Signal boosting on a serial interface

Abstract

To provide systems and methods for signal boosting in serial interfaces.SOLUTION: A system for boosting signals comprises boosting circuitry. The boosting circuitry is operatively coupled to a voltage supply 304 during a charging phase and is operatively coupled to the at least one data line 306 of signal transmission lines DP, DM during a discharging phase 308. During the discharging phase 310, at least one boosting capacitor 302 boosts voltage of one or more signals transmitted on the at least one line. The boosting circuitry also comprises switching circuitry that switches a state of the at least one boosting capacitor 302 from a state of being operatively coupled to the voltage supply 304 to a state of being operatively coupled to the at least one line of the signal transmission lines.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

【Background Art】 【0001】 【0001】A signal transmission line may be used to transmit data such as serialized data between an upstream device and a downstream device. However, in some cases, for example due to the resistance of the signal transmission line, the data signal strength may deteriorate over the length of the signal transmission line. This may cause an obstacle to data communication, for example, because the data signal is too weak to be accurately read by the downstream device at the time of reception. 【Summary of the Invention】 【0002】 【0002】In this specification, a method and a system for signal boosting in a signal transmission line are disclosed. 【0003】 【0003】According to a particular embodiment, a system for boosting a signal includes a boosting circuit. The boosting circuit is configured to be operably coupled to a voltage supply source during a charging stage and to be operably coupled to at least one line of the signal transmission line during a discharging stage. During the discharging stage, at least one boosting capacitor may be provided, which boosts the voltage of one or more signals transmitted on at least one line. The boosting circuit may include a switching circuit configured to switch at least one boosting capacitor from a state in which it is operably coupled to the voltage supply source to a state in which it is operably coupled to at least one line of the signal transmission line. 【0004】 【0004】In some examples, the boosting circuit is incorporated into the signal transmission line. 【0005】

[0005] In some examples, at least one transmission line comprises a first transmission line and a second transmission line, the first transmission line configured to transmit a first signal and the second transmission line configured to transmit a second signal, and the first and second signals are used for differential signal transmission. In some examples, at least one boost capacitor comprises a first boost capacitor configured to boost the voltage of the first transmission line and a second boost capacitor configured to boost the voltage of the second transmission line. In some examples, the switching circuit is further configured to operably couple the first boost capacitor to the first transmission line in the discharge phase depending on whether the first signal is greater than the second signal, and the switching circuit is further configured to operably couple the second boost capacitor to the second transmission line in the discharge phase depending on whether the second signal is greater than the first signal. In some examples, a first boost capacitor is operably coupled to a voltage source during the charging phase, while a second boost capacitor is operably coupled to a second line during the discharging phase, and a second boost capacitor is operably coupled to a voltage source during the charging phase, while the first boost capacitor is operably coupled to a first line during the discharging phase. 【0006】

[0006] In some examples, the voltage source is programmed to supply a voltage determined based on the amount of voltage boost to be supplied to one or more signals. 【0007】

[0007] In some examples, the switching circuit is configured to switch at least one boost capacitor from being operably coupled to a voltage source to being operably coupled to at least one line of a signal transmission line, depending on the output of the edge detection component. In some examples, the edge detection component is an equalizer. In some examples, the frequency response of the equalizer is programmable. 【0008】

[0008] In some examples, the duration of the discharge phase is programmable, and the duration of the discharge phase causes amplification of the high-frequency signal corresponding to the pre-emphasis of the rising and / or falling edges of one or more signals, and the amplification of the high-frequency signal cancels out the low-pass filter effect of the signal transmission line. 【0009】

[0009] In some examples, one or more signals conform to the Universal Serial Bus (USB) protocol. 【0010】

[0010] According to a particular embodiment, a method for boosting a signal includes the step of obtaining one or more signals transmitted through at least one line of a signal transmission line coupling an upstream device to a downstream device. The method may further include the step of switching a boost capacitor from a state in which it is operably coupled to a voltage source in a charging phase to a state in which it is operably coupled to at least one line of a signal transmission line in a discharging phase, in response to detecting the rising edge and / or falling edge of one or more signals, and transferring charge to at least one line while the boost capacitor is in the discharging phase. 【0011】

