Dual mode rail-to-rail buffer for low voltage memory

• US 8,330,501 B1
• Filed: 10/19/2010
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xilinx, Inc. (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Xilinx, Inc. (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Santurkar, Vikram, Jami, Gautham S.
• Primary Examiner(s): JAGER, RYAN C
• Application Number:
  US12/907,218
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 327/62, 327/65, 327/70, 330/253
• US Class Current: 327/70
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/1084 Data input buffers, e.g. comprising level conversion circuits, circuits for adapting load
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 8/06 Address interface arrangements, e.g. address buffers
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/018528 with at least one differential stage

Abstract

A system for voltage buffering within an integrated circuit (IC). The system can include a first buffer having an input and an output. The first buffer can be configured to buffer a received maximum input voltage approximately equal to a positive voltage supply powering the system. The system can include a second buffer having an input and an output. The input of the first buffer can be coupled to the input of the second buffer. The output of the first buffer can be coupled to the output of the second buffer. The second buffer can be configured to buffer a received minimum input voltage approximately equal to a negative voltage supply powering the system. The system further can include a controller configured to selectively enable only the first buffer or the second buffer at any given time.

Claims

1. A system for voltage buffering within an integrated circuit (IC), the system comprising:

a first buffer comprising an input and an output, wherein the first buffer is configured to buffer a received maximum input voltage approximately equal to a positive voltage supply powering the system;

a second buffer comprising an input and an output, wherein the input of the first buffer is coupled to the input of the second buffer, wherein the output of the first buffer is coupled to the output of the second buffer, and wherein the second buffer is configured to buffer a received minimum input voltage approximately equal to a negative voltage supply powering the system;

a controller configured to selectively enable only the first buffer or the second buffer at any given time;

a bias generator configured to generate a first bias voltage and a second bias voltage;

a first switch configured to enable the first buffer by selectively coupling the first bias voltage to the first buffer responsive to a first control signal from the controller; and

a second switch configured to enable the second buffer by selectively coupling the second bias voltage to the second buffer responsive to a second control signal from the controller.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the controller is further configured to determine whether a voltage of a received mode signal is within a first voltage range or a second voltage range;

responsive to determining that the voltage is within the first voltage range, the controller enables the first buffer while concurrently disabling the second buffer; and

responsive to determining that the voltage is within the second voltage range, the controller enables the second buffer while concurrently disabling the first buffer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the bias generator is further configured to receive a band-gap voltage, wherein the band-gap voltage is used to generate the first bias voltage and the second bias voltage.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first buffer comprises:

an input differential pair comprising a first N-type metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) device and a second NMOS device, wherein a gate terminal of the first NMOS device is the input of the first buffer;

a current source comprising a third NMOS device comprising a drain terminal coupled to a source terminal of each of the first and second NMOS devices, a source terminal coupled to the negative voltage supply, and a gate terminal coupled to the first switch; and

a current mirror comprising a diode connected first P-type metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS) device comprising a gate terminal and a drain terminal coupled to a gate terminal of a second PMOS device and a drain terminal of the first NMOS device, wherein a drain terminal of the second PMOS device is coupled to a drain terminal and a gate terminal of the second NMOS device to form the output of the first buffer.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first switch comprises:

a transmission gate that, responsive to being enabled, couples the first bias voltage to the gate terminal of the third NMOS device of the first buffer; and

a fourth NMOS device that, responsive to being enabled, couples the gate terminal of the third NMOS device to the negative voltage supply.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second buffer comprises:

an input differential pair comprising a first P-type metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS) device and a second PMOS device, wherein a gate terminal of the first PMOS device is the input of the second buffer;

a current source comprising a third PMOS device comprising a drain terminal coupled to a source terminal of each of the first and second PMOS devices, a source terminal coupled to the positive voltage supply, and a gate terminal coupled to the second switch; and

a current mirror comprising a diode connected first N-type metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) device comprising a gate terminal and a drain terminal coupled to a gate terminal of a second NMOS device and a drain terminal of the first PMOS device, wherein a drain terminal of the second NMOS device is coupled to a drain terminal and a gate terminal of the second PMOS device to form the output of the second buffer.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the second switch comprises:

a transmission gate that, responsive to being enabled, couples the second bias voltage to the gate terminal of the third PMOS device of the second buffer; and

a fourth PMOS device that, responsive to being enabled, couples the gate terminal of the third PMOS device to the positive voltage supply.

