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. 12, 1999
Filed:
Sep. 29, 1997
Wayne E Werner, Coopersburg, PA (US);
Thaddeus John Gabara, Murray Hill, NJ (US);
Bijit Thakorbhai Patel, Breinigsville, PA (US);
Lucent Technologies Inc., Murray Hill, NJ (US);
Abstract
A current output circuit comprises a current driver that is switchably connected across two output nodes by a switching assembly and having a switchable shunt resistor connected across the current driver. The switchable shunt resistor may be switched between a non-conducting state and a resistive conducting state. In a first data state, the current driver is connected to the output nodes by the switching assembly and the switchable shunt resistor is non-conducting so that the supplied current will flow through a load attached to the output nodes. In a second data state, the current driver is disconnected from the output nodes and the switchable shunt resistor is in a resistive conducting state. In this state the current bypasses the load and is diverted through the switchable shunt resistor. Several current drivers with appropriate switching arrangements and one or more switchable shunt resistors may be provided to allow for asymmetric current outputs in various data states.