Transmission device and communication system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019123724-A1
Application number	US-201716094359-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 18, 2017
Priority date	May 31, 2016
Publication date	Apr 25, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided is a transmission device including: a first transmitter that has a plurality of drivers that each enable transmission of a signal using a plurality of voltages including a first voltage, a second voltage, and a third voltage between the first voltage and the second voltage, and that transmits a sequence of symbols; a second transmitter that has a plurality of drivers that each enable transmission of a signal using the plurality of voltages, and that transmits a sequence of symbols; and a voltage generator that generates the third voltage. Each of the drivers of the first transmitter and the drivers of the second transmitter has a switch that transmits the third voltage generated by the voltage generator to an output terminal of the driver through turn-on operation of the switch.

First claim

1 . A transmission device comprising:
a first transmitter including a first plurality of drivers that are configured to transmit a first sequence of symbols, each symbol of the first sequence of symbols using a first voltage having a first voltage level, a second voltage having a second voltage level, and a third voltage having a third voltage level, the first voltage level being between the second voltage level and the third voltage level; a second transmitter including a second plurality of drivers that are configured to transmit a second sequence of symbols, each symbol of the second sequence of symbols using a fourth voltage having a fourth voltage level, a fifth voltage having a fifth voltage level, and a sixth voltage having a sixth voltage level, the fourth voltage level being between the fifth voltage level and the sixth voltage level; and a common voltage generator electrically connected to the first plurality of drivers and the second plurality of drivers, the common voltage generator configured to generate and provide the first voltage to the first plurality of drivers and the fourth voltage to the second plurality of drivers, wherein each of the first plurality of drivers includes a switch that is configured transmit the first voltage that has been provided by the common voltage generator to an output terminal of the each of the first plurality of drivers, and each of the second plurality of drivers includes a switch that is configured transmit the fourth voltage that has been provided by the common voltage generator to an output terminal of the each of the second plurality of drivers, the first voltage and the fourth voltage are substantially similar and share a common node.

2 . The transmission device according to claim 1 , wherein
the first plurality of drivers of the first transmitter include a first driver, a second driver, and a third driver, and the first driver, the second driver, and the third driver are configured to perform a first operation of setting a first set of voltages at output terminals of the first plurality of drivers, each of the first set of voltages being different from each other, and the first set of voltages including the first voltage, the second voltage, and the third voltage.

3 . The transmission device according to claim 2 , wherein
the transmission device has a first operation mode and a second operation mode, and the first driver, the second driver, and the third driver are configured to perform the first operation in the first operation mode.

4 . The transmission device according to claim 3 , wherein
the first driver and the second driver are configured to perform a second operation of setting a second set of voltages at the output terminals, each of the second set of voltages being different from each other, and the second set of voltages including the second voltage and the third voltage.

5 . The transmission device according to claim 4 , wherein
the second plurality of drivers of the second transmitter include a fourth driver, a fifth driver, and a sixth driver, the fourth driver, the fifth driver, and the sixth driver are configured to perform the first operation in the first operation mode, the third driver and the fourth driver are configured to perform the second operation in the second operation mode, and the fifth driver and the sixth driver are configured to perform the second operation in the second operation mode.

6 . The transmission device according to claim 1 , wherein the common voltage generator has an output impedance corresponding to a line impedance of a transmission line coupled to the transmission device.

7 . The transmission device according to claim 1 , wherein
the each of the first plurality of drivers of the first transmitter and the each of the second plurality of drivers of the second transmitter has a resistor, and the each of the first plurality of drivers is configured to turn-on the switch to transmit the first voltage to the output terminal via the resistor, and the each of the second plurality of drivers is configured to turn-on the switch to transmit the fourth voltage to the output terminal via the resistor.

8 . The transmission device according to claim 7 , wherein the resistor has a resistance corresponding to a line impedance of a transmission line coupled to the transmission device.

9 . The transmission device according to claim 1 , wherein the common voltage generator has a plurality of resistors that are provided on a path between a first power source corresponding to the second voltage and a second power source corresponding to the fifth voltage.

10 . The transmission device according to claim 1 , wherein the common voltage generator has a regulator that regulates the first voltage and the fourth voltage.

11 . The transmission device according to claim 1 , wherein the second voltage level is substantially similar to the fifth voltage level.

12 . A method comprising:
generating, with a common voltage generator of a transmission device, a first voltage and a fourth voltage, the first voltage and the fourth voltage being substantially similar and sharing a common node; providing, with the common voltage generator, the first voltage to a first plurality of drivers of the transmission device and the fourth voltage to a second plurality of drivers of the transmission device; transmitting, with the first plurality of drivers, a first sequence of symbols, each symbol of the first sequence of symbols using a second voltage having a second voltage level, a third voltage having a third voltage level, and the first voltage having a first voltage level that is between the second voltage level and the third voltage level; and transmitting, with the second plurality of drivers, a second sequence of symbols, each symbol of the second sequence of symbols using a fifth voltage having a fifth voltage level, a sixth voltage having a sixth voltage level, and the fourth voltage having a fourth voltage level that is between the fifth voltage level and the sixth voltage level.

13 . A communication system comprising:
a transmission device including a first transmitter including a first plurality of drivers that are configured to transmit a first sequence of symbols, each symbol of the first sequence of symbols using a first voltage having a first voltage level, a second voltage having a second voltage level, and a third voltage having a third voltage level, the first voltage level being between the second voltage level and the third voltage level; a second transmitter including a second plurality of drivers that are configured to transmit a second sequence of symbols, each symbol of the second sequence of symbols using a fourth voltage having a fourth voltage level, a fifth voltage having a fifth voltage level, and a sixth voltage having a sixth voltage level, the fourth voltage level being between the fifth voltage level and the sixth voltage level; and a common voltage generator electrically connected to the first plurality of drivers and the second plurality of drivers, the common voltage generator configured to generate and provide the first voltage to the first plurality of drivers and the fourth voltage to the second plurality of drivers, wherein each of the first plurality of drivers includes a switch that is configured transmit the first voltage that has been provided by the common voltage generator to an output terminal of the each of the first plurality of drivers, and each of the second plurality of drivers includes a switch that is configured transmit the fourth voltage that has been provided by the common voltage generator to an output te

Assignees

• Sony Corp

Inventors

• Hayashi Hiroaki
• Namise Tornohiro

Classifications

• H04B2001/0416

  having gain or transmission power control · CPC title

• H03K3/012 Primary

  Modifications of generator to improve response time or to decrease power consumption · CPC title

• H04B1/16

  Circuits · CPC title

• H04B1/04

  Circuits · CPC title

• H04L25/0278 Primary

  Arrangements for impedance matching · CPC title