Low power multilevel driver

Abstract

A driver for transmitting multi-level signals on a multi-wire bus is described that includes at least one current source connected to a transmission line, each current source selectively enabled to source current to the transmission line to drive a line voltage above a termination voltage of a termination voltage source connected to the transmission line via a termination impedance element, wherein each of the at least one current sources has an output impedance different than a characteristic impedance of the transmission line, and at least one current sink connected to the transmission line, each current sink selectively enabled to sink current from the transmission line to drive a line voltage below the termination voltage, each of the at least one current sinks having an output impedance different than the characteristic impedance of the transmission line.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.