[0011] In some examples, at least one transmission line comprises a first transmission line and a second transmission line, the first transmission line configured to transmit a first signal and the second transmission line configured to transmit a second signal, and the first and second signals are used for differential signal transmission. In some examples, at least one boost capacitor comprises a first boost capacitor configured to boost the voltage of the first transmission line and a second boost capacitor configured to boost the voltage of the second transmission line. In some examples, the method further includes the steps of operably coupling the first boost capacitor to the first transmission line in a discharge phase, depending on whether the first signal is greater than the second signal, and operably coupling the second boost capacitor to the second transmission line in a discharge phase, depending on whether the second signal is greater than the first signal. In some examples, a first boost capacitor is operably coupled to a voltage source during the charging phase, while a second boost capacitor is operably coupled to a second line during the discharging phase, and a second boost capacitor is operably coupled to a voltage source during the charging phase, while the first boost capacitor is operably coupled to a first line during the discharging phase. 【0012】

[0012] In some examples, the method further includes the steps of determining the duration of a discharge stage and setting the duration of the discharge stage to the determined duration. In some examples, the duration of the discharge stage is determined by determining the amount of amplification of the high-frequency signal corresponding to the pre-emphasis of the rising or falling edge, the amplification of the high-frequency signal cancels out the low-pass filter effect of the signal transmission line. 【0013】

[0013] In some cases, rising edges and / or falling edges are detected by the equalizer. 【0014】

[0014] In some examples, one or more signals conform to the Universal Serial Bus (USB) protocol. 【0015】

[0015] A further understanding of the properties and advantages of various embodiments can be achieved by referring to the remainder of this specification and the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing] 【0016】 [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of an example of a system including upstream and downstream devices according to several embodiments. [Figure 2] Examples of eye diagrams illustrating signal degradation between upstream and downstream devices according to several embodiments are shown. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram of an example of a system for boosting the signal voltage in a signal transmission line according to several embodiments. [Figure 4A] A schematic diagram of an example of an embodiment of a system for boosting signal voltage according to several embodiments is shown. [Figure 4B] A schematic diagram of an example of an embodiment of a system for boosting signal voltage according to several embodiments is shown. [Figure 4C] A schematic diagram of an example of an embodiment of a system for boosting signal voltage according to several embodiments is shown. [Figure 5] This is a flowchart of an example of a process for boosting a signal voltage according to several embodiments. [Modes for carrying out the invention] 【0017】 【0021】Herein, specific embodiments will be described in detail. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that these examples are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Rather, alternatives, modifications, and equivalents of the embodiments described are included within the scope of this disclosure as defined by the accompanying claims. Furthermore, certain details may be provided to facilitate a full understanding of the embodiments described. Some embodiments within the scope of this disclosure may be carried out without some or all of these details. Furthermore, well-known features may not be described in detail for clarity. 【0018】 【0022】 This specification discloses systems, methods, circuits, and techniques for boosting signals transmitted over signal transmission lines. In particular, in some embodiments, one or more boost capacitors can be switched between a charging phase in which the boost capacitor is operably coupled to a voltage source and a discharging phase in which the boost capacitor is operably coupled to a data line of the signal transmission line, thereby transferring the stored charge to the line to boost the signal. The techniques described herein can be implemented with relatively simple components, such as semiconductor-manufactured integrated capacitors, which can enable the implementation of the systems described herein with a stable temperature coefficient and relatively small manufacturing variations. Furthermore, as will be described in more detail below, the techniques disclosed herein can enable signal boosting without limitations from headroom limits associated with voltage supply. Furthermore, as will be described in more detail below, the techniques disclosed herein can be implemented using high-speed data communication because the boost capacitors described herein can be switched between phases with relatively low latency. Thus, the techniques described herein can be used in connection with signal transmission lines configured for high-speed data communication. It should be noted that the techniques described herein can be implemented using unidirectional and bidirectional data communication. 【0019】 【0023】As used herein, “signal transmission line” should be understood to generally refer to any suitable medium or path configured to enable the propagation of electrical signals. For example, a signal transmission line may include printed circuit board (PCB) trace lines. Another example is that a signal transmission line may include a cable. 【0020】 【0024】 Signal transmission lines may be used to communicate data between upstream devices (e.g., transmission devices) and downstream devices (e.g., receiving devices). Signal transmission lines may also be used to transmit serialized data operating in conjunction with serial interfaces such as Universal Serial Bus (USB) or USB 2.0 interfaces. In some cases, signal attenuation may exist due to the resistance of the signal transmission line, and this signal attenuation may interfere with data communication between the upstream and downstream devices. For example, a data signal transmitted from an upstream device to a downstream device may be attenuated sufficiently by the time the downstream device receives a signal that the downstream device cannot read and / or utilize. Data attenuation can be particularly noticeable with respect to relatively long signal transmission lines, such as those exceeding 3 meters, 5 meters, or 10 meters. As an example, a cable used to transmit signals following the USB 2.0 protocol may be attenuated sufficiently at the downstream device, rendering it unusable or causing cascaded data errors.

