Method for operating a transmission line and correspondingly constructed device

A device for operating a transmission line, the device comprising:

• a line driver circuit to convert an input signal of the device into a current or a voltage for the transmission line;
• a protective circuit to prevent an overvoltage and/or overcurrent on the transmission line, the line driver circuit and the protective circuit being integrated in a common package;
• a sensor to measure a plurality of parameters with respect to the transmission line and/or with respect to the common package, the sensor integrated in the common package, wherein the sensor detects at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of:
• a temperature in the package;
• and
• a parasitic current in the package;
• a controller to calculate a variable reference voltage based on the plurality of parameters, the protective circuit prevents the overvoltage and/or overcurrent on the transmission line based on the variable reference voltage;
• and
• a supply circuit to supply the line driver circuit with a supply voltage, wherein the supply circuit is integrated in the common package.

A method for operating a transmission line, the method comprising:

• receiving an input signal;
• converting the input signal into a current or a voltage for a transmission line;
• measuring a plurality of parameters, wherein one of the parameters comprises a temperature measured in a package or a parasitic current in the package;
• calculating a control signal as a function of the parameters;
• and
• driving the current or the voltage onto the transmission line, including preventing an overvoltage and/or an overcurrent on the transmission line based on a threshold current and/or a threshold voltage relative to the control signal, wherein all circuitry that causes the converting, the measuring, the calculating and the driving is integrated in the package.

A communications system comprising:

• a transmission line;
• and
• a device for operating the transmission line, the device comprising:
• a line driver circuit, wherein the line driver circuit is constructed in such a way that the line driver circuit converts an input signal of the device into a current or a voltage for the transmission line;
• a sensing circuit configured to measure a plurality of parameters with respect to the transmission line and/or the common package, wherein one of the parameters comprises a temperature measured in a package or a parasitic current in the package;
• a controller configured to calculate a control signal based on the plurality of parameters;
• and
• a protective circuit wherein the protective circuit is constructed in such a way that the protective circuit prevents an overvoltage and/or overcurrent on the transmission line based on a threshold current and/or a threshold voltage relative to the control signal, and wherein the line driver circuit and the protective circuit are integrated in a common package.