Patent ID: 7176823

Claim:
A gigabit ethernet line driver, comprising: a transmitter having both an analog differential transmitter output and an analog differential active hybrid output, comprising: a plurality of transmitter clusters each connected to both the transmitter and the active hybrid outputs; a plurality of transmitter cells within each of the plurality of transmitter clusters, each transmitter cell further comprising: a driver cell including positive and negative current mirror circuits for generating a differential analog transmit signal and a differential analog active hybrid signal which is a current mirrored copy of the differential analog transmit signal, the differential analog transmit signal and differential analog active hybrid signal being connected to the analog differential transmitter output and analog differential active hybrid output, respectively; and a digital to analog converter connected to the driver cell, the converter comprising a source of constant current and a switching circuit operating to switch the constant current between the positive and negative current mirror circuits in response to a transmit data bit value; a hybrid circuit connected between transmitter outputs and receiver inputs and receiving the active analog hybrid output, the hybrid circuit operating to separate a receiver signal from a transmitter signal responsive to a tuning signal and the received active analog hybrid output; a hybrid tuner for providing the tuning signal.