[0021] 【0025】Many of the examples described in this specification utilize the USB and / or USB2.0 signal transmission protocol. For example, the signal transmission line can transmit two signals, generally referred to as DP and DM in this specification. These two signals can be regarded as differential signals, and the output signal S can be determined by subtracting DM from DP. Since the output signal S is a digital signal, the downstream device can determine S as DP - DM. Then, the downstream device can set S to 1 when the difference is positive and set S to 0 when the difference is negative. It should be noted that for S to be accurately determined, the DP and DM signals must remain sufficiently unattenuated so that the downstream device can accurately determine S. In other words, if DP and DM are attenuated beyond the threshold level, the difference between DP and DM may no longer be accurately used to determine the output signal S. 【0022】 【0026】 FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an example of a system including an upstream device 102 and a downstream device 104. The upstream device 102 and the downstream device 104 can be operably coupled via a signal transmission line. The signal transmission line can include a data line configured to transmit a DP signal 106 and a DM signal 108. Note that FIG. 1 does not show the distance between the upstream device 102 and the downstream device 104, and thus the length of the signal transmission line. In some embodiments, the distance can be 1 meter, 3 meters, 5 meters, 10 meters, 20 meters, etc. 【0023】 【0027】 As described above, signals may attenuate between the upstream device and the downstream device. Signal attenuation can be visualized using an eye diagram. In particular, an eye diagram can show the average amplitude of several measurements of a data signal. In some cases, the eye diagram can include an inner region showing a minimum threshold related to the data signal amplitude to indicate whether the signal has deteriorated beyond the threshold level. 【0024】 【0028】Figure 2 shows two examples of eye diagrams 202 and 204. Eye diagram 202 shows the signal measured at a signal transmission line location relatively close to the transmission device, while eye diagram 204 shows the signal measured at a signal transmission line location relatively close to the receiving device. Referring to eye diagram 202, a data signal 206 is shown, which represents the average of multiple data signal measurements. Eye diagram 202 also shows a region 208 representing the desired signal magnitude. Note that the entire data signal 206 is completely outside region 208, which indicates that signal attenuation is minimized as expected at signal transmission line locations relatively close to the transmission device.

[0025] 【0029】 Referring to eye diagram 204, data signal 210 is shown. Similar to data signal 206, data signal 210 represents the average of multiple data signal measurements, differing in that the data signal measurements of data signal 210 are measured downstream of the data signal measurements of data signal 206. Eye diagram 204 includes region 208. Note that a portion of data signal 210 lies within region 208, indicating that signal attenuation increases to a point where data communication may be hindered at signal transmission line locations relatively close to the receiving device. In other words, at the location where the data signal was measured to constitute data signal 210, the data signal may result in errors when read and / or used by the receiving device.

