A signal shaper generates an output signal representing a binary sequence, the output signal being the time-dependence of a signal value F. The signal shaper is input a first signal value F0 and a different second signal value F1, and receives a sequence of data bits. If the state of a first data bit and the state of a second data bit differ, the signal shaper controls the signal value F to change monotonically from the first signal value F0 or the second signal value F1 at a first point in time via one or more intermediate values at intermediate points in time to the second signal value F1 or the first signal value F0 at a later second point in time. On the time interval from the first point in time to the second point in time, the output signal may be a monotonic step function.