Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Po-Hsiang Lan

Cheng-Hsiang Hsieh

Wei-Li Chen

Chaitanya Palusa

Dirk Pfaff

Rob Abbott

Kuo-Ji Chen

Chia-Hui Chen

Yu-Ren Chen

Chien-Yuan Lee

Tzu-Yi Yang

Tsung-Ju Yang

A multi-tap Differential Feedforward Equalizer (DFFE) configuration with both precursor and postcursor taps is provided. The DFFE has reduced noise and/or crosstalk characteristics when compared to a Feedforward Equalizer (FFE) since DFFE uses decision outputs of slicers as inputs to a finite impulse response (FIR) unlike FFE which uses actual analog signal inputs. The digital outputs of the tentative decision slicers are multiplied with tap coefficients to reduce noise. Further, since digital outputs are used as the multiplier inputs, the multipliers effectively work as adders which are less complex to implement. The decisions at the outputs of the tentative decision slicers are tentative and are used in a FIR filter to equalize the signal; the equalized signal may be provided as input to the next stage slicers. The bit-error-rate (BER) of the final stage decisions are lower or better than the BER of the previous stage tentative decisions.

Multi-tap decision feed-forward equalizer with precursor and postcursor taps

Circuits and methods for performing a clock and data recovery are disclosed. In one example, a circuit is disclosed. The circuit includes an FSM. The FSM includes: a first accumulator, a second accumulator, and a third accumulator. The first accumulator is configured to receive an input phase code representing a phase timing difference between a data signal and a clock signal at each FSM cycle, to accumulate input phase codes for different FSM cycles, and to generate a first order phase code at each FSM cycle. The second accumulator is coupled to the first accumulator and configured to accumulate the input phase codes and first order phase codes for different FSM cycles, and to generate a second order phase code at each FSM cycle. The third accumulator is coupled to the second accumulator and configured to accumulate the input phase codes and second order phase codes for different FSM cycles, and to generate a third order phase code at each FSM cycle.

Clock and data recovery circuit

Circuits and methods for performing a clock and data recovery are disclosed. In one example, a clock and data recovery circuit is disclosed. The circuit includes a third order digital filter, e.g. a finite state machine (FSM) that includes three accumulators connected in series. Among the three accumulators, a first accumulator receives an input phase code representing a phase timing difference between a data signal and a clock signal at each FSM cycle and accumulates input phase codes for different FSM cycles to generate a first order phase code at each FSM cycle; a second accumulator accumulates the input phase codes and first order phase codes for different FSM cycles to generate a second order phase code at each FSM cycle; and a third accumulator accumulates the input phase codes and second order phase codes for different FSM cycles to generate a third order phase code at each FSM cycle.

A low dropout regulator and system for supplying power to a card are provided. A low dropout regulator includes a reference voltage supply circuit configured to output a reference voltage based on an input supply voltage. An error amplifier has a first input, a second input, and a single-ended output. The first input is coupled to the reference voltage, and the second input is coupled to an output node of the low dropout regulator via a first feedback resistor. A pass transistor includes a control electrode connected to the single-ended output of the error amplifier, a first electrode connected to a ground node, and a second electrode connected to the output node of the low dropout regulator. A first power supply terminal of the error amplifier is connected to the output node, and the output node provides an output voltage of the low dropout regulator that powers the error amplifier.

Low dropout regulator

A device includes a first power transistor, a second power transistor electrically connected in series with the first power transistor, a first electrostatic discharge (ESD) detection circuit, and a first control circuit electrically connected to the first ESD detection circuit and the first power transistor.

Electrostatic discharge protection circuit and related method

A level shifter system includes an inverting portion, a non-inverting portion and a cross latch output component. The inverting portion is configured to receive an inverting input, a supply voltage and to generate an intermediary inverting output. The non-inverting portion is configured to receive a non-inverting input, the supply voltage and to generate an intermediary non-inverting output. The cross latch output component is configured to drive the intermediary inverting and non-inverting outputs to inverting and non-inverting outputs, respectively. The inverting and non-inverting outputs are at selected upper and lower levels according to the inverting input and non-inverting inputs, respectively.

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Taipei, Taiwan

Po-Hsiang Lan