Miscellaneous active electrical nonlinear devices – circuits – and – Signal converting – shaping – or generating – Amplitude control
Reexamination Certificate
2007-03-27
2007-03-27
Wells, Kenneth B. (Department: 2816)
Miscellaneous active electrical nonlinear devices, circuits, and
Signal converting, shaping, or generating
Amplitude control
C327S540000
Reexamination Certificate
active
11018163
ABSTRACT:
Described are controllable termination impedances that may be adjusted collectively by a combination of digital and analog signals. Each adjustable impedance, responsive to the digital signals, establishes a gross termination resistance for one of a plurality of communication channels by enabling one or more of a plurality of parallel-coupled impedance legs. Each leg includes at least one transistor for controlling the impedance of the leg over a continuous range. An analog compensation voltage is level shifted and the resulting level-shifted signal is applied to the control terminals of the transistors of the selected impedance legs. The compensation voltage, and consequently the level-shifted signal, varies with supply-voltage and temperature fluctuations in a manner that causes the collective impedance of the selected legs for each channel to remain stable despite the fluctuations. The combination of digital and analog impedance control provides for coarse impedance adjustments, such as to compensate for process variations, and additionally provides fine, adaptive adjustments to maintain the selected impedance despite changes in the supply voltage and temperature.
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Behiel Arthur J.
Rambus Inc.
Silicon Edge Law Group LLP
Wells Kenneth B.
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