OUTPUT DRIVER CIRCUIT WITH CURRENT DETECTION

摘要

The present invention provides an output driver circuit that can be used to determine whether a repeater buffer is the only device driving a bus low. According to the invention, the current through the output driver circuit (30) of the repeater buffer is compared with a reference current. If that current is greater than the reference current, then the output driver circuit (30) (i.e., the repeater buffer) is the only output driving the bus low. On the other hand, if that current is less than the reference current, then the output driver circuit (30) (and thus the repeater buffer) is not the only device driving the bus low. This information can be used in an I<2>C repeater to determine the proper response of the repeater and prevent a latch condition.