal to control a bias current for said generating an output voltage to maintain DC current flowing through the feedback element at or near zero by changing the bias current in response to detecting a non-zero DC current flowing through the feedback element, the control circuit comprising a first input and a second input, and the first input and the second input being coupled across the feedback element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.