OUTPUT DRIVER WITH SLEW RATE CONTROL
A circuit and method for controlling a slew rate of an output buffer. A pre-driver is provided that drives an input of an output pad driver of the output buffer. An output slew rate of the pre-driver is electronically selected among at least two electronically selectable slew rates. An output amplitude of the pre-driver is controlled such that the output amplitude is not greater than an amplitude that is generally minimally sufficient to cause the output pad driver to produce an output signal having a desired dynamic range.
The present invention generally relates to integrated circuits, and more particularly to an output buffer with slew rate control, and systems and methods employing such an output buffer suitable for high speed data applications in integrated circuits.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIntegrated circuits (ICs) utilize output buffers for driving the output signaling through a transmission medium (such as traces on a circuit board) and through the load of the destination circuit. Output buffers are generally comprised of pads that form the external electronic connection mechanism and drivers that supply other output power for an output signal. The design of output buffers should address waveshaping, load handling, switching speed, and reliability concerns. It is generally desirable for high speed, resistively terminated, output buffers to satisfy two design criteria for optimum performance. First, the output resistance should match the characteristic impedance of the transmission medium. Second, the output buffer's switching speed, or slew rate, should be as slow as tolerable so as to minimize reflections and electromagnetic interference (EMI), yet still fast enough to fully switch between high and low logic levels during the data setup time durations between sampling events at the destination circuit.
Known approaches for controlling the slew rate of common mode logic (CML) type output buffers include complicated designs and implementations, including rapid, sequential switching between small output drivers connected in parallel to a single pad. Complex designs with small feature sizes are susceptible to manufacturing defects 7 that reduce production yield and increase device cost. Small device features in output pads are also susceptible to electrostatic discharge (ESD) and other fast transient phenomena, which also adversely affect manufacturing yield, but also result in field failures including sleeping (latent) failures.
An output buffer circuit and method that addresses these, and other problems, is therefore desirable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA signal driver circuit is provided with a controllable slew rate. The circuit preferably comprises a pre-driver sub-circuit that includes a differential arrangement of gain elements and an adjustable load. Adjustment of the load varies the pre-driver's output slew rate. An output driver sub-circuit has an input coupled with the pre-driver's output, and the output driver's output slew rate and amplitude are based on the slew rate and amplitude of the pre-driver's output. A feedback arrangement is coupled to the output driver and to the pre-driver, and operates to control the amplitude of the pre-driver's output based on an output amplitude of the output driver.
A method of controlling a slew rate of an output buffer is provided according to another aspect of the invention by a pre-driver that drives an input of an output pad driver. An output slew rate of the pre-driver is electronically selected among at least two electronically selectable slew rates. An output amplitude of the pre-driver is controlled such that the output amplitude is not greater than an amplitude that is generally minimally sufficient to cause the output pad driver to produce an output signal having a desired dynamic range.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be used and structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description, therefore, is not to be taken in a limiting sense.
Generally, the present invention provides an output buffer or, more generally, an output driver that is coupled to an output port, with slew rate control suitable for use in integrated circuits, including high speed data applications. The slew rate of the output buffer is controlled by controlling the slew rate and amplitude of the input signal resulting in a slew rate which is as slow as possible, yet fast enough to fully switch between high and low levels and settle at the desired level for a sufficient time duration.
A first exemplary embodiment of the invention is an output buffer comprising a differential output buffer circuit having a controlled output signal slew rate which is as slow as possible, yet fast enough to fully switch between high and low levels. In another embodiment, the buffer may comprise an input signal provided to the differential output buffer circuit for controlling the output signal slew rate, including a controlled input signal slew rate and amplitude. The buffer may further comprise a pre-driver circuit having a variable resistance load for controlling the input signal slew rate; and a feedback loop including a feedback circuit coupled to the pre-driver circuit for controlling the amplitude of the input signal. In an alternate embodiment, the feedback circuit controls the input signal amplitude to be substantially equal to the amplitude required to switch the output buffer between a high and low state and in yet another embodiment of the invention, the feedback circuit controls the input signal amplitude to be just greater than the amplitude required to switch the output buffer between a high and low state. Persons skilled in the relevant arts will recognize that the invention has numerous applications in systems utilizing high speed data switching.
The output buffer includes resistor R1, switch S1, resistor R2, switch S2 and current source Isource coupled between supply voltage VDD and reference ground. The differential output buffer includes output signal OUT and output signal
The slew rate of the output buffer is defined by the slope of the output signal (i.e., the change in voltage over the change in time). In accordance with the present invention, it is desirable to control the slew rate of the output buffer to be as slow as possible so as to minimize reflections, yet fast enough to fully switch the output buffer between high and low levels.
In particular, the pre-driver circuit is similar to the differential output buffer circuit, and includes a switchable resistive load R3 and a switchable resistive load R4, transistor switches S3 and S4, and current source IPD, modeled as an NFET transistor having its source tied to reference ground.
The slew rate of the pre-driver circuit is controlled by means of switchable resistive pre-driver resistive loads R3 and R4. In particular, the slew rate of the predriver circuit corresponds to the RC time constant associated with the circuit. The capacitive load of the circuit is generally fixed, attributed to the capacitance of switch S3 and S4 and other parasitic capacitance. Accordingly, the RC time constant changes by changing the resistive load. With a fixed capacitance when the resistance gets larger, there is less current flowing the circuit and the RC time constant increases. As such, when the pre-driver load resistance is low, the slew rate is fast. When the pre-driver load resistance is higher, the slew rate is slower.
