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:
Feb. 28, 2006
Filed:
Apr. 30, 2004
David Lawrence Linam, Ft. Collins, CO (US);
David Lawrence Linam, Ft. Collins, CO (US);
Agilent Technologies, Inc., Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
A novel output driver for an integrated circuit, and method for controlling the slew rate of output signals driven by the output driver, is presented. The output driver employs a delayed activation of a succession of weak impedance zip legs followed by a preferably delayed activation of a succession of strong impedance drive legs. During a transition of an output signal on an output node of the driver from a first drive state to a second drive state, each zip leg, in its turn, turns off driving the output node to the first drive state and then turns on driving the output node to the second drive state. Once all zip legs have been activated, the activation of the succession of strong drive legs supplements the combined current provided by the zip legs to provide the full required drive current of the driver driving the output node to the second drive state.