[0026] 【0030】Previous techniques have been attempted to solve the problem of data signal degradation or attenuation within signal transmission lines. For example, one technique can be used with a signal re-driving device that may include a receiver, equalizer, and transmitter to capture and amplify the data signal. However, signal re-driving can present problems. For instance, signal re-driving devices can function best with unidirectional transmission over signal transmission lines, but in many protocols, the data line is bidirectional. To use signal re-driving techniques with bidirectional data lines, a buffer can be used to detect the direction of the signal and switch the data driver accordingly. However, switching data drivers using a buffer can add considerable latency and may therefore not be suitable for use in high-speed data interfaces.

[0027] 【0031】 As another example, the second technique can boost a signal using current boosting. However, this technique may have its own drawbacks. For example, current injection may be performed by coupling a resistor to a voltage source. However, the amount of current injected is not well controlled because the resistance of the resistor and the duration for which the current is injected are not well controlled. Furthermore, referring to the DP and DM signals of the USB 2.0 signal transmission protocol, current boosting can be performed by boosting the DP and DM signals separately. Because the amount of current injected is not well controlled (as mentioned above), the DP and DM signals can be boosted by different amounts, thereby the DP and DM signals are no longer symmetric with respect to the center offset value that generates the DC offset bias. Such asymmetry can cause problems when using the DP and DM signals in differential signal transmission to determine the output signal (as mentioned above). Furthermore, the amount of boost that can be given may be limited because the DP line may already be close to ground and the DP signal may already be close to Vnn (power supply voltage).

[0028] 【0032】This specification discloses methods, systems, and techniques for boosting signals. In particular, in some embodiments, one or more boost capacitors are used to boost the signal. Specifically, the boost capacitor may be configured to operate in a charging phase in which the boost capacitor is operably coupled to a voltage source, or in a discharging phase in which the boost capacitor is operably coupled to a data line of a signal transmission line. The boost capacitor may be switched between a charging phase and a discharging phase such that during the charging phase the boost capacitor stores charge from a voltage source, and during the discharging phase the boost capacitor discharges the stored charge to the data line to boost the voltage of the data signal.

[0029] 【0033】 Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of using a boost capacitor to boost a data signal. As shown, the boost capacitor 302 may be configured to be operably coupled to a voltage source 304 during the charging phase or to a data line 306 during the discharge phase. For example, during the discharge phase, the positive terminal of the boost capacitor 302 may be coupled to a DP line, and the negative terminal of the boost capacitor 302 may be coupled to a DM line. For example, during the charging phase 308, the boost capacitor 302 can be operably coupled to a voltage source 304, thereby allowing charge to be stored in the boost capacitor 302. Continuing this example, during the discharge phase 310, the boost capacitor 302 can be operably coupled to a data line 306, thereby discharging the stored charge onto the data line 306, and as a result, the voltage of the data signal carried on the data line 306 is boosted.

[0030] 【0034】 In some embodiments, there may be multiple boost capacitors. For example, in some embodiments, the multiple boost capacitors may be configured to operate complementaryly. In a more specific example, in some embodiments, the first boost capacitor may be configured to be in the charging phase (e.g., by being operably coupled to a voltage source), while the second boost capacitor may be configured to be in the discharging phase (e.g., by being operably coupled to a signal line).

[0031] 【0035】 In some embodiments, whether a particular boost capacitor is in the charging or discharging phase can be controlled by a switching circuit. For example, the switching circuit may include an edge detector that detects, for instance, rising and / or falling edges. Continuing this example, in response to edge detection, the switching circuit can cause the boost capacitor to switch from a charging phase to a discharging phase, or vice versa. In certain cases where the signal line includes DP and DM lines (as used in relation to the USB 2.0 signal transmission protocol), the first boost capacitor may be switched from a charging phase to a discharging phase in response to the first edge detector detecting a rising edge. In other words, the discharging phase of the first boost capacitor may be initiated in response to DP being greater than DM. Conversely, the second boost capacitor may be switched from a charging phase to a discharging phase in response to the second edge detector detecting a falling edge. In other words, the discharging phase of the second boost capacitor may be initiated in response to DM being greater than DP. It should be noted that when the first boost capacitor is switched (for example, from the charging phase to the discharging phase or vice versa), the first and second boost capacitors remain in complementary phases, and the second boost capacitor may be switched simultaneously such that one boost capacitor is in the charging phase and the other is in the discharging phase.

