ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD FOR SIGNAL TRANSMISSION BETWEEN DIFFERENT VOLTAGE DOMAINS

• US 20100254478A1
• Filed: 04/07/2009
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria Ag (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria Ag (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Barrenscheen, Jens
• Granted Patent: US 7,893,715 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/286
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/018507 Interface arrangements

Abstract

An arrangement and method for signal transmission between different voltage domains is disclosed. One embodiment provides a first signal processing unit receiving a first supply voltage. A second signal processing unit receives a second supply voltage, the first supply voltage and the second supply voltage overlap each other in a first overlap range. A third signal processing unit receives a third supply voltage, the second supply voltage and the third supply voltage overlap each other in a second voltage overlap range. A first information signal from the first signal processing unit is transmitted to the second signal processing unit. A second information signal dependent on the first information signal from the second signal processing is transmitted to the third signal processing unit.

Claims

1. A signal transmission method, comprising:

providing a first signal processing unit receiving a first supply voltage;

providing a second signal processing unit receiving a second supply voltage, the first supply voltage and the second supply voltage overlapping each other in a first overlap range;

providing a third signal processing unit receiving a third supply voltage, the second supply voltage and the third supply voltage overlapping each other in a second voltage overlap range;

transmitting a first information signal from the first signal processing unit to the second signal processing unit; and

transmitting a second information signal dependent on the first information signal from the second signal processing to the third signal processing unit.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising wherein in which the first information signal has a signal range that lies within the first overlap range, and the second information signal has a signal range that lies within the second overlap range.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second signal processing unit comprises a level-shifter configured to shift an input signal that has a signal range lying within the first overlap range to an output signal that has a signal range lying within the second overlap range.

4. The method of claim 3, comprising wherein the level-shifter receives the first information signal as an input signal and provides the second information signal as an output signal.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the second signal processing unit comprises a processing unit configured to receive the first information signal, to process the first information signal, and to provide a processed first information signal to the level shifter, and wherein the level-shifter receives the processed first information signal as an input signal and provides the second information signal as an output signal.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising providing the first, second and third supply voltages by at least three capacitive storage elements connected in series to each other, the first supply voltage being a voltage across a series circuit of the first and second capacitive storage elements, the second supply voltage being a voltage across a series circuit of the second and third capacitive storage elements, and the third supply voltage being dependent on a voltage across the third capacitive storage element.

7. The method of claim 6, in which a fourth capacitive storage element is connected in series to the third capacitive storage element and in which the third supply voltage is a voltage across a series circuit of the third and fourth capacitive storage element.

8. The method of claim 6, comprising configuring the first signal processing unit configured to measure a temperature of at least one of the first and second capacitive storage elements and configured to generate the first information signal such that it represents the temperature.

9. The method of claim 6, comprising configuring the first signal processing unit configured to measure a voltage across at least one of the first and second capacitive storage elements and configured to generate the first information signal such that it represents the temperature.

10. The method of claim 6, comprising wherein the capacitive storage elements are accumulator cells.

11. The method of claim 1, comprising wherein the first supply voltage is present between a first lower supply potential and a first upper supply potential;

the second supply voltage is present between a second lower supply potential and a second upper supply potential;

the third supply voltage is present between a third lower supply potential and a third upper supply potential; and

wherein the first upper supply potential is higher than the third upper supply potential.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising wherein the first lower supply potential equals the third upper supply potential.

13. The method of claim 1, comprising wherein the first supply voltage is present between a first lower supply potential and a first upper supply potential;

the second supply voltage is present between a second lower supply potential and a second upper supply potential;

the third supply voltage is present between a third lower supply potential and a third upper supply potential; and

wherein the first upper supply potential is lower than the third upper supply potential.

14. The method of claim 13, comprising wherein the first upper supply potential equals the third lower supply potential.

15. A signal transmission arrangement, comprising:

a first signal processing unit configured to receive a first supply voltage;

a second signal processing unit configured to receive a second supply voltage, the first supply voltage and the second supply voltage overlapping each other in a first overlap range;

a third signal processing unit configured to receive a third supply voltage, the second supply voltage and the third supply voltage overlapping each other in a second voltage overlap range;

the first signal processing unit configured to transmit a first information signal from the first signal processing unit to the second signal processing unit; and

the second signal processing configured to transmit a second information signal that is dependent on the first information signal from the second signal processing to the third signal processing unit.

16. The arrangement of claim 15, wherein the second signal processing unit comprises a level-shifter configured to shift an input signal having a signal range lying within the first overlap range to an output signal having a signal range lying within the second overlap range.

17. The arrangement of claim 16, comprising wherein the level-shifter receives the first information signal as an input signal and provides the second information signal as an output signal.

18. The arrangement of claim 16, wherein the second signal processing unit comprises a processing unit configured to receive the first information signal, to process the first information signal, and to provide a processed first information signal to the level shifter, and

wherein the level-shifter receives the processed first information signal as an input signal and provides the second information signal as an output signal.

19. The arrangement of claim 15, further comprising:

at least three capacitive storage elements that are connected in series to each other;

the first supply voltage being a voltage across a series circuit of the first and second capacitive storage elements;

the second supply voltage being a voltage across a series circuit of the second and third capacitive storage elements; and

the third supply voltage being dependent on a voltage across the third capacitive storage element.

21. The arrangement of claim 19, comprising wherein the first signal processing unit is configured to measure a temperature of at least one of the first and second capacitive storage elements and configured to generate the first information signal such that it represents the temperature.

22. The arrangement of claim 19, comprising wherein the first signal processing unit is configured to measure a voltage across at least one of the first and second capacitive storage elements and configured to generate the first information signal such that it represents the temperature.

23. The method of claim 19, comprising wherein the capacitive storage elements are accumulator cells.

20. The arrangement of 19, further comprising:

a fourth capacitive storage element connected in series to the third capacitive storage element, the third supply voltage being a voltage across a series circuit of the third and fourth capacitive storage element.

24. A system comprising:

a first signal processing unit configured to receive a first supply voltage;

a second signal processing unit configured to receive a second supply voltage that overlays the first supply voltage in a first overlap range;

a third signal processing unit configured to receive a third supply voltage, the second supply voltage and the third supply voltage overlapping each other in a second voltage overlap range, different from the first voltage overlap range.