High bandwidth programmable transmission line pre-emphasis method and circuit

A transmission line pre-emphasis circuit, comprising:

• a primary signal path coupled to receive a digital data stream to be transmitted and provide a primary output current indicative of the digital data stream to a pair of current summing nodes;
• one or more secondary signal paths each incorporating a network implementing a specific transient response, the one or more secondary signal paths receiving the digital data stream and generating secondary output currents representing one or more overshoot signals indicative of the transient response of the respective network and synchronized with transitions of the digital data stream, the one or more secondary signal paths having variable gain programmed through respective DC programming signals, the secondary output currents being coupled to the pair of current summing nodes to be summed with the primary output current of the primary signal path;
• and
• an output loading stage coupled to the current summing nodes to generate a pre-emphasized digital output signal to be transmitted onto a transmission line indicative of the one or more overshoot signals added to the digital data stream.