Low-Power Differential Communication Architectures

A system comprising:

• a first device;
• and
• a second device coupled to the first device by a differential signaling wire pair comprising a first wire and a second wire,
• the first device comprising:
• a voltage source configured to selectively drive the first wire and the second wire with a first voltage level;
• an adjustable current source configured to selectively discharge the first wire and the second wire;
• and
• a control circuit configured to output data and power by way of the differential signaling wire pair by:
• selectively coupling the first wire to the voltage source and the second wire to the adjustable current source such that, during a first time period, the first wire has the first voltage level and the second wire has a second voltage level less than the first voltage level and greater than zero volts;
• and
• selectively switching the first wire from being coupled to the voltage source to being coupled to the adjustable current source and the second wire from being coupled to the adjustable current source to being coupled to the voltage source such that, during a second time period subsequent to the first time period, the first wire has the second voltage level and the second wire has the first voltage level;
• the second device comprising:
• a receiving circuit configured to:
• receive the data and the power by way of the differential signaling wire pair;
• and
• transmit the data by way of a radio frequency (RF) transmitter.

A cochlear implant system comprising:

• an implant configured to apply electrical stimulation representative of one or more audio signals to an auditory pathway of a user;
• a headpiece including a transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit power and data to the implant;
• an external unit coupled to the headpiece by a differential signaling wire pair comprising a first wire and a second wire, the external unit comprising:
• a voltage source configured to selectively drive the first wire and the second wire with a first voltage level;
• an adjustable current source configured to selectively discharge the first wire and the second wire;
• and
• a control circuit configured to output data and power by way of the differential signaling wire pair by:
• selectively coupling the first wire to the voltage source and the second wire to the adjustable current source such that, during a first time period, the first wire has the first voltage level and the second wire has a second voltage level less than the first voltage level and greater than zero volts;
• and
• selectively switching the first wire from being coupled to the voltage source to being coupled to the adjustable current source and the second wire from being coupled to the adjustable current source to being coupled to the voltage source such that, during a second time period subsequent to the first time period, the first wire has the second voltage level and the second wire has the first voltage level.