Patent US6516015B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6516015B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Laser driver and optical transceiver
Assignee: Panasonic Holdings Corp
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Filing: 1999-11-18
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Granted: 2003-02-04
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Expires: 2019-11-18
Abstract
Abstract A laser driver including a current-output-controlling switch; output-current-generating transistor; current-to-voltage converting transistor; first and second current sources; and current path selector having an input terminal and first and second output terminals. Responsive to a control signal, the selector outputs current through one of these two output terminals. The output current of the second current source is supplied to the current path selector. The output current supplied from the current path selector through the second output terminal thereof and the output current of the first current source are input to the current-to-voltage converting transistor. The output voltage of the current-to-voltage converting transistor is applied between the gate and source of the output-current-generating transistor. Then, the current is output through the drain of the output-current-generating transistor and the current-output-controlling switch.
Inventors
- 👤 Hiroshi Kimura
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 14:07
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S5/00; H01S5/04; H01S5/042
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
134 words
A laser driver comprising: an output node for outputting a driving current therethrough; a first power supply node receiving a first supply voltage; a first switch connected between the output node and the first power supply node; current generating means for generating a first current with a first current value while the first switch is OFF and a second current with a second current value while the first switch is ON, the second current value being different from the first current value; current-to-voltage converting means for converting the current supplied from the current generating means into a voltage corresponding to the current value thereof; and an output-current-generating transistor, which is connected between the first switch and the first power supply node and receives the voltage from the current-to-voltage converting means at the gate thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
134 words
A laser driver comprising: an output node for outputting a driving current therethrough; a first power supply node receiving a first supply voltage; a first switch connected between the output node and the first power supply node; current generating means for generating a first current with a first current value while the first switch is OFF and a second current with a second current value while the first switch is ON, the second current value being different from the first current value; current-to-voltage converting means for converting the current supplied from the current generating means into a voltage corresponding to the current value thereof; and an output-current-generating transistor, which is connected between the first switch and the first power supply node and receives the voltage from the current-to-voltage converting means at the gate thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
77 words
The laser driver of claim 1 , wherein the current generating means comprises: a first current source for supplying the first current to the current-to-voltage converting means; a second current source for generating a third current with a current value representing a difference between the first and second current values; and a current path selector for supplying the third current from the second current source to the current-to-voltage converting means only when the first switch is ON.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
127 words
The laser driver of claim 2 , wherein the current path selector comprises: an input terminal receiving the third current from the second current source; a first output terminal connected to the first power supply node; a second output terminal connected to the current-to-voltage converting means; a first transistor, of which the source and drain are connected to the input terminal and the first output terminal, respectively, and which turns OFF when the first switch is ON and turns ON when the first switch is OFF; and a second transistor, of which the source and drain are connected to the input terminal and the second output terminal, respectively, and which turns ON when the first switch is ON and turns OFF when the first switch is OFF.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
64 words
The laser driver of claim 2 , wherein the current path selector comprises: an input terminal receiving the third current from the second current source; an output terminal connected to the current-to-voltage converting means; and a second switch, which is connected between the input and output terminals, turns ON when the first switch is ON and turns OFF when the first switch is OFF.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
95 words
The laser driver of claim 1 , wherein the current generating means comprises: a current source for generating the second current; and a current shunt circuit supplying the second current from the current source to the current-to-voltage converting means when the first switch is ON, the current shunt circuit branching the second current into the first current and a third current and then supplying the first current to the current-to-voltage converting means when the first switch is OFF, the third current having a current value representing a difference between the first and second current values.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The laser driver of claim 5 , wherein the second current value is larger than the first current value.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
153 words
The laser driver of claim 5 , wherein the current shunt circuit comprises: an input terminal receiving the second current from the current source; a first output terminal connected to the first power supply node; a second output terminal connected to the current-to-voltage converting means; a first transistor, of which the source and drain are connected to the input terminal and the first output terminal, respectively, and which turns OFF when the first switch is ON and makes the third current flow between the source and drain thereof when the first switch is OFF; and a second transistor, of which the source and drain are connected to the input terminal and the second output terminal, respectively, and which makes the second current flow between the source and drain thereof when the first switch is ON and makes the first current flow between the source and drain thereof when the first switch is OFF.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
63 words
