Fast response high-speed redriver channel power up in CIO mode

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10691150-B1
Application number	US-201916396452-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Apr 26, 2019
Priority date	Apr 26, 2019
Publication date	Jun 23, 2020
Grant date	Jun 23, 2020

Abstract

A redriver powers up a high-speed channel within a time window sufficient to satisfy the requirements of a CIO mode of operation. The redriver includes a signal detector for a channel and control logic to activate the channel within a time window that satisfies operation in a CIO mode. The control logic may activate the channel by controlling a first bias current for a first circuit of the channel based on a signal detected by the signal detector. The first bias current may be greater than a second bias current for the first circuit during a mode different from the CIO mode. These features may form any linear or limiting redriver for a faster power-up time.

First claim

We claim:

1. A redriver, comprising:
a signal detector for a channel; and
control logic having a fast activation mode configured to activate the channel within a first time window, and a slow activation mode configured to activate the channel within a second time window that is longer than the first time window;
wherein in the fast activation mode the control logic is configured to activate the channel by sending a first bias current to a first circuit of the channel in response to a signal detected by the signal detector,
wherein in the slow activation mode the control logic is configured to activate the channel by sending a second bias current to the first circuit of the channel in response to the signal detected by the signal detector;
wherein the first bias current is greater than the second bias current;
wherein the control logic is configured to:
disable application of the first bias current to the first circuit after the first time window; and
control application of the second bias current to the first circuit after the first time window.

2. The redriver of claim 1 , wherein
the signal includes a plurality of low frequency periodic signaling (LFPS) pulses, and
the time window for activation of the channel is equal to or less than a duration of N output LFPS pulses.

3. The redriver of claim 2 , wherein N≤3.

4. The redriver of claim 1 , wherein
the control logic includes the signal detector, and
the signal detector is configured to output a signal to control application of the first bias current independent from a controller that controls the second bias current to the first circuit.

5. The redriver of claim 1 ,
wherein the control logic is configured to output a signal to enable at least one second circuit of the channel within the first time window.

6. The redriver of claim 5 ,
wherein the at least one second circuit is selected from a group consisting of a receiver circuit, an equalizer circuit, and a pre-driver circuit.

7. The redriver of claim 5 , wherein
the control logic includes the signal detector, and
the signal detector is configured to output the signal to enable the at least one second circuit of the channel independent from a controller configured to enable the at least one second circuit.

8. The redriver of claim 1 , wherein the first circuit includes a transmitter driver circuit.

9. The redriver of claim 1 , wherein the channel is a high-speed channel that conforms to USB-C protocol.

10. A method for controlling a redriver, comprising:
detecting a signal on a channel of the redriver; and
activating the channel within a first time window using a fast activation mode;
activating the channel within a second time window, that is longer than the first time window, using a slow activation mode;
wherein activating the channel using the fast activation mode includes sending a first bias current to a first circuit of the channel in response to the detected signal,
wherein activating the channel using the slow activation mode includes sending a second bias current to the first circuit of the channel in response to the detected signal; and
wherein the first bias current is greater than the second bias current;
disabling application of the first bias current to the first circuit after the first time window; and
controlling application of the second bias current to the first circuit after the first time window.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein
the signal includes a plurality of low frequency periodic signaling (LFPS) pulses, and
the time window for activation of the channel is equal to or less than a duration of N output LFPS pulses.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein N≤3.

13. The method of claim 10 ,
wherein controlling the first bias current includes controlling application of the first bias current independent from a controller that controls the second bias current to the first circuit.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
enabling at least one second circuit of the channel within the first time window.

15. The method of claim 14 ,
wherein the at least one second circuit is selected from a group consisting of a receiver circuit, an equalizer circuit, and a pre-driver circuit.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein:
enabling the at least one second circuit of the channel independent from a controller configured to enable the at least one second circuit.

17. The method of claim 10 ,
wherein the first circuit includes a transmitter driver circuit.

18. The method of claim 10 ,
wherein the channel is a high-speed channel that conforms to USB-C protocol.

19. A redriver, comprising:
a signal detector for a channel; and
control logic having a fast activation mode configured to activate the channel within a first time window, and a slow activation mode configured to activate the channel within a second time window that is longer than the first time window;
wherein in the fast activation mode the control logic is configured to activate the channel by sending a first bias current to a first circuit of the channel in response to a signal detected by the signal detector,
wherein in the slow activation mode the control logic is configured to activate the channel by sending a second bias current to the first circuit of the channel in response to the signal detected by the signal detector;
wherein the first bias current is greater than the second bias current;
wherein the control logic includes the signal detector; and
wherein the signal detector is configured to output a signal to control application of the first bias current independent from a controller that controls the second bias current to the first circuit.

Assignees

• Nxp Bv

Inventors

• Delshadpour Siamak
• Jung Soon-Gil

Classifications

• H04L25/20

  Repeater circuits; Relay circuits · CPC title

• H04B3/36

  Repeater circuits (H04B3/58 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H03K19/08

  using semiconductor devices (H03K19/173 takes precedence; wherein the semiconductor devices are only diode rectifiers H03K19/12) · CPC title

• G05F1/56 Primary

  using semiconductor devices in series with the load as final control devices (G05F1/461 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H03K19/017581 Primary

  programmable · CPC title