Selection circuit

• US 20050280313A1
• Filed: 07/06/2005
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: Baglin, Thomas Jean Ludovic
• Granted Patent: US 7,142,038 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/66
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/005 with several inputs only

Abstract

A selection circuit having a comparator with comparator inputs connected to first and second voltage inputs), respectively, and a comparator output connected to a control input of a first controllable switch and an inverter. The selection circuit also has a second controllable switch having a second control input connected to the inverter. The first voltage input is connectable to a selection circuit output by the first controllable switch and the second voltage input is connectable to the selection circuit output by the second controllable switch. The inverter has a power supply connector connected to the first voltage input and the comparator has a power supply connector connected to the second voltage input.

Claims

1. A selection circuit, comprising:

a comparator having comparator inputs connected to first and second voltage inputs, respectively, and a comparator output connected to a first control input of a first controllable switch and to an inverter; and

a second controllable switch having a second control input connected to the inverter,

wherein the first voltage input is connectable to a selection circuit output by the first controllable switch, and the second voltage input is connectable to the selection circuit output by the second controllable switch, and

wherein the inverter has a power supply connector connected to the first voltage input, and the comparator has a power supply connector connected to the second voltage input.

2. The selection circuit according to claim 1, further comprising a first controllable pull down element connected between the comparator output and a reference potential.

3. The selection circuit according to claim 2, further comprising a second controllable pull down element connected between the inverter output and the reference potential.

4. The selection circuit according to claim 3, wherein the first pull down element and the second pull down element are NMOS transistors.

5. The selection circuit according to claim 2, wherein the first controllable pull down element comprises a control input connected to the first voltage input and can be controlled by a first supply voltage supplied by the first voltage input.

6. The selection circuit according to claim 2, wherein the second controllable pull down element comprises a control input connected to the second voltage input and can be controlled by a second supply voltage supplied by the second voltage input.

7. The selection circuit according to claim 1, wherein the comparator is an operational amplifier.

8. A method for operating a selection circuit according to claim 3, comprising the steps of:

applying a first voltage at the first voltage input and a second voltage at the second voltage input;

if the first voltage is higher than the second voltage, the voltage at the output of the comparator controls the first controllable switch to connect the first voltage input to the selection circuit output; and

if the first voltage is lower than the second voltage, the voltage at the output of the inverter controls the second controllable switch to connect the second voltage input to the selection circuit output.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein if the first voltage or the second voltage is lower than a minimum voltage, either

the first controllable pull down element pulls the output of the comparator down and the first controllable switch connects the first voltage input to the selection circuit output, or

the second controllable pull down element pulls the output of the inverter down and the second controllable switch connects the second voltage input to the selection circuit output.

10. A selection circuit, comprising:

a comparing means having comparator inputs connected to first and second voltage inputs, respectively, and a comparator output connected to a first control input of a first controllable switching means and to an inverting means; and

a second controllable switching means having a second control input connected to the inverting means,

wherein the first voltage input is connectable to a selection circuit output by the first controllable switching means, and the second voltage input is connectable to the selection circuit output by the second controllable switching means, and

wherein the inverting means has a power supply connector connected to the first voltage input, and the comparing means has a power supply connector connected to the second voltage input.

11. The selection circuit according to claim 10, further comprising a first controllable pull down means connected between the comparator output and a reference potential.

12. The selection circuit according to claim 11, further comprising a second controllable pull down means connected between the inverting means output and the reference potential.

13. The selection circuit according to claim 12, wherein the first pull down means and the second pull down means are NMOS transistors.

14. The selection circuit according to claim 11, wherein the first controllable pull down means comprises a control input connected to the first voltage input and can be controlled by a first supply voltage supplied by the first voltage input.

15. The selection circuit according to claim 11, wherein the second controllable pull down means comprises a control input connected to the second voltage input and can be controlled by a second supply voltage supplied by the second voltage input.

16. The selection circuit according to claim 10, wherein the comparing means is an operational amplifier.

17. A method for operating a selection circuit according to claim 12, comprising the steps of:

applying a first voltage at the first voltage input and a second voltage at the second voltage input;

if the first voltage is higher than the second voltage, the voltage at the output of the comparing means controls the first controllable switching means to connect the first voltage input to the selection circuit output; and

if the first voltage is lower than the second voltage, the voltage at the output of the inverting means controls the second controllable switching means to connect the second voltage input to the selection circuit output.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein if the first voltage or the second voltage is lower than a minimum voltage, either

the first controllable pull down means pulls the output of the comparing means down and the first controllable switching means connects the first voltage input to the selection circuit output, or

the second controllable pull down means pulls the output of the inverting means down and the second controllable switching means connects the second voltage input to the selection circuit output.