Low power digital adaptive termination network
View Patent ↗An apparatus, method, microprocessor device and computer program for configuring a termination network of a communication device includes a voltage comparator for comparing a voltage across the termination network with a reference voltage; a logic arrangement for setting a digital control vector in response to a state returned by said voltage comparator; and a first switching apparatus for activating a first weighted-value resistor in response to the setting of the digital control vector. At least a second switching apparatus for activating a second weighted-value resistor, and wherein each of the first and the second weighted-value resistors is represented by a value in the digital control vector may be provided, the first and second resistors are connected in series or in parallel. The digital control vector may be stored in a logic register and distributed to a plurality of termination networks. The logic arrangement may include a finite state machine.
1. An apparatus for configuring a termination network of a communication device, the apparatus comprising:
at least one trimming component, each trimming component having an associated switch for selectively connecting the trimming component to a main resistor in response to a corresponding bit in a digital control vector;
a voltage comparator for generating an output bit having a first value if a net value of voltage across the main resistor and any connected trimming components exceeds a desired voltage value; and
a logic arrangement connected to the switches and to the voltage comparator for generating the digital control vector in dependence on the output bit of the voltage comparator, wherein the logic arrangement generates the control vector by sequentially changing each bit of the control vector until the voltage across the main resistor and any connected trimming components reaches the desired voltage value.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one trimming component, associated switch, and main resistor form a termination network reference and further comprising a current reference configured to generate a reference current through the termination network reference.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the logic arrangement comprises a state machine that proceeds through a fixed number of states.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the state machine activates the current reference during each state.
5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the state machine, upon reaching a final state, outputs the digital control vector and stops generating the current reference.
6. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the desired voltage value divided by the current reference comprises a desired resistance of the termination network reference.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the digital control vector is distributed to a plurality of termination networks.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one trimming component and associated switch comprises a plurality of trimming components, each with an associated switch, and each trimming component comprises a different weighted value.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the main resistor is connected in parallel with the at least one trimming component and associated switch connected in series.
10. A system for configuring a termination network of a communication device, the system comprising:
a communication device; and
a termination network connected to the communication device comprising
at least one trimming component, each trimming component having an associated switch for selectively connecting the trimming component to a main resistor in response to a corresponding bit in a digital control vector;
a voltage comparator for generating an output bit having a first value if a net value of voltage across the main resistor and any connected trimming components exceeds a desired voltage valve; and
a logic arrangement connected to the switches and to the voltage comparator for generating the digital control vector in dependence on the output bit of the voltage comparator, wherein the logic arrangement generates the control vector by sequentially changing each bit of the control vector until the voltage across the main resistor and any connected trimming components reaches the desired voltage value.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one trimming component, associated switch, and main resistor form a termination network reference and further comprising a current reference configured to generate a reference current through the termination network reference.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the logic arrangement comprises a state machine that proceeds through a fixed number of states.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the state machine activates the current reference during each state.
14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the state machine, upon reaching a final state, outputs the digital control vector and stops generating the current reference.
15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the digital control vector is distributed to a plurality of termination networks.
16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the main resistor is connected in series with the at least one trimming component and associated switch connected in parallel.
17. A method for configuring a termination network of a communication device comprising:
selectively connecting at least one trimming component to a main resistor in response to a corresponding bit in a digital control vector, each trimming component having an associated switch for connecting the trimming component to the main resistor;
generating a first value of an output bit of a voltage comparator if a net value of voltage across the main resistor and any connected trimming components exceeds a desired voltage value; and
generating the digital control vector in a logic arrangement in dependence on the output bit of the voltage comparator, wherein the logic arrangement generates the control vector by sequentially changing each bit of the control vector until the voltage across the main resistor and any connected trimming components reaches the desired voltage value.
18. The method as claimed in claim 17 , further comprising generating a reference current through a termination network reference, the termination network reference comprising the at least one trimming component, associated switch, and main resistor.
19. The method as claimed in claim 18 , further comprising proceeding through a fixed number of states.
20. The method as claimed in claim 19 , further comprising activating the current reference during each state.
21. The method as claimed in claim 19 , further comprising, upon reaching a final state, outputting the digital control vector and stopping generation of the current reference.
22. The method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the digital control vector is distributed to a plurality of termination networks.
23. The method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the logic arrangement comprises a finite state machine.
24. A signal bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform an operation to configure a termination network of a communication device, the operations comprising:
selectively connecting at least one trimming component to a main resistor in response to a corresponding bit in a digital control vector, each trimming component having an associated switch for connecting the trimming component to the main resistor;
generating a first value of an output bit of a voltage comparator if a net value of voltage across the main resistor and any connected trimming components exceeds a desired voltage value; and
generating the digital control vector in a logic arrangement in dependence on the output bit of the voltage comparator, wherein the logic arrangement generates the control vector by sequentially changing each bit of the control vector until the voltage across the main resistor and any connected trimming components reaches the desired voltage value.
25. The signal bearing medium of claim 24 , wherein the instructions further comprise an operation to generate a reference current through a termination network reference, the termination network reference comprising the at least one trimming component, associated switch, and main resistor.
26. The signal bearing medium of claim 25 , further comprising an instruction to proceed through a fixed number of states.
27. The signal bearing medium of claim 26 , further comprising an instruction to activate the current reference during each state.
28. The signal bearing medium of claim 26 , further comprising an instruction to, upon reaching a final state, output the digital control vector and to stop generation of the current reference.
29. The signal bearing medium of claim 24 , wherein the digital control vector is stored in a logic register.
30. The signal bearing medium of claim 24 , wherein the logic arrangement comprises a finite state machine.