The laser driver of claim 1 , wherein the current generating means comprises: a first current source for supplying the first current to the current-to-voltage converting means; and a second current source for supplying a third current with a current value representing a difference between the first and second current values to the current-to-voltage converting means only when the first switch is ON.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
The laser driver of claim 1 , wherein the first switch comprises: a gate-grounded transistor receiving a constant voltage at the gate thereof; and a switching transistor connected between the source of the gate-grounded transistor and the output-current-generating transistor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The laser driver of claim 1 , wherein the current-to-voltage converting means comprises a transistor, of which the gate and drain are connected together.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
94 words
The laser driver of claim 1 , wherein the current generating means comprises: a current source for generating the second current; a current ratio regulator for branching the second current supplied from the current source into two currents with a desired current ratio and supplying one of these two currents as the first current to the current-to-voltage converting means; and a current path selector for supplying the other one of the two currents that have been branched by the current ratio regulator to the current-to-voltage converting means only when the first switch is ON.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
107 words
The laser driver of claim 11 , wherein the current ratio regulator comprises: an input terminal receiving the second current from the current source; a first output terminal connected to the current path selector; a second output terminal connected to the current-to-voltage converting means; a first transistor, of which the source and drain are connected to the input terminal and the first output terminal, respectively, and which receives a first voltage at the gate thereof; and a second transistor, of which the source and drain are connected to the input terminal and the second output terminal, respectively, and which receives a second voltage at the gate thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The laser driver of claim 12 , wherein the first or second voltage has its level regulated based on the current value of the second current.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
129 words
The laser driver of claim 1 , wherein the current generating means comprises: a current source for generating the second current; a current ratio regulator for branching the second current supplied from the current source into two currents with a desired current ratio; a first current mirror circuit receiving one of the two currents branched by the current ratio regulator as an input current; a second current mirror circuit receiving the other one of the two currents branched by the current ratio regulator as an input current and supplying an output current as the first current to the current-to-voltage converting means; and a current path selector for supplying the output current of the first current mirror circuit to the current-to-voltage converting means only when the first switch is ON.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
109 words
The laser driver of claim 14 , wherein the current ratio regulator comprises: an input terminal receiving the second current from the current source; a first output terminal connected to the first current mirror circuit; a second output terminal connected to the second current mirror circuit; a first transistor, of which the source and drain are connected to the input terminal and the first output terminal, respectively, and which receives the first voltage at the gate thereof; and a second transistor, of which the source and drain are connected to the input terminal and the second output terminal, respectively, and which receives the second voltage at the gate thereof.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
The laser driver of claim 15 , wherein the first or second voltage has its level regulated based on the current value of the second current.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
The laser driver of claim 1 , wherein both the first current value and the second current value are not equal to zero.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
66 words
An optical transceiver for establishing optical communication, comprising: a transmitter section for converting data to be transmitted into laser light by driving a laser diode and then transmitting the laser light; and a receiver section for converting the laser light received into received data, wherein the transmitter section includes the laser driver as recited in claim 1 and drives the laser diode using the laser driver.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
132 words
A laser driver comprising: an output node for outputting a driving current there-through; a first power supply node receiving a first supply voltage; a gate-grounded transistor, which is connected between the output node and the first power supply node and receives a constant voltage at the gate thereof; a switching transistor connected between the source of the gate-grounded transistor and the first power supply node in series to the gate-grounded transistor; and an output-current-generating transistor, which is connected between the switching transistor and the first power supply node in series to the switching transistor, receives a first voltage at the gate thereof when the switching transistor is ON, and receives a second voltage at the gate thereof when the switching transistor is OFF, the second voltage being different from the first voltage.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
132 words
A laser driver comprising: an output node for outputting a driving current there-through; a first power supply node receiving a first supply voltage; a gate-grounded transistor, which is connected between the output node and the first power supply node and receives a constant voltage at the gate thereof; a switching transistor connected between the source of the gate-grounded transistor and the first power supply node in series to the gate-grounded transistor; and an output-current-generating transistor, which is connected between the switching transistor and the first power supply node in series to the switching transistor, receives a first voltage at the gate thereof when the switching transistor is ON, and receives a second voltage at the gate thereof when the switching transistor is OFF, the second voltage being different from the first voltage.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-02-03 | 2006-08-05 | 2007-02-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-02-03 | 2010-08-05 | 2011-02-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-02-03 | 2014-08-05 | 2015-02-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |