BUS FAILURE DETECTION TRANSCEIVER ARCHITECTURE AND TRANSCEIVER OPERATION METHOD

摘要

This application relates to a method of operating a transceiver for imparting a voltage signal on a differential signaling bus, wherein the transceiver comprises an output terminal and a string of one or more transistors connected between the output terminal and a predetermined voltage level, and wherein the transceiver can be switched between an active state in which the predetermined voltage level is applied to the output terminal, and an inactive state in which the predetermined voltage level is not applied to the output terminal. The method comprises a detection step of detecting a first quantity depending on a current flowing through a first transistor in the string of transistors, a failure determination step of determining whether the detected first quantity satisfies one or more error conditions, and a control step of switching the transceiver to the inactive state if the detected first quantity is determined to satisfy at least one of the one or more error conditions. The application further relates to a transceiver for imparting a voltage signal on a differential signaling bus.