[0032] 【0036】Figures 4A to 4C show schematic diagrams of an example system for implementing multiple boost capacitors according to several embodiments. As shown, the system may include a first boost capacitor 402 and a second boost capacitor 404. The first boost capacitor 402 and the second boost capacitor 404 may be configured to be operably coupled to a data signal line 406 during their respective discharge phases. As will be described in more detail below in relation to Figure 4B, the first boost capacitor 402 may be configured such that, during the discharge phase, its positive plate is operably coupled to a DP line and its negative plate is operably coupled to a DM line. As will be described in more detail below in relation to Figure 4C, the second boost capacitor 404 may be configured such that, during the discharge phase, its positive plate is operably coupled to a DM line and its negative plate is operably coupled to a DP line.

[0033] 【0037】 As shown in Figure 4A, the first boost capacitor 402 is configured to be operably coupled to the first voltage source 408 during the charging phase. Similarly, the second boost capacitor 404 is configured to be operably coupled to the second voltage source 411 during the charging phase. Although Figure 4A shows two separate voltage sources, each associated with a corresponding boost capacitor, in some embodiments, the first boost capacitor 402 and the second boost capacitor 404 may be configured to be operably coupled to the same voltage source during their respective charging phases.

[0034] 【0038】As shown in Figure 4A, the first boost capacitor 402 may be switched between a charging phase and a discharging phase via a rising edge detector 410. For example, referring to Figure 4B, depending on whether the rising edge detector 410 indicates that the voltage associated with the DP line is greater than the voltage associated with the DM line, the first boost capacitor 402 can be operably coupled to the signal line 406 using a positive signal, as shown in Figure 4B, such that the positive plate of the first boost capacitor 402 is coupled to the DP line and the negative plate of the first boost capacitor 402 is coupled to the DM line. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4A and 4B, an inverting signal from the edge detector 410 can be generated by the inverter 412, thereby the inverting signal serves to disconnect the first boost capacitor 402 from the first voltage source 408. Thus, depending on whether the DP signal is greater than the DM line, the first boost capacitor 402 can be switched from the charging phase to the discharging phase.

[0035] 【0039】 The same technique can be used for the second boost capacitor 404. For example, referring to Figure 4C, in response to the falling edge detector 414 indicating that the voltage associated with the DM line is greater than the voltage associated with the DP line, the second boost capacitor 404 can be operably coupled to the signal line 406 using a positive signal, as shown in Figure 4C, such that the positive plate of the second boost capacitor 404 is coupled to the DM line and the negative plate of the second boost capacitor 404 is coupled to the DP line. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4A and 4C, an inverting signal from the falling edge detector 414 can be generated by the inverter 416, thereby the inverting signal serves to disconnect the second boost capacitor 404 from the second voltage source 411. Thus, in response to the DM line signal being greater than the DP line signal, the second boost capacitor 404 can be switched from the charging phase to the discharging phase.

[0036] 【0040】Referring back to Figure 4A, the rising edge detector 410 and the falling edge detector 414 are implemented as equalizers, but it should be understood that edge detectors can also be implemented using other circuits.

[0037] 【0041】 In some embodiments, various aspects of a system that utilizes one or more boost capacitors to boost signals transmitted over a signal transmission line can be modified and / or programmed, for example. For example, in some embodiments, the number of boost capacitors used may be determined or set based on factors such as the length of the signal transmission line used. As a more specific example, in some embodiments, a relatively small number of boost capacitors can be used for shorter signal transmission lines compared to longer ones. Specifically, referring to the first and second boost capacitors used to boost DM and DP lines as illustrated and described in relation to Figures 4A to 4C, given longer signal transmission lines (e.g., 10 meters, 12 meters, 20 meters, etc.), further pairs of the first and second boost capacitors may be used at various points along the longer signal transmission line to provide multiple signal boost points along the signal transmission line between the upstream and downstream devices.

[0038] 【0042】As another example, in some embodiments, when an equalizer is used to implement an edge detector (for example, as shown and described above in relation to Figures 4A-4C), the frequency response and / or gain of the equalizer may be programmed. As yet another example, in some embodiments, a threshold may be programmed for detecting edge transitions (e.g., transitions from a state where DP is less than DM to a state where DP is greater than DM, or from a state where DM is less than DP to a state where DM is greater than DP). This allows setting or modifying the point of edge transition at which a signal boost occurs. For example, by programming the equalizer characteristics (e.g., frequency response, gain, etc.) and / or the edge detection threshold, the boost may be configured to occur at the start of a detected edge, at the end of a detected edge, or in the middle of an edge transition.

[0039] 【0043】 As yet another example, in some embodiments, a voltage source used during the charging phase (e.g., for charging a boost capacitor) may be programmed. For example, the voltage supplied by the voltage source may be set based on a specific application, such as based on the expected amount of attenuation and the corresponding boost amount desired to counteract the expected attenuation. As a more specific example, the voltage source may be programmed to supply a higher voltage in applications where greater signal attenuation is expected (e.g., due to the use of longer signal transmission lines). In some embodiments, the voltage source may be programmed based on tolerance to data communication errors. For example, the voltage source may be programmed to supply a higher voltage in applications with relatively low tolerance to data communication errors compared to applications with relatively high tolerance to data communication errors.

[0040] 【0044】In some embodiments, various aspects of a system performing signal boosting may be programmed or configured to pre-emphasize the signal at edge transitions (e.g., rising edge transitions or falling edge transitions). In particular, since a signal transmission line is considered to act as a transmission line with low-pass filter characteristics, high-frequency components corresponding to edges (e.g., rising edges or falling edges) may be attenuated due to the low-pass filter characteristics, thereby causing the edges to have a rounded shape rather than a square shape when received by a downstream device. Continuing this example, in some embodiments, the system may be configured to pre-emphasize the high-frequency components of the edges in order to counteract the low-pass filter effect of transmission through the signal transmission line. For example, pre-emphasis may include boosting high-frequency components to cause a stagnant signal level to overshoot at the rising edge or undershoot at the falling edge. Pre-emphasis of high-frequency components may be performed by programming the duration for which a boost capacitor is discharged and / or by programming the time for which the boost capacitor is discharged relative to the edge transition. The time for edge transitions (e.g., at the start of the transition, at the end of the transition, during the transition, etc.) can be programmed by programming the switch resistance of the switch that operably couples the boost capacitor to the signal line.

[0041] 【0045】 Figure 5 is a flowchart of an example of a process 500 for boosting a signal in a signal transmission line according to several embodiments. A block of process 500 may be performed by one or more components of a boost circuit, which may include one or more edge detectors, one or more inverting circuits, one or more boost capacitors, one or more voltage sources, etc. In some embodiments, the blocks of process 500 may be performed in an order other than that shown in Figure 5. In some embodiments, two or more blocks of process 500 can be performed substantially in parallel. In some embodiments, one or more blocks of process 500 can be omitted.

[0042] 【0046】 Process 500 can be initiated in 502 by acquiring one or more signals transmitted over at least one line of a signal transmission line coupling an upstream device to a downstream device. As previously stated, the one or more signals may be transmitted over one or more lines of the signal transmission line. As a specific example, as illustrated and previously stated in relation to Figures 1, 3, and 4A to 4C, the one or more signals may correspond, for example, to signals from a DP line and signals from a DM line used for differential signal transmission in communication compliant with the USB or USB 2.0 protocol. It should be noted that the signal transmission line may be of any suitable length, e.g., 1 meter, 2 meters, 5 meters, 10 meters, 20 meters, etc.

[0043] 【0047】 As previously described in relation to Figures 3 and 4A-4C, a signal transmission line can be associated with any suitable number of boost circuit instances (e.g., 1, 2, 5, etc.) along the signal transmission line, each of which is configured to boost the signal along at least one line of the signal transmission line. A boost circuit instance can include any suitable number of boost capacitors (e.g., 1, 2, etc.), each of which is configured to be operably coupled to a voltage source during the charging phase and to be operably coupled to at least one line of the signal transmission line during the discharging phase. Examples of such boost circuits are illustrated and described above in relation to Figures 3 and 4A-4C. It should be noted that in some embodiments, the boost circuit may be incorporated into a cable acting as a signal transmission line. If the signal transmission line is a PCB trace, the boost circuit may be electrically coupled to the PCB trace.

[0044] 【0048】In 504, process 500 can switch a boost capacitor (e.g., associated with a given boost circuit instance) from a state operably coupled to a voltage source in the charging phase to a state operably coupled to at least one line of signal transmission lines in the discharge phase, in response to detecting the rising and / or falling edges of one or more signals. In other words, the boost capacitor can transfer charge to at least one line during the discharge phase in order to boost the signal on at least one line. As illustrated and described above in relation to Figures 4A to 4C, in some embodiments, a boost circuit instance may have two or more boost capacitors that can operate complementaryly. For example, in the example shown in Figures 4A to 4C, the first boost capacitor may be in the charging phase, while the second boost capacitor is in the discharge phase, and vice versa. In some embodiments, the first boost capacitor may be switched to the discharge phase in response to the DP signal being greater than the DM signal, and the corresponding second boost capacitor may be switched to the discharge phase in response to the DM signal being greater than the DP signal. In such cases, boosting both the DP and DM signals can ensure that the DC common mode between the DP and DM lines remains stable without affecting, for example, the DC bias voltage.

[0045] 【0049】In some embodiments, edge detection may be performed via an equalizer, as illustrated and described above in relation to Figures 4A to 4C. As described above, in some embodiments, the characteristics of the equalizer, such as frequency response and / or gain, may be programmed, which may affect the amount and / or timing of the signal boost with respect to edge transitions. Other aspects of the boost circuit may be programmable, such as the number of boost capacitors used, the voltages provided by each voltage source, and the signal threshold used to detect edge transitions. In addition to or instead of this, as described above, in some embodiments, the duration of the discharge phase and / or the time at which the discharge phase is initiated (with respect to rising or falling edge transitions) may be programmable and / or modifiable. Adjusting the discharge phase duration and / or the time at which the discharge phase is initiated with respect to edge transitions can act to pre-emphasize the edge transition, thereby boosting the high-frequency components of the signal and counteracting the low-pass filter effect of the signal transmission line.

[0046] 【0050】 As those skilled in the art will see, modifications to the forms and details of the embodiments described herein can be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, although various advantages, aspects, and objectives have been described in relation to various embodiments, the scope of this disclosure should not be limited by reference to such advantages, aspects, and objectives. Rather, the scope of this disclosure should be determined by reference to the appended claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 102 Upstream Devices 104 Downstream Devices 106 DP signal 108 DM signal 202 Eye Diagram 204 Eye Diagram 206 Data Signals 208 areas 210 Data signals 302 Boost Capacitor 304 Voltage source 306 Data Line 308 charging stages 310 discharge stages 402 First boost capacitor 404 Second boost capacitor 406 signal line 408 First voltage source 410 Rising edge detector 411 Second voltage source 412 Inverter 414 Falling edge detector 416 Inverter 500 processes S output signal