8. A circuit for voltage buffering in a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuit (IC), the circuit comprising:

a rail-to-rail buffer comprising;

an N-type metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) buffer comprising an NMOS input and an output, wherein the NMOS buffer is configured to buffer a received maximum input voltage approximately equal to a positive voltage supply powering the circuit, and

a P-type metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS) buffer comprising a PMOS input and an output, wherein the NMOS input of the NMOS buffer is coupled to the PMOS input of the PMOS buffer, wherein the output of the NMOS buffer is coupled to the output of the PMOS buffer, and wherein the PMOS buffer is configured to buffer a received minimum input voltage approximately equal to a negative voltage supply powering the circuit;

a controller configured to selectively enable only the NMOS buffer or the PMOS buffer at any given time;

a bias generator configured to generate a first bias voltage and a second bias voltage;

a first switch configured to enable the NMOS buffer by selectively coupling the first bias voltage to the NMOS buffer responsive to a first control signal from the controller; and

a second switch configured to enable the PMOS buffer by selectively coupling the second bias voltage to the PMOS buffer responsive to a second control signal from the controller.

9. The circuit of claim 8, wherein the NMOS buffer further comprises:

an input differential pair comprising a first NMOS device and a second NMOS device, wherein a gate terminal of the first NMOS device is the NMOS input of the NMOS buffer;

an NMOS current source comprising a third NMOS device comprising a drain terminal coupled to a source terminal of each of the first and second NMOS devices, a source terminal coupled to the negative voltage supply, and a gate terminal coupled to the first switch; and

a PMOS current mirror comprising a diode connected first PMOS device comprising a gate terminal and a drain terminal coupled to a gate terminal of a second PMOS current source and a drain terminal of the first NMOS device, and wherein a drain terminal of the second PMOS device is coupled to the drain terminal and the gate terminal of the second NMOS device to form the output of the NMOS buffer.

10. The circuit of claim 9, wherein the first switch comprises:

a transmission gate that, responsive to being enabled, couples the first bias voltage to the gate terminal of the third NMOS device of the NMOS buffer; and

a fourth NMOS device that, responsive to being enabled, couples the gate terminal of the third NMOS device to the negative voltage supply.

11. The circuit of claim 8, wherein the PMOS buffer further comprises:

an input differential pair comprising a first PMOS device and a second PMOS device, wherein a gate terminal of the first PMOS device is the PMOS input of the PMOS buffer;

a PMOS current source comprising a third PMOS device comprising a drain terminal coupled to a source terminal of each of the first and second PMOS devices, a source terminal coupled to the positive voltage supply, and a gate terminal coupled to the second switch; and

an NMOS current mirror comprising a diode connected first NMOS device comprising a gate terminal and a drain terminal coupled to a gate terminal of a second NMOS device and a drain terminal of the first PMOS device, and wherein a drain terminal of the second NMOS device is coupled to the drain terminal and the gate terminal of the second PMOS device to form the output of the PMOS buffer.

12. The circuit of claim 11, wherein the second switch comprises:

a transmission gate that, responsive to being enabled, couples the second bias voltage to the gate terminal of the third PMOS device of the PMOS buffer; and

a fourth PMOS device that, responsive to being enabled, couples the gate terminal of the third PMOS device to the positive voltage supply.

13. The circuit of claim 8, wherein the bias generator comprises:

a first NMOS device comprising a gate terminal that receives a reference bias voltage, a source terminal coupled to the negative voltage supply, and a drain terminal that sinks a first bias current;

a first PMOS device comprising a drain terminal that sources the first bias current and a gate terminal coupled to a drain terminal of the first NMOS device, wherein the first bias voltage is generated at the gate terminal of the first PMOS device;

a second PMOS device comprising a gate terminal coupled to the gate terminal of the first PMOS device and a drain terminal that sources a second bias current, wherein the second bias current is approximately equal to the first bias current; and

a second NMOS device comprising a drain terminal that sinks the second bias current and a gate terminal coupled to a drain terminal of the second PMOS device, wherein the second bias voltage is generated at the gate terminal of the second NMOS device.

14. A method of voltage buffering within an integrated circuit (IC), the method comprising:

determining whether a voltage of a received mode signal is within one of two different voltage ranges;

responsive to determining that the voltage is in the first voltage range, enabling a first buffer while concurrently disabling a second buffer; and

responsive to determining that the voltage is in the second voltage range, enabling the second buffer while concurrently disabling the first buffer,

wherein the first and the second buffers receive the mode signal as a common input signal and generate a common output signal; and

wherein enabling the first buffer while concurrently disabling the second buffer comprises;

coupling a first bias voltage to a current source biasing the first buffer; and

decoupling a second bias voltage from a current source biasing the second buffer.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

buffering a maximum input signal voltage using the first buffer, wherein the maximum input signal voltage is approximately equal to a positive voltage supply powering the first buffer; and

buffering a minimum input signal voltage using the second buffer, wherein the minimum input signal voltage is approximately equal to a negative voltage supply powering the second buffer.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein enabling the second buffer while concurrently disabling the first buffer comprises:

decoupling the first bias voltage from the current source biasing the first buffer; and

coupling the second bias voltage to the current source biasing the second buffer.