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High-speed level shifter with voltage swing protection

  • US 9,225,317 B1
  • Filed: 12/22/2014
  • Issued: 12/29/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2014
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A level shifter operated using first and second input signals, the level shifter comprising:

  • a first supply rail providing a first voltage and a second supply rail providing a second voltage different than the first voltage;

    a first switching element and a second switching element coupled to the first supply rail and in parallel with respect to each other;

    an output node connected in series with the first switching element and a bias node connected in series with the second switching element;

    a first protection switching element connected in series between the first switching element and the output node, and a second protection switching element connected in series between the second switching element and the bias node, the first and second protection switching elements each receiving a bias control signal having a first bias voltage between the first and second voltages;

    a first pull-down protection switching element connected in series between the output node and a first protection node, and a second pull-down protection switching element connected in series between the second protection switching element and a second protection node; and

    first and second pull-down switching elements respectively connected in series between the first and second protection nodes and the second supply rail,wherein when the first input signal is in a first state and the second input signal is in a second state, the first switching element is activated and the output node is pulled toward the first voltage, the first pull-down protection and first pull-down switching elements are deactivated, the first protection node is connected to the first bias voltage, the second pull-down protection and second pull-down switching elements are activated and the second protection node is pulled to the second voltage, andwherein when the first input signal is in the second state and the second input signal is in the first state, the first switching element is deactivated, the first pull-down protection and first pull-down switching elements are activated, the output node and the first protection node are pulled toward the second voltage, the second pull-down protection and second pull-down switching elements are deactivated, and the second protection node is connected to the first bias voltage.

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