Level shifter and method of calibration

• US 10,097,183 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2017
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Schemm, Nathan Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Donovan, Lincoln
• Assistant Examiner(s): Almo, Khareem E
• Application Number:
  US15/463,404
• Publication Number:
  US 20170288672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/018507 Interface arrangements

Abstract

A level shifter includes a signal generator that generates differential signals on a first output and a second output. A first capacitor is coupled between the first output and a first node and a second capacitor is coupled between the second output and a second node. A third capacitor is coupled between the first node and a first voltage potential, wherein the capacitance of the third capacitor is variable. A fourth capacitor is coupled between the second node and the first voltage potential, wherein the capacitance of the fourth capacitor is variable.

Claims

1. A circuit comprising:

a signal transmitter having a first transmitter terminal and a second transmitter terminal;

a signal receiver having a first receiver terminal and a second receiver terminal;

a first capacitor coupled between the first transmitter terminal and the first receiver terminal, and having a first capacitance;

a second capacitor coupled between the second transmitter terminal and the second receiver terminal, and having a second capacitance;

a third capacitor coupled between the first receiver terminal and a terminal voltage source, and having a third capacitance defining a first ratio over the first capacitance; and

a fourth capacitor coupled between the second receiver terminal and the terminal voltage source, and having a fourth capacitance defining a second ratio over the second capacitance, the second ratio matching the first ratio.

2. The circuit of claim 1, further comprising:

a common mode voltage source;

a first switch coupled between the first receiver terminal and the common mode voltage source; and

a second switch coupled between the second receiver terminal and the common mode voltage source.

3. The circuit of claim 1, further comprising:

a differential amplifier having a first input coupled to the first receiver terminal, and a second input coupled to the second receiver terminal.

4. The circuit of claim 3, wherein:

the third capacitance and the fourth capacitance are each adjustable;

the differential amplifier is configured to generate a test signal based on a voltage difference between the first and second receiver terminals when the first and second receiver terminals are decoupled from a common mode voltage source; and

at least one of the third capacitance or the fourth capacitance is adjusted based on the test signal such that the second ratio matches the first ratio.

5. The circuit of claim 4, further comprising:

a processor coupled to receive the test signal from the differential amplifier, and configured to provide instructions to adjust at least one of the third capacitance or the fourth capacitance.

6. The circuit of claim 5, wherein the processor is configured to decouple the common mode voltage source from the first and second receiver terminals while the test signal is being generated.

7. The circuit of claim 5, wherein the processor is configured to determine a common mode transient immunity between the first receiver terminal and the second first receiver terminal based on the test signal.

8. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the signal transmitter includes:

a first buffer configured to transmit a first signal to the first transmitter terminal;

a second buffer configured to transmit a second signal to the second transmitter terminal; and

a variable voltage source coupled to the first and second buffers.

9. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the first capacitance is different from the second capacitance.

10. A method of calibrating a level shifter, the method comprising:

coupling a first node to a first voltage potential, the first node being coupled to a first capacitor coupled to a signal generator, a second capacitor coupled to a second voltage potential, and a first input to a first differential amplifier;

coupling a second node to the first voltage potential, the second node being coupled to a third capacitor coupled to the signal generator, a fourth capacitor coupled to the second voltage potential, and a second input to the first differential amplifier;

decoupling the first voltage from the first node and the second node;

sweeping a voltage across the level shifter to generate a differential voltage between the first node and the second node;

measuring the voltage difference between the first node and the second node; and

adjusting the capacitance value of at least one of the second capacitor and the fourth capacitor in response to the measuring.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein inputs of a second differential amplifier are coupled to the first node and the second node, and wherein the measuring comprises measuring the output voltage of the second differential amplifier.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the adjusting comprises adjusting the capacitance value of at least one of the second capacitor and the fourth capacitor to equalize the voltages between the first node and the second node.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein equalizing the voltages on the first node and the second node comprises making the voltage on the first node within a predetermined value of the voltage on the second node.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the first voltage potential is a function of the common-mode rejection ratio of the first differential amplifier.

15. The method of claim 10, further wherein adjusting the capacitance value of at least one of the second capacitor and the fourth capacitor in response to the measuring indicating that the voltage difference between the first node and the second node exceeds a predetermined value.

16. A method comprising:

generating, by a transmitter, a first signal having a first voltage amplitude during a calibration mode;

generating, by the transmitter, a second signal having a second voltage amplitude during an operation mode, the second voltage amplitude greater than the first voltage amplitude; and

setting a threshold voltage of a comparator in a receiver to detect the first signal during the calibration mode and the second signal during the operation mode.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first voltage amplitude is half of the second voltage amplitude.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the first and second signals each comprises a pair of differential signals.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

transmitting the first and second signals from the transmitter to the receive via a capacitor.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the second voltage amplitude is greater than the first voltage amplitude by a noise margin.