US 7,031,357 B2 · High speed switching driver

Abstract

The present invention is generally directed towards a system and method for providing a high speed switching driver to transmit data information. A first current is switched through a diode or shunted through an alternate path to selectively bias the diode. A second current can also be selectively switched through the diode to modulate a light energy output transmitted from the diode. Based on this configuration, fast bias-switching for generating a modulated laser diode output can be achieved by selectively switching the bias current through the diode or alternate path. Consequently, a solid state device can be controlled to transmit data information after a relatively minimal setup time delay to bias the diode.

Claims1

Dependent claims

Apparatus for high speed switching comprising:

means for coupling first and second differential transistor pairs to a laser diode at a common node;
means for setting a current source to provide a first current;
means for switching the first current through the diode or an alternate path to selectively bias the diode or shunt the first current;
the first current switched on or off in less than a single bit time;
and
means for modulating a light energy output transmitted from the diode by selectively switching a second current through the diode while the first current is switched to bias the diode, wherein the light energy output of the diode is proportional to a total current through the diode.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

10/704,348Filed 7 Nov 2003 · continuation

Priority

11 Oct 2001

Published

US 2004/0095976 A120 May 2004

Granted

18 Apr 2006

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

H04B 10/504
Laser transmitters: using direct modulation
H01S 5/042
Processes or apparatus for excitation, e.g. pumping, e.g. by electron beams: electrical excitation ; Circuits therefor
H01S 5/0427
Electrical excitation ; Circuits therefor: for applying modulation to the laser
H04B
Transmission

Family

Application09/975,082Parent of this continuation · filed 11 Oct 2001

US 2004/0095976 A1Pre-grant publication · published 20 May 2004

US 6,738,401 B2Parent of this continuation

US 2003/0072339 A1Published application

US 7,031,357 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

High speed switching driver

Life of this patent

High speed switching driver

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims1