Patent ID: 8761237

Claim:
In an integrated circuit, an equalizer having an input and an output, the equalizer comprising: a load coupled to the output of the equalizer; a first amplifier having a first gain, an input coupled to the input of the equalizer, and an output coupled to the load; and a second amplifier having a second gain, an input coupled to the input of the equalizer, and an output coupled to the load; wherein, in a first mode of operation the second gain is substantially zero and the first gain ranges between a maximum gain Km and a gain breakpoint Kb, wherein in a second mode of operation the first gain is substantially the maximum gain and the second gain ranges between the maximum gain Km and the gain breakpoint Kb, wherein the combined gain of the first and second amplifiers applied to the load in the first mode is between Kb and Km and the combined gain in the second mode is between 0 and Kb, and wherein the gain breakpoint Kb is less than the maximum gain and greater than zero.