Patent ID: 6185263
Filing Date: 2001-02-06
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
A communication system including a differential signal transmitter, the transmitter comprising:a multiplicity of signal component output circuits, each signal component output circuit operable in a first mode sensitive to a first metric and a second mode sensitive to a second metric, wherein, each signal component output circuit contributing a particular signal quantum to a differential output signal, a maximal value of the sum of said quanta determined by a particular transmission standard, the maximal value defined by a corresponding number of signal component output circuits, wherein a control word adaptively disables a set of signal component output circuits so as to limit the maximal value of the sum of the signal quanta contributed by the remaining signal component output circuits to a value determined by a second transmission standard; anda selection circuit, the selection circuit asserting control signals adaptively configuring each signal component output circuit to operate in either the first mode or the second mode wherein, the selection circuit includes a first logic circuit connected to receive the control word, the first logic circuit asserting control signals which operate a corresponding signal component output circuit in the first mode, and a second logic circuit connected to receive the control word, the second logic circuit asserting control signals which operate a corresponding signal component output circuit in the second mode and wherein the transmitter includes an output DAC, the output DAC further including a DAC decoder circuit, the decoder circuit receiving input digital signals and outputting a control word to the signal component output circuits, wherein the control word is the same for both the first and second modes.