Patent ID: 7538588

Claim:
A dual-function driver, comprising: a first transistor comprising a first terminal coupled to a first node, a control terminal coupled to a first input terminal, and a second terminal coupled to one of a pair of output terminals; a second transistor comprising a first terminal coupled to the first node, a control terminal coupled to a second input terminal and a second terminal coupled to the other of the pair of output terminals; a third transistor comprising a first terminal coupled to the second terminal of the first transistor, a control terminal coupled to the first input terminal, and a second terminal coupled to a second node; a fourth transistor comprising a first terminal coupled to the second terminal of the second transistor, a control terminal coupled to the second input terminal, and a second terminal coupled to the second node; first and second gate controllers coupled to gate terminals of the first and second transistors respectively; and first, second, third, and fourth buffers respectively coupled between the gate terminal of the first transistor and the first input terminal, between the gate terminal of the second transistor and the second input terminal, between the gate terminal of the third transistor and the first input terminal and between the gate terminal of the fourth transistor and the second input terminal; wherein the first, second, third and fourth transistors are enabled to output a first differential signal compliant with a first specification through the output terminals according to a first input signal compliant with the first specification in a first mode, and in a second mode, the first and transistors are disabled and the third and fourth transistors are enabled to output a second differential signal compliant with a second specification through the output terminals according to a second input signal compliant with the second specification; and wherein the first and second specifications are low voltage differential signaling (LVDS) and transmission minimized differential signaling (TMDS) specifications for digital visual interface (DVI).