US 8,618,835 B2Granted

Compact high-speed mixed-signal interface

AssigneeBroadcom Corporation

InventorsBurak Catli, Ali Nazemi, Mahmoud Reza Ahmadi, Ullas Singh, Jun Cao, Afshin Momtaz

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Abstract

An apparatus is disclosed for converting signals from one digital integrated circuit family to be compatible with another digital integrated circuit family. The apparatus includes a primary interface and a secondary interface to convert a differential output signal from one digital integrated circuit family for use as an input signal by another digital integrated circuit family. The primary and secondary interfaces include gain stages that are configurable to provide rail to rail voltage swings and are characterized as having single pole architectures. The secondary interface may be unterminated such that a substantially equal load is presented to both components of the differential output signal.

Claims24

Dependent claims

An apparatus for converting signals from a first digital integrated circuit family to be compatible with a second digital integrated circuit family, the second digital integrated circuit family being different from the first digital integrated circuit family, the apparatus comprising:

a primary interface configured to convert an output signal that is characterized by the first digital integrated circuit family to provide an input signal that is compatible with the second digital integrated circuit family, the primary interface including:
a gain stage configured to convert a first logic level of the output signal into a second logic level;
an input transmission gate, coupled between an input of the gain stage and a reference voltage, configured to couple the reference voltage to the input of the gain stage when a feedback path to the gain stage is deactivated;
and
an output switch, coupled between an output of the gain stage and a potential, configured to couple the output of the gain stage to the potential to prevent the output signal from leaking onto the input signal when the gain stage is deactivated.

2 more elements

A mixed family digital signal operational environment apparatus, comprising:

a first integrated circuit that is implemented using electronic circuits of a first digital integrated circuit family to provide an output signal;
and
a second integrated circuit coupled to the first integrated circuit, the second integrated circuit including:
a primary interface configured to convert the output signal that is characterized by the first digital integrated circuit family to provide an input signal that is compatible with a second digital integrated circuit family, the primary interface including:
a gain stage configured to convert a first logic level of the output signal into a second logic level;
an input transmission gate, coupled between an input of the gain stage and a reference voltage, configured to couple the reference voltage to the input of the gain stage when a feedback path to the gain stage is deactivated;
and
an output switch, coupled between an output of the gain stage and a potential, configured to couple the output of the gain stage to the potential to prevent the output signal from leaking onto the input signal when the gain stage is deactivated.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.