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. 13, 2007
Filed:
Mar. 18, 2005
Robert H. Leonowich, Fleetwood, PA (US);
Xiaohong Quan, San Diego, CA (US);
Robert H. Leonowich, Fleetwood, PA (US);
Xiaohong Quan, San Diego, CA (US);
Agere Systems Inc., Allentown, PA (US);
Abstract
A driver circuit that has a plurality of output elements that are switched on and off in staggered fashion by signals generated by first and second drive chains of a drive chain configuration. The first drive chain comprises 'N' delay elements, each of which produces a time delay equal to tsuch that the total time delay produced by the first drive chain is equal to (N×t). The second drive chain comprises N+1 delay elements, 'N' of which produce a time delay equal to tand one of which produces a time delay equal to ½(t). Therefore, the total time delay produced by the second drive chain is equal to ((N×t)+(½t)). The use of the delay element in the second drive that produces the time delay equal to ½(t) results in smooth transitions in the transition regions where the driver circuit output signal transitions from high to low and from low to high. In addition, the use of this additional delay element reduces the complexity of the driver circuit as well as the amount of power required to operate the driver circuit.