IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,562,740
Granted Patent B2
US 12,562,740 · App. 18/467,213 · Granted Feb 24, 2026

ReDriver circuit

Inventors: Siamak Delshadpour (Phoenix, AZ); Xu Zhang (Chandler, AZ)
Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.
H03K19/0175
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,562,740
App. No.
18/467,213
Granted
Feb 24, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

One example discloses a driver circuit, comprising: a first transistor (Q TN ) coupled to a first differential input (IN) and a power supply input (VCC); a second transistor (Q TP ) coupled to a second differential input (IP) and the power supply input; a third transistor (Q BN ) coupled to a first differential output (ON); a fourth transistor (Q BP ) coupled to a second differential output (OP); a first resistance (R P1 ) coupling the first transistor (Q TN ) to the third transistor (Q BN ); a second resistance (R P2 ) coupling the second transistor (Q TP ) to the fourth transistor (Q BP ); and a controller coupled to the power supply input; wherein the controller is configured to detect a ramp-down of a power supply coupled to the power supply input and in response disable a set of circuit elements in the driver circuit.

Claims (74)

1 . A driver circuit, comprising:

a first transistor (Q TN ) coupled to a first differential input (IN) and a power supply input (VCC);

a second transistor (Q TP ) coupled to a second differential input (IP) and the power supply input;

a third transistor (Q BN ) coupled to a first differential output (ON);

a fourth transistor (Q BP ) coupled to a second differential output (OP);

a first resistance (R P1 ) coupling the first transistor (Q TN ) to the third transistor (Q BN );

a second resistance (R P2 ) coupling the second transistor (Q TP ) to the fourth transistor (Q BP );

a first capacitance (C F1 ) coupling the first transistor (Q TN ) to a control line of the fourth transistor (Q BP );

a second capacitance (C F2 ) coupling the second transistor (Q TP ) to a control line of the third transistor (Q BN ); and

a controller coupled to the power supply input and configured to generate an enable signal (TX_En);

wherein the driver circuit includes a voltage regulator circuit coupled between the power supply input and both the first transistor (Q TN ) and the second transistor (Q TP ); and

wherein the voltage regulator circuit is configured to couple the first transistor (Q TN ) and the second transistor (Q TP ) to the power supply input (V CC ) if the enable signal (TX_En) is in a first state and to a voltage set by resistor and diode connected devices if the enable signal (TX_En) is in a second state.

2 . The driver circuit of claim 1 :

wherein the controller is configured to detect a ramp-down of a power supply coupled to the power supply input and in response disable a set of circuits in the driver circuit; and

wherein the controller is configured to detect a ramp-up of the power supply a preset time period after the power supply begins the ramp-up.

3 . The driver circuit of claim 1 :

wherein the set of circuits in the driver circuit includes a first set of differential input (IP) switches coupled to the first differential input (IN) and a second set of differential input (IN) switches coupled to the second differential input (IP); and

wherein the first and second differential input switches are configured to couple the first and second differential inputs to a first voltage if the enable signal (TX_En) is in a first state and to a second voltage if the enable signal (TX_En) is in a second state.

4 . The driver circuit of claim 1 :

wherein the controller is configured to generate the enable signal (TX_En) in response to receiving another enable signal (TX_Enable); and

wherein a set of circuits in the driver circuit are configured to receive the enable signal (TX_En) and in response control their operation.

5 . The driver circuit of claim 4 :

wherein the controller includes a POR (power on reset) circuit.

6 . The driver circuit of claim 5 :

wherein the POR circuit has a reset threshold voltage that is higher than a predetermined value for power indication usage.

7 . The driver circuit of claim 5 :

wherein a reset threshold of the POR circuit is configured to detect the ramp-down of the power supply.

8 . The driver circuit of claim 5 :

wherein a reset threshold of the POR circuit is configured to detect a ramp-up of the power supply a preset time period after the power supply begins the ramp-up.

9 . The driver circuit of claim 2 :

wherein the controller is configured to detect the ramp-down of the power supply coupled to the power supply input before the power supply is configured to detect the ramp-down.

