Pulse or digital communications – Cable systems and components
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-26
2004-03-30
Ghayour, Mohammad H. (Department: 2631)
Pulse or digital communications
Cable systems and components
C375S316000, C375S219000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06714595
ABSTRACT:
RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 98-45734, filed Oct. 29, 1998, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to signal transmission in general, and more particularly, to signal transmission between integrated circuit devices.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many techniques have been developed to reduce the amount of noise introduced into data transmitted between integrated circuit (IC) devices. Two such data transmission techniques include single-ended interfaces and differential interfaces.
Referring to
FIG. 1
, a conventional single-ended interface can include integrated circuit devices
101
and
121
and a transmission line
111
therebetween. The integrated circuit device
101
includes a driver
103
and a pad
105
, and the integrated circuit device
121
includes a receiver
123
and a pad
125
. The transmission line
111
is connected between the pads
105
and
125
. The driver
103
compares input data S
1
to a reference voltage Vref, generates a high or low level signal, and transmits the signal on the transmission line
111
. The signal is transferred to the receiver
123
via the transmission line
111
. The receiver
123
compares the signal transferred via the transmission line
111
to the reference voltage Vref, and produces the data S
1
. Unfortunately, the integrity of data transferred using single-ended interfaces may be adversely affected by the presence of common mode noise, such as echo or ground bounce.
Referring to
FIG. 2
, a differential interface can include integrated circuit devices
201
and
221
and transmission lines
211
and
213
therebetween. The integrated circuit device
201
includes drivers
203
and
205
and pads
207
and
209
. The integrated circuit device
221
includes a receiver
223
and pads
225
and
227
. The transmission lines
211
and
213
electrically couple the pad
207
to the pad
225
and the pad
209
to the pad
227
respectively. The driver
203
amplifies input data S
1
and transmits the input data on the transmission line
211
, and the driver
205
amplifies an inverted signal S
1
B of the input data S
1
and transmits the inverted signal on the transmission line
213
. The data S
1
and S
1
B are input to the receiver
223
via the transmission lines
211
and
213
, respectively. The receiver
223
compares the signals S
1
and S
1
B transmitted via the transmission lines
211
and
213
, and produces the data S
1
. Unfortunately, the data integrity of a signal transmitted using a differential method may be adversely affected by common mode noise. In addition, the use of a differential interface may complicate the structure of the interface, thereby possibly increasing the cost of manufacturing the interface.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to allow improvement in the transmission of signals between integrated circuit devices.
It is another object of the present invention to allow improved noise immunity for signals transmitted between integrated circuit devices.
It is another object of the present invention to allow reductions in cost of interfaces used to transmit signals between integrated circuits.
These, and other objects may be provided by a transmission circuit that includes a first driver circuit that generates a first transmit signal in response to first and second input signals, the first transmit signal being transmitted from the integrated circuit device. A second driver circuit generates a second transmit signal in response to the first transmit signal and a third input signal, the second transmit signal being transmitted from the integrated circuit device. Accordingly, the likelihood of data loss can be reduced despite the presence of common mode noise. The use of one transmission line per receiver may also simplify the structure of an embodiment according to the present invention.
In a further aspect of the present invention, a first pad is electrically coupled to the first driver circuit and a second pad is electrically coupled to the second driver circuit.
In another aspect of the present invention, a pad is electrically coupled to the first input signal, wherein the first input signal is transmitted from the integrated circuit device.
In still another aspect of the present invention, a first detector circuit is electrically coupled to the first and second input signals and detects when the first and second input signals are a high logic level. A second detector circuit is electrically coupled to the first and second input signals and detects when the first and second input signals are a low logic level. A transmit signal generator is electrically coupled to the first and second detectors and generates the first transmit signal at a first voltage level when at least one of the first and second detector circuits detects that the first and second input signals are both a high logic level and that generates the first transmit signal at a second voltage level when at least one of the first and second detector circuits detects that the first and second input signals are both a low logic level.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3755738 (1973-08-01), Gitlin et al.
patent: 3906347 (1975-09-01), Motley et al.
patent: 5808483 (1998-09-01), Sako
Preliminary Notice of Rejection of the IPO (2 pages) (Taiwanese Patent Office); w/English Translation (3 pages); Jul. 3, 2003.
Hayes, John P.;Computer Architecture and Organization; 1978; pp. 148-151.
Nam Ga-pyo
So Byung-se
Ghayour Mohammad H.
Kumar Pankaj
Myers Bigel Sibley & Sajovec P.A.
Samsung Electronics Co,. Ltd.
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