Abstract: With some transmitter embodiments disclosed herein, static power consumption in low power modes may be reduced without excessively increasing latency.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a circuit is provided with a transmitter to generate switching noise during clock events when no transition occurs to reduce data dependent switching noise.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a swing compensation scheme for compensating errors in a transmitter driver.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention includes a receiver having a delay lock loop (DLL) to receive a clock signal and to generate a plurality of clock phases therefrom, and an offset controller including a first register set for a first phase interpolator and a second register set for a second phase interpolator. At initiation of a track pre-tune process, both phase interpolators are controlled to generate sampling signals at a common clock phase. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus relating to dual barrel receiver equalization architectures are described. In an embodiment, a receiver logic may include an amplifier and two comparators to equalize frequency components of a received signal. The receiver logic may further include offset adjustment (or cancelation) logic to generate an offset adjustment (or cancelation) signal coupled to the amplifier. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: disclosed herein are embodiments of a swing compensation scheme for compensating errors in a transmitter driver.

Abstract: disclosed herein are embodiments of a swing compensation scheme for compensating errors in a transmitter driver.

Abstract: One disclosed method is to automate testing for transmission path impedance conditions on a circuit board. The method can include transmitting a plurality of electrical pulses on a transmission path utilizing an on-board transmitter, the electrical pulses can have a time period and the transmission path can have impedance mismatches to reflect energy of the electrical pulse back towards the on-board transmitter. After the pulse is transmitted, a voltage of the reflected energy can be compared with a reference voltage at different time intervals. A single bit can be acquired for each voltage/time sample and the bits can be sequentially stored in a shift register. The digital data that is stored in the shift register can be compared to existing data in memory to determine a quality of the transmission path of the printed circuit board.

Abstract: Embodiments include systems and methods for measurement of signal propagation delay between Input/Output (IO) Loopback (IOLB) circuits. Embodiments include measurement of an output delay time of a first IOLB circuit and measurement of an input delay time of a second IOLB circuit. Embodiments also include measurement of a total delay time from an internal point of the first IOLB circuit to an internal point of the second IOLB circuit. Embodiments subtract from the measured total delay time, the measured output delay time of the first IOLB circuit and the measured input delay time of the second IOLB circuit to determine the time of flight of a signal between the I/O pads of the two IOLB circuits.

Abstract: A system may include detection of a logical mode of a link port, and changing of a link supply power provided to the link port based on the detected logical mode. Detection of the logical mode may include a determination of whether the link port is terminated by a partner link port. If the link port is not terminated, the link supply power may be reduced to a value that does not preserve logic states of a plurality of link port elements, and, if the link port is terminated, the link supply power may be maintained substantially at Vcc.

Abstract: Embodiments include systems and methods for measurement of signal propagation delay between Input/Output (IO) Loopback (IOLB) circuits. Embodiments include measurement of an output delay time of a first IOLB circuit and measurement of an input delay time of a second IOLB circuit. Embodiments also include measurement of a total delay time from an internal point of the first IOLB circuit to an internal point of the second IOLB circuit. Embodiments subtract from the measured total delay time, the measured output delay time of the first IOLB circuit and the measured input delay time of the second IOLB circuit to determine the time of flight of a signal between the I/O pads of the two IOLB circuits.

Abstract: For one disclosed embodiment, a driver may generate an output signal on a line. A predriver may receive an input signal and control the driver in response to the input signal to help improve symmetry of rise and fall transitions in the output signal. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: In general, in one aspect, the disclosure describes an apparatus for calibrating signals. The apparatus includes a unity gain detector to traverse a gain curve of an output buffer circuit to determine unity gain voltages associated with unity gain crossover points on an input voltage ramp. The apparatus further includes a pre-boost circuit to apply the unity gain voltages to at least one input/output buffer within the output buffer circuit.

Abstract: With some transmitter embodiments disclosed herein, static power consumption in low power modes may be reduced without excessively increasing latency.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus to provide time-based edge-rate compensation have been disclosed. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a reference pad, a reference circuit coupled to the reference pad, the reference circuit being operable to charge and to discharge a reference voltage at the reference pad, and an edge-rate detection and measurement circuit coupled to the reference pad to detect and to measure an edge-rate of the reference voltage at the reference pad. Other embodiments have been claimed and described.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus to provide time-based edge-rate compensation have been disclosed. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a reference pad, a reference circuit coupled to the reference pad, the reference circuit being operable to charge and to discharge a reference voltage at the reference pad, and an edge-rate detection and measurement circuit coupled to the reference pad to detect and to measure an edge-rate of the reference voltage at the reference pad. Other embodiments have been claimed and described.

Abstract: A driver of a first component and a receiver of a second component of a system are equipped to operate at least one of the driver and the receiver in a low power consumption state, during at least a portion of a quiescent state, when transmitting data from the first to the second component differentially, via a link interface with two lines, coupling the components. The driver and the receiver include respective monitor circuits to detect for the quiescent state, with the driver's monitor circuit monitoring for constancy over a predetermined period, and the receiver's monitor circuit monitoring for zero states on both lines. Further, in one embodiment, the driver's monitor circuit places the driver in the low power consumption state by grounding the two lines.

Abstract: In general, in one aspect, the disclosure describes an apparatus for calibrating signals. The apparatus includes a unity gain detector to traverse a gain curve of an output buffer circuit to determine unity gain voltages associated with unity gain crossover points on an input voltage ramp. The apparatus further includes a pre-boost circuit to apply the unity gain voltages to at least one input/output buffer within the output buffer circuit.

Abstract: Arrangements (circuits, methods, systems) having self-measurement of input/output (I/O) specifications (e.g., input trip-point, output drive-level and pin leakage).

Abstract: An apparatus accurately measures the time difference between two signal edges by optically detecting the emission from a “beacon device” that is modulated as a function of time difference. Through the use of this modulation it is possible to perform timing measurement accurately. Embodiments of a voltage modulator circuit modulate timing information into emission intensity. The method and system of the present invention can be used in applications such as clock skew and pulse width measurements.