Host-equalized optical links

Abstract

An embodiment includes a host-equalized optical transceiver. The host-equalized optical transceiver includes a driver analog interface, a linear laser diode driver (LLDD), and an optical transmitter. The driver analog interface is configured to interface with a host integrated circuit (IC) of a host system. The LLDD is directly electrically coupled to a host IC of the host system via the driver analog interface. The LLDD is configured to receive an equalized electrical data signal directly from the host IC via the driver analog interface and to generate a driving signal based on the equalized electrical data signal. The equalized electrical data signal is a linear signal. The optical transmitter is electrically coupled to the LLDD. The optical transmitter is configured to receive the driving signal from the LLDD and to generate an optical signal that is representative of the driving signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A host-equalized optical transceiver comprising:
 a driver interface that is configured to interface with an external transmitter equalization circuit so as to limit degradation of an equalized signal following equalization by the transmitter equalization circuit;   a linear laser diode driver (LLDD) configured to receive an equalized electrical data signal from an external transmitter equalization circuit via a driver interface and to generate a driving signal based on the equalized electrical data signal, wherein the equalized electrical data signal is a linear analog signal requiring no additional equalization prior to reception at the LLDD;   an optical transmitter that is coupled to the LLDD and configured to generate an optical signal that is representative of the driving signal;   an amplifier analog interface;   an optical receiver that is configured to receive optical data signals communicated along an optical fiber and to convert the received optical data signals to electrical data signals representative of the received optical data signals; and   a linear trans-impedance amplifier (LTIA) that is coupled to an external receiver equalization circuit and configured to amplify and communicate the electrical data signals received from the optical receiver to the external receiver equalization circuit via the amplifier analog interface.