Full and fractional swing with adjustable high level ECL gate using a single current source

Claim 1

An emitter coupled logic gate circuit for providing both a full output voltage swing and a fractional output voltage swing with an adjustable high level output voltage, said emitter coupled logic gate circuit comprising; a single differential transistor circuit having a first current switch transistor and a second current switch transistor, said first current switch transistor having its base electrode coupled to a signal input terminal and said second current switch transistor having its base electrode connected to a reference potential, the emitters of said first and second current switch transistors being commonly connected together; a single constant-current source being connected to the emitters of said first and second transistors; a first Schottky diode having an anode and a cathode, the cathode of the first Schottky diode being connected to the collector of said second current switch transistor; a first load resistor having its first end connected to the anode of the first Schottky diode and its second end connected to a supply potential; a first emitter follower transistor having its base connected to said first end of said first load resistor, its collector connected to said supply potential, and its emitter connected to an upper-level output voltage swing terminal; a second Schottky diode having an anode and a cathode, the cathode of the second Schottky diode being connected to the collector of said second current switch transistor; a second load resistor having its first end connected to the anode of the second Schottky diode; a level shifting resistor having its first end connected to a second end of said second load resistor and its second end connected to said supply potential; a second emitter follower transistor having its base connected to said first end of said second load resistor, its collector connected to said supply potential, and its emitter connected to an upper-level fractional output voltage swing terminal; a first level shifting transistor having its base and collector connected together to form a diode, said base and collector being further connected to said emitter of said first emitter follower transistor, said emitter of said first level shifting transistor being connected to a lower-level full output voltage swing terminal; a second level shifting transistor having its base and collector connected together to form a diode, said base and collector being further connected to said emitter of said second emitter follower transistor, said emitter of said second level shifting transistor being connected to a lower-level fractional output voltage swing terminal; said upper-level and lower-level fractional output voltage swing terminals having adjustable high level output voltages controlled by the ratio of the resistance values of the level shifting resistor relative to said first load resistor and said second load resistor; a third Schottky diode having an anode and a cathode, the cathode of the third Schottky diode being connected to the collector of said first current switch transistor; a third load resistor having its first end connected to the anode of the third Schottky diode and its second end connected to a supply potential; a third emitter follower transistor having its base connected to said first end of said third load resistor, its collector connected to said supply potential, and its emitter connected to a complementary upper-level output voltage swing terminal; a fourth Schottky diode having an anode and a cathode, the cathode of the fourth Schottky diode being connected to the collector of said first current switch transistor; a fourth load resistor having its first end connected to the anode of the fourth Schottky diode and its second end connected to the first end of said level shifting resistor; a fourth emitter follower transistor having its base connected to said first end of said fourth load resistor, its collector connected to said supply potential, and its emitter connected to a complementary upper-level fractional output voltage swing terminal; a third level shifting transistor having its base and collector connected together to form a diode, said base and collector being further connected to said emitter of said third emitter follower transistor, said emitter of said third level shifting transistor being connected to a complementary lower-level full output voltage swing terminal; a fourth level shifting transistor having its base and collector connected together to form a diode, said base and collector being further connected to said emitter of said fourth emitter follower transistor, said emitter of said fourth level shifting transistor being connected to a complementary lower-level fractional output voltage swing terminal; said complementary upper-level and lower-level fractional output voltage swing terminals having adjustable high level output voltages controlled by the ratio of the resistance values of the level shifting resistor relative to said third load resistor and said fourth load resistor; and said emitter coupled logic gate circuit being formed in a monolithic semiconductor integrated circuit.