MULTI-LEVEL PULSE GENERATOR CIRCUITRY

摘要

During operation, a supply voltage and the reference voltage power a novel multi-level pulse generator circuit. The multi-level pulse generator circuit generates voltage pulses of varying magnitude from a respective output port. For example, the multi-level pulse generator circuit produces respective pulses to have magnitudes that fall inside and outside of a range defined by the supply voltage and the reference voltage. Expansion of the pulse magnitudes to be outside of the range as defined by the supply voltage and the reference voltage increases noise immunity and therefore enables a respective transmitter to transmit data at higher bandwidth. The multi-level pulse generator circuit can be fabricated using a set of multiple transistors of only a single type in which each of the multiple transistors in the set has a corresponding oxide breakdown voltage that is substantially less than the respective magnitude that falls outside of the range.

主权项

1. An apparatus comprising:
a first input to receive a supply voltage; a second input to receive a reference voltage with respect to the supply voltage; an output port; and a multi-level pulse generator circuit, the multi-level pulse generator circuit powered by the supply voltage and the reference voltage, the multi-level pulse generator circuit generating voltage pulses from the output port, at least one of the generated voltage pulses having a respective magnitude of which falls outside a range defined by the supply voltage and the reference voltage.