Driver circuit for signal transmission and control method of driver circuit

A driver circuit for receiving a first data input and generating an output signal to a termination element according to at least the first data input, the driver circuit comprising:

• a first output terminal, arranged for outputting the output signal;
• a first current mode drive unit, coupled to the first output terminal, the first current mode drive unit arranged for generating a first reference current, selectively outputting the first reference current from the first output terminal to the termination element according to the first data input, and selectively receiving the first reference current through the first output terminal according to the first data input, wherein when the first current mode drive unit outputs the first reference current, the first current mode drive unit steers the first reference current to flow into the termination element such that the first reference current outputted from the first current mode drive unit flows through the termination element and is used as at least a portion of a current flowing through the termination element;
• and
• a first voltage mode drive unit, coupled to the first output terminal, the first voltage mode drive unit arranged for coupling one of a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage to the first output terminal according to the first data input, wherein the first reference voltage is different from the second reference voltage;
• wherein the driver circuit is further arranged for receiving n−1 second data inputs, the driver circuit generates the output signal according to the first data input and the n−1 second data inputs, n is an integer greater than one, and the driver circuit further comprises:
• n−1 second voltage mode drive units, coupled to the first output terminal and controlled by the n−1 second data inputs respectively, wherein each second voltage mode drive unit couples one of the first reference voltage and the second reference voltage to the first output terminal according to a second data input corresponding to the second voltage mode drive unit.

A driver circuit for receiving a first data input and generating an output signal to a termination element according to at least the first data input, the driver circuit comprising:

• a first output terminal, arranged for outputting the output signal;
• a first current mode drive unit, coupled to the first output terminal, the first current mode drive unit arranged for generating a first reference current, selectively outputting the first reference current from the first output terminal to the termination element according to the first data input, and selectively receiving the first reference current through the first output terminal according to the first data input, wherein when the first current mode drive unit outputs the first reference current, the first current mode drive unit steers the first reference current to flow into the termination element such that the first reference current outputted from the first current mode drive unit flows through the termination element and is used as at least a portion of a current flowing through the termination element;
• and
• a first voltage mode drive unit, coupled to the first output terminal, the first voltage mode drive unit arranged for coupling one of a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage to the first output terminal according to the first data input, wherein the first reference voltage is different from the second reference voltage;
• wherein the driver circuit is further arranged for receiving n−1 second data inputs, the driver circuit generates the output signal according to the first data input and the n−1 second data inputs, n is an integer greater than one, and the driver circuit further comprises:
• n−1 second current mode drive units, coupled to the first output terminal and controlled by the n−1 second data inputs respectively, the n−1 second current mode drive units arranged for generating n−1 second reference currents respectively, wherein each second current mode drive unit selectively outputs a second reference current corresponding to the second current mode drive unit from the first output terminal to the termination element according to a second data input corresponding to the second current mode drive unit, and selectively receives the second reference current through the first output terminal according to the second data input.

A driver circuit for receiving a first data input and generating an output signal to a termination element according to at least the first data input, the driver circuit comprising:

• a first output terminal, arranged for outputting the output signal;
• a first current mode drive unit, coupled to the first output terminal, the first current mode drive unit arranged for generating a first reference current, selectively outputting the first reference current from the first output terminal to the termination element according to the first data input, and selectively receiving the first reference current through the first output terminal according to the first data input, wherein when the first current mode drive unit outputs the first reference current, the first current mode drive unit steers the first reference current to flow into the termination element such that the first reference current outputted from the first current mode drive unit flows through the termination element and is used as at least a portion of a current flowing through the termination element;
• a first voltage mode drive unit, coupled to the first output terminal, the first voltage mode drive unit arranged for coupling one of a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage to the first output terminal according to the first data input, wherein the first reference voltage is different from the second reference voltage;
• and
• a second output terminal, coupled to the first current mode drive unit and the first voltage mode drive unit, wherein the first output terminal and the second output terminal are used as a pair of differential output terminals, and arranged for outputting the output signal;
• wherein the first current mode drive unit outputs the first reference current from one of the first output terminal and the second output terminal to the termination element according to the first data input, and receives the first reference current from the other of the first output terminal and the second output terminal according to the first data input;
• and the first voltage mode drive unit couples the first reference voltage to one of the first output terminal and the second output terminal according to the first data input, and couples the second reference voltage to the other of the first output terminal and the second output terminal according to the first data input;
• wherein the driver circuit is further arranged for receiving n−1 second data inputs, the driver circuit generates the output signal according to the first data input and the n−1 second data inputs, n is an integer greater than one, and the driver circuit further comprises:
• n−1 second voltage mode drive units, coupled to the first output terminal and the second output terminal and controlled by the n−1 second data inputs respectively, wherein each second voltage mode drive unit couples the first reference voltage to one of the first output terminal and the second output terminal according to a second data input corresponding to the second voltage mode drive unit, and couples the second reference voltage to the other of the first output terminal and the second output terminal according to the second data input.

A driver circuit for receiving a first data input and generating an output signal to a termination element according to at least the first data input, the driver circuit comprising:

• a first output terminal, arranged for outputting the output signal;
• a first current mode drive unit, coupled to the first output terminal, the first current mode drive unit arranged for generating a first reference current, selectively outputting the first reference current from the first output terminal to the termination element according to the first data input, and selectively receiving the first reference current through the first output terminal according to the first data input, wherein when the first current mode drive unit outputs the first reference current, the first current mode drive unit steers the first reference current to flow into the termination element such that the first reference current outputted from the first current mode drive unit flows through the termination element and is used as at least a portion of a current flowing through the termination element;
• a first voltage mode drive unit, coupled to the first output terminal, the first voltage mode drive unit arranged for coupling one of a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage to the first output terminal according to the first data input, wherein the first reference voltage is different from the second reference voltage;
• and
• a second output terminal, coupled to the first current mode drive unit and the first voltage mode drive unit, wherein the first output terminal and the second output terminal are used as a pair of differential output terminals, and arranged for outputting the output signal;
• wherein the first current mode drive unit outputs the first reference current from one of the first output terminal and the second output terminal to the termination element according to the first data input, and receives the first reference current from the other of the first output terminal and the second output terminal according to the first data input;
• and the first voltage mode drive unit couples the first reference voltage to one of the first output terminal and the second output terminal according to the first data input, and couples the second reference voltage to the other of the first output terminal and the second output terminal according to the first data input;
• wherein the driver circuit is further arranged for receiving n−1 second data inputs, the driver circuit generates the output signal according to the first data input and the n−1 second data inputs, n is an integer greater than one, and the driver circuit further comprises:
• n−1 second current mode drive units, coupled to the first output terminal and the second output terminal and controlled by the n−1 second data inputs respectively, the n−1 second current mode drive units arranged for generating n−1 second reference currents respectively, wherein each second current mode drive unit outputs the first reference current from one of the first output terminal and the second output terminal to the termination element according to a second reference current corresponding to the second current mode drive unit, and receives the first reference current from the other of the first output terminal and the second output terminal according to the second data input.