Mark Carlton Rutherford

US Patent:

7542508, Jun 2, 2009

Filed:

Apr 21, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/111403

Inventors:

Mark J Marlett - Livermore CA, US
Mark Rutherford - Wellington CO, US

Assignee:

LSI Logic Corporation - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

H03H 7/30
H03K 5/159

US Classification:

375233, 375234, 375235, 375236

Abstract:

A continuous-time domain Decision Feedback Equalizer (DFE) for use in a serial communication channel comprises in one embodiment a summer, a decision circuit, a capture flip-flop (FF) and an N-th order active filter. The DFE and its active filter operate in continuous time to give improved performance over a discrete-time DFE. In one embodiment involving a first-order active filter, the capture FF is outside the continuous-time negative feedback loop of the DFE and involves a differential signal amplifier. In another embodiment, the capture flip-flop is inside the DFE loop, and in a third embodiment the decision circuit comprises a comparator.

US Patent:

7668239, Feb 23, 2010

Filed:

Sep 19, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/523784

Inventors:

Mark J. Marlett - Livermore CA, US
Mark Rutherford - Wellington CO, US
Peter Windler - Fort Collins CO, US

Assignee:

LSI Corporation - Milpitas CA

International Classification:

H03K 7/08
H03K 3/017

US Classification:

375238, 327172

Abstract:

An improved method and apparatus for transmitting digital signals in a communications channel by compensating for distortions due to attenuation of high frequency components suffered by the digital signals. In a preferred embodiment, the digital signals are pulses and the compensation is performed at the transmitter without the need for an emphasis driver, by widening the pulses to compensate for the distortion in the channel that results in narrowing of the pulses incurred in the channel. The resulting pulse train is pre-compensated for the distortions caused by the communications channel. The amount of pre-compensation can be determined statically or dynamically.