National Semiconductor Corporation

Peter Shing

Xin Yu Liu

Qingping Zheng

Min Du

A driver arrangement for a display includes at least one driver, such as a column driver, and a delay line arrangement coupled to the driver. The delay line arrangement delays a data signal provided to the driver by a delay period selectable from a plurality of possible delay periods. The delay line arrangement includes a calibration module that, when requested, is configured and arranged to adjust a current delay period produced by the delay line arrangement towards a predetermined delay period. Displays can include the driver arrangement to provide self-calibration of the delay line.

Methods and displays having a self-calibrating delay line

A circuit for pre-emphasis in data serialization. The circuit has a signal delayline to incrementally delay a serialized signal, producing a delayed serialized signal. The circuit has a one bit generator circuit, which determines the interval between receipt of one bit and a second bit. The one bit generator circuit has a strobe delayline to incrementally delay a strobe signal, producing a delayed strobe signal, a logical gate to compare the delayed strobe signal with a second strobe signal, and a logical component to determine how long the delayed strobe signal was delayed before it matched the second strobe signal. The circuit also has a comparison gate to detect transition points in the serialized signal by comparing the delayed serialized signal with the serialized signal. The circuit also has a current source to provide increased current for the serialized signal at the detected transition points.

Circuit and method for pre-emphasis in data serialization

A low voltage differential swing circuit includes a clamping circuit to prevent the output high voltage from exceeding a reference voltage. The low voltage differential swing circuit also includes a current source coupled to a control node and a current steering circuit coupled between the control node and first and second output nodes. The current source provides a constant drive current, and in response to first and second input signals, the current steering circuit generates first and second drive currents, wherein the first and second drive currents together form at the first and second output nodes a differential output signal. The clamping circuit comprises a operational amplifier and a shunting circuit. The operational amplifier senses the difference between a reference voltage and a voltage level at the control node, which voltage level varies in relation to the voltage level of the differential output signal. When the voltage level at the control node transcends the reference voltage value, the excess drive current, or overload current, is shunted away from the first and second output nodes by the shunting circuit. Thus, the overload current is prevented from reaching the first and second output nodes.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Peter Shing