Voltage mode driver with current booster (VMDCB)
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorWei Chih Chen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A voltage mode driver circuit able to achieve a larger voltage output swing than its supply voltage. The voltage mode driver circuit is supplemented by a current source or “current booster.” The circuit includes a first inverter, a second inverter, and a current source. The first inverter receives a first input and output a signal at anode. The second inverter receives another input outputs at the same output node. The current source is serially coupled to the output node via a first switch, the first switch receiving an input at the first input.
Claims20
A voltage mode driver circuit comprising:
- a first inverter configured to receive an input at a node MAIN and output at a node TXP;
- a second inverter configured to receive an input at a node POS and output at the node TXP;
- and
- a first current source serially coupled to the node TXP via a first switch, the first switch configured to receive an input at the node MAIN, wherein a voltage output swing at the node TXP is larger than a power supply voltage applied to the voltage mode driver circuit.
A voltage mode driver circuit comprising:
- a first p-type transistor with a first p-type gate, a first p-type source and a first p-type drain;
- the first p-type gate being connected to receive a first input;
- the first p-type source being connected to a power supply;
- the first p-type drain being serially coupled with an output node TXP via a first resistance, the output node having a voltage output swing larger than a power supply voltage applied by the power supply;
- a first n-type transistor with a first n-type gate, a first n-type source and a first n-type drain;
- the first n-type gate being connected to receive the first input;
- the first n-type source being connected to ground;
- the first n-type drain being serially coupled with the output node TXP via a second resistance;
- a first current source serially coupled between the power supply and the node TXP via a first switch;
- a second current source serially coupled between ground and to the node TXP via a second switch.
A method, comprising:
- receiving a first input signal at a first input node;
- inverting the first input signal;
- outputting the inverted first input signal at a positive output node;
- receiving a second input signal at a second input node;
- inverting the second input signal;
- outputting the inverted second input signal at the positive output node;
- and
- providing current from a first current source to the positive output node via a first switch, wherein the first switch is configured to receive an input at the first input node and wherein a voltage output swing at the positive output node is larger than a power supply voltage applied to the first current source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.