Patent ID: 8639193

Claim:
A communication device comprising: a receiver unit operable to receive one or more signals via a communication medium when the communication device is configured in a receive operating mode; and a transmitter unit operable to transmit one or more signals via the communication medium when the communication device is configured in a transmit operating mode, wherein the transmitter unit comprises: a line driver circuit operable to amplify the one or more signals transmitted via the communication medium when the communication device is configured in the transmit operating mode; and a biasing circuit coupled with the line driver circuit, the biasing circuit operable to: generate a first bias voltage to bias output transistors of the line driver circuit in a sub-threshold state in response to receiving a first control signal when the communication device is configured in the receive operating mode; generate a second bias voltage to bias output transistors of the line driver circuit in a saturation state in response to receiving a second control signal when the communication device is configured in the transmit operating mode.