The pre-driver output amplitude is controlled by controlling the magnitude of current IPD. The magnitude of current IPD can be controlled by controlling the voltage at the current source. In reference also to
It is noted that not only does the output buffer according to the present invention allow for control of the output buffers output signal slew rate, but it does so while minimizing the power in the pre-driver. The output amplitude is as small as possible (yet still reliably completely switching the current in the output buffer over the desired output dynamic range), and its load resistance is relatively higher when SLOW is asserted, further reducing predriver power. Note that a single control bit “SLOW” is shown. It is a straight forward extension to have multiple, weighted SLOW bits, SLOW [O:N], so as to achieve a selectable range of slew rates. Likewise, a pulse-width modulated (PWM) signal or an analog signal can be used to control a range of slew rates.
Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein for purposes of description of the preferred embodiment, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that a wide variety of alternate and/or equivalent implementations may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown and described without departing from the scope of the present invention. Those with skill in the chemical, mechanical, electromechanical, electrical, and computer arts will readily appreciate that the present invention may be implemented in a very wide variety of embodiments. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the preferred embodiments discussed herein.
Claims
1. A signal driver circuit having a controllable slew rate, comprising:
- a pre-driver sub-circuit that includes a differential arrangement of gain elements and an adjustable load, wherein adjustment of the adjustable load varies an output slew rate of an output of the pre-driver sub-circuit;
- an output driver sub-circuit having an input coupled with the output of the pre-driver sub-circuit, wherein the output driver output sub-circuit has a slew rate and a dynamic range that are based on the output slew rate and an amplitude of the output of the pre-driver sub-circuit; and
- a feedback arrangement coupled to the output driver sub-circuit and to the pre-driver sub-circuit, wherein the feedback arrangement operates to control the amplitude of the pre-driver output based on an output amplitude of the output driver.
2. The signal driver circuit of claim 1, wherein the output driver sub-circuit includes a differential arrangement of gain elements.
3. The signal driver circuit of claim 2, wherein the gain elements are metal oxide semiconductor transistors.
4. The signal driver circuit of claim 1, wherein the feedback arrangement controls the amplitude of the output of the pre-driver sub-circuit such that an output dynamic range of the pre-driver sub-circuit is generally matched with the an input dynamic range of the output driver.
5. The signal driver circuit of claim 1, wherein the feedback arrangement controls the amplitude of the output of the pre-driver sub-circuit such that the amplitude is generally minimally sufficient for the output driver sub-circuit to produce an output having a fill dynamic range.
6. The signal driver circuit of claim 5, wherein the feedback arrangement controls the amplitude of the output of the pre-driver sub-circuit such that the amplitude is generally minimally sufficient for the output driver to produce an output having a selected dynamic range that is less than the full dynamic range.
7. The signal driver circuit of claim 1, wherein the adjustable load includes an electronically-adjustable resistance.
8. The signal driver circuit of claim 1, wherein the adjustable load includes an electronically-adjustable time constant.
9. The signal driver circuit of claim 2, wherein the adjustable load includes a pair of load transistors, each load transistor corresponding with one side of the differential arrangement, wherein each load transistor is adapted to operate in at least a first mode having a first channel resistance and a second mode having a second channel resistance that is greater than the first channel resistance.
10. The signal driver circuit of claim 9, wherein each load transistor is adjustable in response to a digital signal representing a desired slew rate.
11. The signal driver circuit of claim 10, wherein the digital signal is a binary one-bit signal that represents a first slew rate during a first time interval and a second different slew rate during a second different time interval.
12. The signal driver circuit of claim 10, wherein the digital signal is a multi-bit signal representing a desired slew rate among a plurality of possible slew rates.
13. The signal driver circuit of claim 1, wherein the adjustable load is adjustable between a relatively higher impedance and a relatively lower impedance, wherein the relatively higher impedance corresponds to a relatively slower output slew rate and the relatively lower impedance corresponds to a relatively faster slew rate.
14. A method of controlling a slew rate of an output pad of an output buffer, the method comprising:
- providing a pre-driver that drives an input of an output driver for the output pad;
- electronically selecting an output slew rate of the pre-driver among at least two electronically selectable slew rates; and
- controlling an output amplitude of the pre-driver such that the output amplitude is not greater than an amplitude that is generally minimally sufficient to cause the output driver to produce an output signal having a desired dynamic range.
15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:
- automatically increasing a pre-driver load impedance in response to a slew rate control signal asserting a slowing down of the slew rate.
16. An integrated circuit (IC) output buffer, comprising:
- means for generating an output driver input signal having an adjustable output slew rate and an adjustable output amplitude;
- means for driving an output signal, coupled with the means for generating and adapted to produce the output signal having a slew rate proportional to the adjustable output slew rate; and
- means for controlling a feedback loop coupled with the means for generating and the means for driving, and adapted to control the adjustable output amplitude based on a monitored amplitude of the output signal.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 30, 2005
Publication Date: Mar 6, 2008
Patent Grant number: 7446576
Inventor: Alan Fiedler (Niskayuna, NY)
Application Number: 11/241,233
International Classification: H03K 5/12 (20060101);