Data isolators are described. The data isolators include a differential receiver having cross-coupled single-ended amplifiers. The single-ended amplifiers may be referenced to a time-varying reference potential. The cross-coupling of the single-ended amplifiers may provide high speed, low power consumption operation of the data isolator.

Isolators for high frequency signals transmitted between two circuits configured to operate at different voltage domains are provided. The isolators may include resonators capable of operating at high frequencies with high transfer efficiency, high isolation rating, and a small substrate footprint. In some embodiments, the isolators may operate at a frequency not less than 20 GHz, not less than 30 GHz, not less than 65 GHz, or between 20 GHz and 100 GHz, including any value or range of values within such range. The isolators may include inductive loops with slits and capacitors integrally formed at the slits. The sizes and shapes of the inductive loops and capacitors may be configured to control the values of equivalent inductances and capacitances of the isolators. The isolators are compatible to different fabrication processes including, for example, micro-fabrication and PCB manufacture processes.

An encoding and transmitting system for a digital isolator system includes a transmitter for transmitting combined edge indicator signals through an isolation barrier, an encoder for generating the combined edge indicator signals based on first and second signals, a refresh clock generator for generating a refresh clock signal based on the first signal, and a refresh edge generator for masking at least a portion of the refresh clock signal, such that the portion of the refresh clock signal is not reflected in the second signal. The isolation barrier of the digital isolator system may be a capacitive isolation barrier for galvanically isolating a receiver from the transmitter. If desired, the refresh edge generator may include a refresh mask generator, one or more logic gates, and a glitch filter. A method of operating a digital isolator system is also described.

Implementations provide a receiver circuit that includes: an alternate current (AC)-coupling network to filter an input signal, the AC-coupling network including a first RC filter connected between a first input node and a first common node and a second RC filter connected between a second input node and the first common node; a differential amplifier coupled to the AC-coupling network and configured to receive a filtered input signal from the AC-coupling network and generate an output signal, the differential amplifier including a differential pair of transistors and a common-mode measurement network coupled to source terminals of a first and a second transistors in the differential pair; and a first operational amplifier having an input coupled to output terminal of the common-mode measurement network and an output coupled to the first common node.

A transceiver comprising: a transmitter configured to transmit a signal comprising differential voltages to at least a first terminal and a second terminal; at least one receiver; a controller configured to provide control signals to the transmitter to cause the transmitter to transmit symbols, wherein each symbol comprises a predefined set of said differential voltages including at least a positive differential voltage and a negative differential voltage; and a signal balance module configured, for one or more symbols, to: determine a first duration of the positive differential voltage of said one or more symbols; determine a second duration of the negative differential voltage of said one or more symbols; based on determination of a difference between the first and second durations, provide for control of the controller or control of the transmitter to reduce the difference between the first and second durations in a further symbol relative to the one or more symbols.

A multi-channel digital isolator includes a digital isolator and an interlock circuit. The isolator includes a transmitter having a transmitter output, a receiver having a receiver input and a receiver output, an isolation barrier coupled between the transmitter output and the receiver input, and an output buffer having a buffer input and configured to output an isolated signal. The transmitter is configured to transmit an input signal across the isolation barrier. The interlock circuit has an interlock input coupled to the receiver output and an interlock output coupled to the buffer input. The interlock module is configured to prevent overlapping active states between the first isolated signal and a complementary isolated signal. In some implementations, the digital isolator also includes a dead-time insertion circuit.

Various examples are directed to a rotary coupler and methods of use thereof. The rotary data coupler may comprise a transmitter and receiver. The transmitter may comprise a first band and a second transmitter band. The receiver may comprise a receiver housing positioned to rotate relative to the first transmitter band and the second transmitter band. A first receiver band may be positioned opposite the first transmitter band to form a first capacitor and a second receiver band may be positioned opposite the second transmitter band to form a second capacitor. The receiver may also comprise a resistance electrically coupled between the first receiver band and the second receiver band and a differential amplifier. The differential amplifier may comprise an inverting input and a non-inverting input, with the non-inverting input electrically coupled to the first receiver band and the inverting input electrically coupled to the second receiver band.

To obtain a communication apparatus capable of reducing the consumption of electric power. A communication system according to the present disclosure includes a transmitter that generates a first signal including communication data and sends the first signal through a communication terminal in a first operation mode, and that generates a second signal including a predetermined first signal pattern and having a transition rate lower than the first signal and sends the second signal through the communication terminal in a second operation mode, and a controller that sets an operation mode for the transmitter to either of a plurality of operation modes including the first operation mode and the second operation mode.

LED drive control circuitry according to one embodiment outputs an LED drive control signal serving as driving a light emitting diode included in a photocoupler that performs insulation communication in synchronization with a reference clock signal. The LED drive control circuit includes a duty cycle changer that changes a duty cycle of the LED drive control signal in accordance with the reference clock signal and a signal synchronized with the reference clock signal.

The present embodiments relate generally to data communications, and more particularly to systems including high-speed serializer-deserializer circuits having TCOILs. One or more embodiments are directed to a four-terminal TCOIL structure that consumes the same amount of area on a chip as a traditional three-terminal structure, while providing more bandwidth and less reflection and group delay variation.