×

Voltage level shifter

  • US 9,621,134 B2
  • Filed: 10/20/2015
  • Issued: 04/11/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2015
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A level shifter for providing an output signal in a first voltage domain as a function of an input signal in a second voltage domain, the level shifter comprising:

  • a level shifter module in the first voltage domain for providing the output signal;

    a control module for controlling operation of the level shifter module, the control module including a complementary pair of transistors and a first native transistor connected in a series current conduction path in the first voltage domain, wherein each of the transistors of the complementary pair are connected in the series current conduction path to a first intermediate node that is connected to control the level shifter module; and

    a further transistor connected in the series current conduction path to a first complementary transistor of the complementary pair at a second intermediate node and to the first native transistor,wherein the transistors of the complementary pair have control nodes connected to receive the input signal, and the first native transistor has a control node connected to limit to a leakage current of the current in the series current conduction path,wherein the first complementary transistor and the further transistor are of a first type and the first native transistor is of an opposite type to the first type, andwherein the control node of the first native transistor is connected to the second intermediate node and is reverse biased by a voltage drop in the series current conduction path across the further transistor.

View all claims
  • 5 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×