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US 2011/0050341 A1Published application
High speed rail to rail phase splitter for providing a symmetrical differential output signal having low skew
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
InventorsElie G. Khoury, D.C. Sessions
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Abstract
A novel high-speed phase splitter circuit (100) and method of operation are disclosed. This high-speed phase splitter (100) creates a differential rail-to-rail output signal from a single ended input signal, with an inherent low skew and symmetrical output. The circuit (100) uses a phase splitting input stage (110, 130) followed by several amplification stages (150, 170) that are symmetrical and balanced in nature.
Claims30
A rail-to-rail phase splitter circuit comprising:
- a first supply voltage port as a first rail for receiving of a first potential;
- and a second supply voltage port as a second rail for receiving of a second potential that is lower than the first potential, a phase splitter comprising a first branch and a second branch disposed between the first supply voltage port and the second supply voltage port first through fourth output ports and a first input port for receiving of a first input signal having rail to rail voltage transitions about a known voltage level;
- a complementary differential amplifier for splitting the input signal into two complementary differential output signals, the complementary differential amplifier comprising a first output port and second output port and first through fourth input ports electrically coupled with the first through fourth output ports of the phase splitter and, a transimpedance amplifier comprising a first input port and a second input port electrically coupled with the complementary differential amplifier and a first output port and a second output port for providing complementary output signals therefrom that transition from rail to rail between the first and second potentials, wherein the phase splitter the complementary differential amplifier and the transimpedance amplifier are disposed between the first supply voltage port and second supply voltage port for receiving of the first and second potentials.
A method of providing a differential output signal comprising:
- receiving of an input signal having rail to rail voltage transitions about a known voltage level from a second voltage level to a first voltage level;
- phase splitting the input signal into two complementary differential output signals that are spaced one from the other in potential and do not overlap;
- level shifting the two complementary differential output signals to form two level shifted complementary output signals that are other than rail to rail;
- and, amplifying the two level shifted complementary output signals so they have low skew and transition from rail to rail between the first and second voltage levels.
1 more element
A circuit comprising:
- means for receiving of an input signal having rail to rail voltage transitions about a known voltage level from a second voltage level to a first voltage level;
- means for phase splitting the input signal into two complementary differential output signals that are spaced one from the other in potential and do not overlap;
- means for level shifting the two complementary differential output signals to form two level shifted complementary output signals that are other than rail to rail;
- and, means for amplifying the two level shifted complementary output signals so they have low skew and transition from rail to rail between the first and second voltage levels.
1 more element
A storage medium for storing of instruction data comprising:
- first instruction data for receiving of an input signal having rail to rail voltage transitions about a known voltage level from a second voltage level to a first voltage level;
- second instruction data for phase splitting the input signal into two complementary differential output signals that are spaced one from the other in potential and do not overlap;
- third instruction data for level shifting the two complementary differential output signals to form two level shifted complementary output signals that are other than rail to rail;
- and, fourth instruction data for amplifying the two level shifted complementary output signals so they have low skew and transition from rail to rail between the first and second voltage levels.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.