The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 06, 1998
Filed:
Apr. 24, 1996
James R Kuo, Cupertino, CA (US);
National Semiconductor Corporation, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A driver for providing binary signals from a data system to a transmission line includes a data input node and an output transistor coupled between a data output node and ground. The output transistor has a gate, a source and a corresponding gate-source voltage therebetween. A first transistor is coupled to the gate of the output transistor and is responsive to signals applied to the input node. It conducts a discharge current from the gate of the output transistor for discharging the gate of the output transistor to reduce its gate-source voltage. A clamping circuit clamps the gate-source voltage of the output transistor to a first voltage level above ground to prevent the discharge current from reducing the, gate-source voltage of the output transistor to ground. In another embodiment, a supply voltage dependent current source adjusts a gate voltage of a second transistor in response to an increase in the supply voltage so that an initial charging current is maintained at a relatively constant level in response to increases in the supply voltage. A method of reducing a turn-on delay of an output transistor of a transmission line driver is also disclosed.