10 . The driver circuit of claim 1 :

wherein the driver circuit is embedded in a redriver circuit.

11 . The driver circuit of claim 10 :

wherein the redriver circuit is a voltage-mode redriver circuit.

12 . The driver circuit of claim 1 :

wherein the first differential output (OP) and the second differential output (ON) are configured to be directly connected to a capacitor in-series; and

wherein the first differential input (IP) and the second differential input (IN) are configured to be directly connected to a capacitor in-series.

13 . The driver circuit of claim 1 :

wherein the third transistor (QBN) is configured to be coupled to a load through a first decoupling capacitor (Cex) that is in-series with the first load; and

wherein the fourth transistor (QBP) is configured to be coupled to the load through a second decoupling capacitor (Cex) that is also in-series with the load.

14 . A driver circuit, comprising:

a first transistor (Q TN ) coupled to a first differential input (IN) and a power supply input (VCC);

a second transistor (Q TP ) coupled to a second differential input (IP) and the power supply input;

a third transistor (Q BN ) coupled to a first differential output (ON);

a fourth transistor (Q BP ) coupled to a second differential output (OP);

a first resistance (R P1 ) coupling the first transistor (Q TN ) to the third transistor (Q BN );

a second resistance (R P2 ) coupling the second transistor (Q TP ) to the fourth transistor (QBP);

a first capacitance (C F1 ) coupling the first transistor (Q TN ) to a control line of the fourth transistor (Q BP );

a second capacitance (C F2 ) coupling the second transistor (Q TP ) to a control line of the third transistor (Q BN );

a first switched resistance coupled in parallel with the first capacitance (C F1 );

a second switched resistance coupled in parallel with the second capacitance (C F2 );

a third switched resistance coupling the control line of the third transistor (QBN) to a ground; and

a fourth switched resistance coupling the control line of the fourth transistor (QBP) to the ground.

15 . The driver circuit of claim 14 :

a controller including a first controller sub-circuit coupled to the power supply input; and

wherein the first controller sub-circuit is configured to send an enable signal (SWO_Enable (En 0 )) to the third and fourth switched resistances after a predetermined delay from when a voltage signal at the power supply input ramps-up or ramps-down.

16 . The driver circuit of claim 14 :

wherein the controller includes a second controller sub-circuit coupled to receive an enable signal (TX_En) from the controller; and

wherein the second controller sub-circuit is configured to send an enable signal (SW 1 _Enable (En 1 )) to the first and second switched resistances after a first delay (t 1 ) from when the enable signal (TX_En) transitions from a first state to a second state, and after a second delay (t 2 ) from when the enable signal (TX_En) transitions from the second state to the first state.

17 . The driver circuit of claim 16 :

wherein the second controller circuit is a one-shot circuit.

18 . A driver circuit, comprising:

a first transistor (Q TN ) coupled to a first differential input (IN) and a power supply input (VCC);

a second transistor (Q TP ) coupled to a second differential input (IP) and the power supply input;

a third transistor (Q BN ) coupled to a first differential output (ON);

a fourth transistor (Q BP ) coupled to a second differential output (OP);

a first resistance (R P1 ) coupling the first transistor (Q TN ) to the third transistor (Q BN );

a second resistance (R P2 ) coupling the second transistor (Q TP ) to the fourth transistor (QBP);

a first capacitance (C F1 ) coupling the first transistor (Q TN ) to a control line of the fourth transistor (Q BP );

a second capacitance (C F2 ) coupling the second transistor (Q TP ) to a control line of the third transistor (Q BN ); and

a controller coupled to the power supply input and configured to generate an enable signal (TX_En);

wherein the driver circuit includes a first set of differential input (IP) switches coupled to the first differential input (IN) and a second set of differential input (IN) switches coupled to the second differential input (IP); and

wherein the first and second differential input switches are configured to couple the first and second differential inputs to a first voltage if the enable signal (TX_En) is in a first state and to a second voltage if the enable signal (TX_En) is in a second state.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2023
From: DELSHADPOUR, SIAMAK; ZHANG, XU
To: NXP USA, INC.
Reel/Frame 064906/0497 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250093934A1 · Mar 20, 2025
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