US Patent 7098700 Low power output driver

An output driver. The novel output driver includes a first circuit for receiving an input signal and in accordance therewith generating an output signal at an output node, a second circuit for applying a variable current to the output node, and a third circuit for controlling the magnitude of the variable current in accordance with the input signal. In an illustrative embodiment, the third circuit is adapted to generate a controlling current in accordance with the input signal, and the second circuit includes a current mirror adapted to receive the controlling current and output a scaled version of the controlling current to the output node.