Patent ID: 6847232

Claim:
A driver circuit for driving a load with a differential signal, comprising: a first output drive portion operably coupled to a power supply rail; a second output drive portion coupled to the first output drive portion, a low voltage differential input signal, and further comprising output terminals coupled to the load, and operably coupled with a current source, wherein the second output drive portion is operable to switch alternate polarity terminals of the load to the current source; and a common mode compensation circuit coupled to the output terminals of the second output drive portion and the first output drive portion, wherein the common mode compensation circuit is operable to detect a common mode voltage associated with the load and generate a compensation signal in response thereto, wherein the first output drive portion is operable to vary an impedance associated therewith in response to the compensation signal, thereby regulating a common mode voltage associated with the load, whereby the differential signal is transmitted to the load at a high rate of speed with a high compliance of the common mode output even at high current loading conditions, while maintaining a pre-drive circuit with a wide common mode range, wherein both when the load is a standard LVDS load, the load is driven by a standard LVDS compatible output, and when the load is a standard CML load, the load is driven by a standard CML compatible output.