Abstract: A communication apparatus and an associated estimation method are provided. The communication apparatus is electrically connected to a loading terminal and operates at a common bias voltage. The communication apparatus includes a transmitter, a connector, and a receiver. The connector includes a bridging circuit and a measurement circuit. The bridging circuit has a positive measurement end and a negative measurement end. The transmitter transmits an analog output signal. The receiver receives a common bias voltage during an estimation process. During the estimation process, the measurement circuit estimates a positive loading resistance and a negative loading resistance corresponding to the loading terminal according to a voltage difference between the common bias voltage and voltage at one of the positive measurement end and the negative measurement end.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a temperature insensitive testing device comprising: a transmission-end test sequence generating circuit to generate a test sequence; a transmission circuit to process the test sequence according to a transmission clock and thereby generate a test signal; a reception circuit to process an echo of the test signal and generate a digital echo signal; a correlation-value generating circuit to generate correlation values including a maximum correlation value according to the test sequence and the digital echo signal; and a decision circuit to determine whether a relation between the maximum correlation value and at least one threshold satisfies a predetermined condition and thereby generate a decision result, wherein the frequency of the transmission clock is lower than a predetermined frequency which confines the variation of the maximum correlation value to a predetermined range provided that the temperature variation of the transmission cable is within a temperature variation ran

Abstract: A method for controlling amplification factor of a receiver device includes: detecting a first variation of an equivalent length of a cable, detecting a second variation of amplification factor of a digital automatic gain controller (DAGC), determining a first update value of amplification factor of an analog automatic gain controller (AAGC) according to the first variation and the second variation, calculating a tuning ratio of the first update value to a current value of the amplification factor of the AAGC, calculating a second update value of the amplification factor of the DAGC according to the tuning ratio, updating a set value of the amplification factor of the AAGC according to the first update value, and updating a set value of the amplification factor of the DAGC according to the second update value.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a current balancing device and method capable of balancing an output current and an input current of a current loop. Said device comprises: a transmission circuit for outputting an output current and receiving an input current; at least one adjustable resistor set in the current loop for providing resistance according to at least one adjustment signal; and a current balancing circuit, coupled to the transmission circuit and the adjustable resistor, for determining whether the difference between the output and input currents satisfies a predetermined requirement in light of a predetermined duration and thereby generating the adjustment signal, wherein if the difference between the output and input currents fails to satisfy the predetermined requirement, the current balancing circuit will adjust the resistance of the adjustable resistor through the adjustment signal, so as to reduce the difference between the output and input currents.

Abstract: This disclosure provides a network apparatus with communication ports, each connected to multiple channels, assigned a seed for eliminating the interference among the communication ports, and operable in a master or slave mode, each channel having a communication unit which comprises: an echo canceller, a near-end crosstalk (NEXT) canceller, a decision feedback equalizer, and a control unit configured for controlling the communication ports if the echo canceller and the decision feedback equalizer keep updating their filter coefficients according to the same symbol during a first pre-determined time-interval; wherein when more than two of the communication ports operate in the master mode, the control unit assigns different seeds to the more than two communication ports; and wherein when successive two of the communication ports operate in the slave mode, the control unit stops either the echo canceller or the NEXT canceller from updating their filter coefficients during a second pre-determined time-interval.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a signal level decision device to determine the level of a source signal. Said source signal comprises a plurality of source messages along a time axis; each source message corresponds to one of a plurality of normal levels; and each normal level is equivalent to at least one of a plurality of extension levels. The signal decision device comprises: a storage circuit to store the level information of the normal level(s) and the equivalent extension level(s) thereof in connection with some or all of the source messages; a transition parameter calculation circuit to calculate a plurality of transition parameters of the normal level and its equivalent extension level(s) in connection with each of the source messages according to the level information; and a decision circuit to determine the level of each of the source messages according to the plurality of transition parameters.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a signal transmission device performing compensation by filtering characteristics for generating a transmission signal according to a pulse amplitude modulation signal. The signal transmission device comprises: a filtering characteristic compensation circuit for generating a compensation signal according to the pulse amplitude modulation signal and a filtering function; a filter coupled to the filtering characteristic compensation circuit for generating a filtered signal through filtering the compensation signal according to the aforementioned filtering function; and an analog front-end circuit for generating the transmission signal according to the filtered signal.

Abstract: A method for estimating cable length in an Ethernet system and a receiver thereof are applicable to an Ethernet system. The method for estimating cable length includes obtaining a channel tap from channel information of a feedback equalizer in the Ethernet system and estimating a cable length according to the channel tap, a first coefficient and a constant.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a signal level decision device to determine the level of a source signal. Said source signal comprises a plurality of source messages along a time axis; each source message corresponds to one of a plurality of normal levels; and each normal level is equivalent to at least one of a plurality of extension levels. The signal decision device comprises: a storage circuit to store the level information of the normal level(s) and the equivalent extension level(s) thereof in connection with some or all of the source messages; a transition parameter calculation circuit to calculate a plurality of transition parameters of the normal level and its equivalent extension level(s) in connection with each of the source messages according to the level information; and a decision circuit to determine the level of each of the source messages according to the plurality of transition parameters.

Abstract: A master-slave detection method includes: every single time period, utilizing a random manner for determining whether a first device is used to transmit a specific pulse signal to a second device; every single time period, utilizing a random manner for determining whether the second device is used to transmit the specific pulse signal to the first device; when the first device receives at least one portion of the specific pulse signal earlier than the second device, setting the first device as a master device, stopping the master device from sending the specific pulse signal and utilizing the master device to start transmitting a specific sequence; and setting the second device as a slave device when the second device receives the specific sequence. The at least one portion of the specific pulse signal includes continuous single pulses.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a signal transmission device performing compensation by filtering characteristics for generating a transmission signal according to a pulse amplitude modulation signal. The signal transmission device comprises: a filtering characteristic compensation circuit for generating a compensation signal according to the pulse amplitude modulation signal and a filtering function; a filter coupled to the filtering characteristic compensation circuit for generating a filtered signal through filtering the compensation signal according to the aforementioned filtering function; and an analog front-end circuit for generating the transmission signal according to the filtered signal.

Abstract: A communication apparatus and an associated estimation method are provided. The communication apparatus is electrically connected to a loading terminal and operates at a common bias voltage. The communication apparatus includes a transmitter, a connector, and a receiver. The connector includes a bridging circuit and a measurement circuit. The bridging circuit has a positive measurement end and a negative measurement end. The transmitter transmits an analog output signal. The receiver receives a common bias voltage during an estimation process. During the estimation process, the measurement circuit estimates a positive loading resistance and a negative loading resistance corresponding to the loading terminal according to a voltage difference between the common bias voltage and voltage at one of the positive measurement end and the negative measurement end.