IP Library Granted Patent US 10,187,080
Granted Patent B1
US 10,187,080 · App. 15/963,608 · Granted Jan 22, 2019

Apparatus and system for high speed keeper based switch driver

Inventors: Kumar Thasari (Irvine, CA); Ullas Singh (Irvine, CA); Arvindh Iyer (Irvine, CA); Namik Kocaman (San Clemente, CA)
Assignee: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL SALES PTE. LIMITED
H03M1/74H03M1/742H03M1/747
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,187,080
App. No.
15/963,608
Granted
Jan 22, 2019
Kind
B1
Abstract

A keeper based switch driver can generate overlapping differential signals and increase a crossing point of the overlapping differential signals a first predetermined amount. Additionally, the keeper based switch driver can further increase the crossing point of the overlapping differential signals a second predetermined amount and limit signal swing to an absolute value of a drain-source voltage. A microprocessor can also be electrically connected to a DAC cell with keeper based switch driver through a performance detection circuit. The microprocessor can be configured to receive information from a performance detection circuit and control a current of a variable current source in a keeper bias circuit accordingly.

Claims (33)

1. A keeper based switch driver, comprising:

circuitry configured to

generate overlapping differential signals,

increase a crossing point of the overlapping differential signals a first predetermined amount,

further increase the crossing point of the overlapping differential signals a second predetermined amount, and

limit signal swing to an absolute value of a drain source voltage.

2. The keeper based switch driver of claim 1 , wherein the crossing point of the overlapping differential signals is increased without introducing delay.

3. The keeper based switch driver of claim 1 , wherein the crossing point of the overlapping differential signals is increased by the first predetermined amount based on a skewed inverter pre-driver configuration.

4. The keeper based switch driver of claim 3 , wherein the skewed inverter pre-driver configuration includes a symmetrical pair of skewed inverter pre-drivers, a first skewed inverter pre-driver connected to a positive input terminal and a second skewed inverter pre-driver connected to a negative input terminal.

5. The keeper based switch driver of claim 4 , wherein each of the first skewed inverter pre-driver and the second skewed inverter pre-driver includes an n-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor (NMOS) device connected to a p-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor (PMOS) device that is larger than the NMOS device.

6. The keeper based switch driver of claim 1 , wherein the crossing point of the overlapping differential signals is further increased the second predetermined amount based on a keeper cell.

7. The keeper based switch driver of claim 6 , wherein the keeper cell is configured as a pull up device.

8. The keeper based switch driver of claim 6 , wherein the keeper cell is configured to have programmable current consumption.

9. The keeper based switch driver of claim 1 , wherein the limited signal swing corresponds to the drain-source voltage of the devices in the keeper cell.

10. The keeper based switch driver of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to improve PAM-N eye quality, where N is an integer greater than one.

11. A system, comprising:

a keeper based switch driver including circuitry configured to

generate overlapping differential signals,

increase a crossing point of the overlapping differential signals a first predetermined amount,

further increase the crossing point of the overlapping differential signals a second predetermined amount, and

limit signal swing to an absolute value of a drain-source voltage; and

a microprocessor electrically connected to a performance detection circuit, the microprocessor including processing circuitry configured to

receive information from the performance detection circuit, and

control a current of a biasing circuit in the keeper based switch driver to control current consumption in at least part of the keeper based switch driver.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the received information includes a circuit condition of at least one component of the keeper based switch driver.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the circuit condition includes a temperature of at least one component of the keeper based switch driver.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the crossing point of the overlapping differential signals is increased without introducing delay.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the crossing point of the overlapping differential signals is increased the first predetermined amount based on a skewed inverter pre-driver configuration, the skewed inverter pre-driver configuration including a symmetrical pair of skewed inverter pre-drivers, a first skewed inverter pre-driver being connected to a positive input terminal and a second skewed inverter pre-driver being connected to a negative input terminal.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein each of the first skewed inverter pre-driver and the second skewed inverter pre-driver includes an n-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor (NMOS) device connected to a p-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor (PMOS) device that is larger than the NMOS device.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the crossing point of the overlapping differential signals is further increased the second predetermined amount based on a keeper cell, the keeper cell being configured as a pull up device.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the keeper cell is configured to have programmable current consumption.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the limited signal swing corresponds to the drain-source voltage of the keeper cell.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to improve PAM-N eye quality, where N is an integer greater than one.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE EXECUTION DATE OF THE MERGER AND APPLICATION NOS. 13/237,550 AND 16/103,107 FROM THE MERGER PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 047231 FRAME 0369. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE MERGER. Recorded Mar 8, 2019
From: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES GENERAL IP (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
To: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL SALES PTE. LIMITED
Reel/Frame 048549/0113 →
MERGER Recorded Oct 4, 2018
From: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES GENERAL IP (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
To: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL SALES PTE. LIMITED
Reel/Frame 047231/0369 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 27, 2018
From: THASARI, KUMAR; SINGH, ULLAS; IYER, ARVINDH; KOCAMAN, NAMIK
To: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES GENERAL IP (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 045658/0146 →
Cited By (2)
US 12,348,223 US 12,362,717