Claims

[Claim 1] A system for boosting signals transmitted via a signal transmission line, wherein the system is Voltage source and A first boost capacitor is configured to be operably coupled to the voltage source during the charging phase of the first boost capacitor to store charge, and to be operably coupled to the first line of the signal transmission line during the discharge phase of the first boost capacitor to boost the voltage of a first signal transmitted on the first line of the signal transmission line, A switching circuit configured to switch between a charging phase and a discharging phase of the first boost capacitor, the switching circuit controlling a switch located between the first boost capacitor and the voltage supply source so as to electrically connect the first boost capacitor to the voltage supply source during the charging phase of the first boost capacitor and to electrically disconnect the first boost capacitor from the voltage supply source during the discharging phase of the first boost capacitor, A system equipped with these features. [Claim 2] The system according to claim 1, wherein the signal transmission line comprises a first line configured to transmit the first signal and a second line configured to transmit the second signal, and the first signal and the second signal are used for differential signal transmission. [Claim 3] The system according to claim 2, further comprising a second boost capacitor configured to boost the voltage of the second line. [Claim 4] The switching circuit is further configured to couple the first boost capacitor to the first line during the discharge stage of the first boost capacitor, depending on whether the first signal is greater than the second signal. The switching circuit is further configured to couple the second boost capacitor to the second line during the discharge stage of the second boost capacitor, depending on whether the second signal is greater than the first signal. The system according to claim 3. [Claim 5] The system according to claim 3, wherein the first boost capacitor is operably coupled to the voltage source during the charging phase of the first boost capacitor, while the second boost capacitor is operably coupled to the second line during the discharging phase of the second boost capacitor, and the first boost capacitor is operably coupled to the first line during the discharging phase of the first boost capacitor. [Claim 6] A system for boosting signals transmitted via a signal transmission line, wherein the system is Voltage source and A first boost capacitor is configured to be operably coupled to the voltage source during the charging phase of the first boost capacitor to store charge, and to be operably coupled to the first line of the signal transmission line during the discharge phase of the first boost capacitor to boost the voltage of a first signal transmitted on the first line of the signal transmission line, An edge detection component configured to detect the rising edge and / or falling edge of the signal transmitted through the signal transmission line, A switching circuit configured to switch between a charging phase and a discharging phase of the first boost capacitor based on the detected rising edge and / or falling edge of the signal transmitted via the signal transmission line, wherein the switching circuit controls a switch positioned between the first boost capacitor and the voltage supply source so as to electrically connect the first boost capacitor to the voltage supply source during the charging phase and to electrically disconnect the first boost capacitor from the voltage supply source during the discharging phase. A system equipped with these features. [Claim 7] The system according to claim 6, wherein the edge detection component is configured to output a control signal to the switching circuit to start the discharge stage of the first boost capacitor. [Claim 8] The system according to claim 7, wherein the system is configured to pre-enhance the high-frequency components of the signal in order to reduce attenuation caused by the signal transmission line. [Claim 9] The system according to claim 7, wherein the edge detection component includes an equalizer. [Claim 10] The system according to claim 9, wherein the frequency response of the equalizer is programmable. [Claim 11] The system according to claim 6, wherein the first boost capacitor is manufactured from a material designed with temperature stability in mind. [Claim 12] The system according to claim 6, further comprising a second boost capacitor, wherein the second boost capacitor is configured to be in the discharge phase of the second boost capacitor, while the first boost capacitor is configured to be in the charging phase of the first boost capacitor. [Claim 13] The system according to claim 6, wherein the threshold value of the edge detection component is programmable. [Claim 14] The system according to claim 6, wherein the edge detection component includes an inverter. [Claim 15] The system according to claim 6, wherein the signal transmitted via the signal transmission line conforms to the Universal Serial Bus (USB) protocol. [Claim 16] The system according to claim 6, wherein the system is incorporated into the signal transmission line. [Claim 17] The system according to claim 6, wherein the voltage source is programmed to supply a voltage determined based on the amount of voltage boost to be supplied to the signal. [Claim 18] The system according to claim 6, wherein the duration of the discharge phase of the first boost capacitor is programmable, the duration of the discharge phase of the first boost capacitor causes amplification of a high-frequency signal corresponding to the pre-emphasis of the rising edge and / or falling edge of the signal, and the amplification of the high-frequency signal cancels out the low-pass filter effect of the signal transmission line. [Claim 19] The system according to claim 6, wherein the signal transmission line includes a first line configured to transmit the first signal and a second line configured to transmit the second signal, and the first signal and the second signal are used for differential signal transmission. [Claim 20] The system according to claim 19, further comprising a second boost capacitor configured to boost the voltage of the second line.

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