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US5235222A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Output circuit and interface system comprising the same

Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
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Filing: 1991-12-26
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Granted: 1993-08-10
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Expires: 2011-12-26
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Abstract

Abstract An output circuit 1 comprises a constant current source 11, a switch 12, and an output pad 14. The switch 12 is connected between the constant current source 11 and the output pad 14. A transmission path 3 is connected to the output pad 14. The transmission path 3 is coupled to a terminator voltage V TT by a resistor for pull up. Reflection of a signal or generation of noise can be suppressed by bringing the resistance value of the resistor 4 close to a characteristic impedance of the transmission path 3. A voltage amplitude on the transmission path 3 can be determined arbitrarily by adjusting current value of the constant current source 11 and resistance value of the resistor 4.

Inventors

  • 👤 Harufusa Kondoh
  • 👤 Hiromi Notani

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 08:46
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03K; H03K19/00; H03K19/003; H03K19/00346; H03K19/00361; H03K19/0175; H03K19/0185; H03K19/018557

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim 101 words
An output circuit for driving a load in response to an applied signal, comprising: an output pad to which said load is connected thereto; a constant current source for supplying a constant current; switch means provided between said output pad and said constant current source, selectively rendered conductive or nonconductive in response to the applied signal, wherein said switch means comprises a first field effect element having a control terminal for receiving said applied signal; and a second field effect element connected between said output pad and said first field effect element, having a control terminal for receiving a prescribed potential.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 101 words
An output circuit for driving a load in response to an applied signal, comprising: an output pad to which said load is connected thereto; a constant current source for supplying a constant current; switch means provided between said output pad and said constant current source, selectively rendered conductive or nonconductive in response to the applied signal, wherein said switch means comprises a first field effect element having a control terminal for receiving said applied signal; and a second field effect element connected between said output pad and said first field effect element, having a control terminal for receiving a prescribed potential.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 63 words
An output circuit according to claim 1, wherein said constant current source comprises: constant voltage generating means for generating a constant voltage; bias current generating means for generating a constant bias current in response to said constant voltage; and a first current mirror circuit for generating a current proportional to said bias current as said constant current in response to said bias current.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 17 words
An output circuit according to claim 2, wherein said constant voltage means comprises bandgap voltage generating means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 141 words
An output circuit according to claim 2, wherein said bias current generating means comprises an operational amplifier, resistor means, a third field effect element, and a second current mirror circuit; said resistor means having one end coupled to a prescribed power supply potential and the other end connected to said third field effect element; said operational amplifier means having one input terminal for receiving said constant voltage from said constant voltage generating means and the other input terminal connected to said the other end of said resistor means; said third field effect element connected between said second current mirror circuit and said resistor means, and having a control terminal for receiving an output of said operational amplifier; and said second current mirror circuit generating a current proportional to a current flowing in said third field effect element as said bias current.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 77 words
An output circuit according to claim 2, wherein said first current mirror circuit comprises: a third field effect element coupled between said second field effect element and a prescribed power supply potential, having a control terminal; and a fourth field effect element coupled between said bias current generating means and said prescribed power supply potential, having a control terminal connected to said bias current generating means and to said control terminal of said third field effect element.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 27 words
An output circuit according to claim 1, wherein said first field effect element comprises a MOS transistor; and said second field effect element comprises a MOS transistor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 81 words
An interface system comprising: an output circuit; an input circuit; a transmission path connected between said output circuit and said input circuit; and resistor means coupled between said transmission path and a prescribed potential; wherein said output circuit comprises: an output pad connected to said transmission path, a constant current source for supplying a constant current; and switch means connected between said output pad and said constant current source, selectively rendered conductive or non conductive in response to an applied signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 81 words
An interface system comprising: an output circuit; an input circuit; a transmission path connected between said output circuit and said input circuit; and resistor means coupled between said transmission path and a prescribed potential; wherein said output circuit comprises: an output pad connected to said transmission path, a constant current source for supplying a constant current; and switch means connected between said output pad and said constant current source, selectively rendered conductive or non conductive in response to an applied signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 55 words
An interface system according to claim 7, wherein said switch means comprises a first field effect element having a control terminal for receiving said signal; said output circuit further comprises: a second field effect element connected between said output pad and said first field effect element, having a control terminal for receiving a prescribed potential.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 62 words
An interface system according to claim 8, wherein said constant current source comprises: constant voltage generating means for generating a constant voltage; bias current generating means for generating a constant bias current in response to said constant voltage; and a current mirror circuit for generating a current proportional to said bias current in response to said bias current as said constant current.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 58 words
An interface system according to claim 7, wherein said input circuit comprises: an input pad connected to said transmission path; reference potential generating means for generating a prescribed reference potential; and differential amplifier means for differentially amplifying a potential difference between a potential of said input pad and said reference potential generated by said reference potential generating means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 34 words
An interface system according to claim 10, wherein said reference potential generating means comprises a constant current source for supplying a constant current and resistor means connected in series to said constant current source.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 17 words
An interface system according to claim 10, wherein said differential amplifier means comprises a CMOS differential amplifier.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 37 words
An interface system according to claim 7, wherein a prescribed power supply voltage is applied to said output circuit, and an amplitude of a voltage on said output pad is set lower than said power supply voltage.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 66 words
An operating method of an output circuit for driving a resistive load in response to an applied signal comprising the steps of: applying a prescribed potential to one end of said resistive load, generating a constant current by using a constant current source, and electrically connecting or disconnecting said constant current source to the other end of said resistive load in response to an applied signal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 66 words
An operating method of an output circuit for driving a resistive load in response to an applied signal comprising the steps of: applying a prescribed potential to one end of said resistive load, generating a constant current by using a constant current source, and electrically connecting or disconnecting said constant current source to the other end of said resistive load in response to an applied signal.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4074150A Cited
US4251743A Cited
US4791326A Cited
US4912347A Cited
US4864216A Cited
US5030855A Cited
US5019728A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1996-08-09 1997-02-08 1997-08-10 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2000-08-09 2001-02-08 2001-08-10 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2004-08-09 2005-02-08 2005-08-10 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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