SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LEVEL-SHIFTING VOLTAGE SIGNALS USING A DYNAMIC LEVEL-SHIFTING ARCHITECTURE
First Claim
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1. A voltage shifting data transmission system, comprising:
- a static level-shifter having an input for a control signal within a first voltage domain and an output for a signal representing the strobe signal shifted to a second voltage domain; and
a plurality of dynamic level-shifters, each having a first input coupled to the shifted strobe signal, a second input for a respective data signal within the first voltage domain, and an output for a signal representing the respective data signal shifted to the second voltage domain.
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Abstract
A system and method to level-shift multiple signals from a first voltage domain to a second voltage domain with minimized silicon area. A level-shifting system may be organized by implementing a static level-shifter coupled to a plurality of dynamic level-shifters. The static level-shifter may provide a voltage control signal for each of the dynamic level-shifters. Each of the dynamic level-shifters may level-shift an individual input signal from a first voltage domain to a second voltage domain.
14 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A voltage shifting data transmission system, comprising:
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a static level-shifter having an input for a control signal within a first voltage domain and an output for a signal representing the strobe signal shifted to a second voltage domain; and a plurality of dynamic level-shifters, each having a first input coupled to the shifted strobe signal, a second input for a respective data signal within the first voltage domain, and an output for a signal representing the respective data signal shifted to the second voltage domain. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A circuit system, comprising:
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a first integrated circuit having inputs for a plurality of control signals, the inputs operable in a first voltage domain, a second integrated circuit having outputs coupled to the control inputs of the first integrated circuit and having internal processing logic operable in a second voltage domain, the second integrated circuit having an output system that comprises; a static level-shifter having an input for a control signal within the second voltage domain and an output for a signal representing the strobe signal shifted to the first voltage domain; and a plurality of dynamic level-shifters, each having a first input coupled to the shifted strobe signal, a second input for a respective data signal within the second voltage domain, and an output for a signal representing the respective data signal shifted to the first voltage domain. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of converting data signals from a first voltage domain to a second voltage domain, comprising:
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shifting a control strobe from the first voltage domain to the second voltage domain, during a reset period of the control strobe, resetting a plurality of dynamic level shifters, and during an active period of the control strobe, shifting data signals input to the dynamic levels shifters from the first voltage domain to the second voltage domain. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A dynamic level-shifter circuit, comprising:
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a first and second circuit path extending between a voltage domain source supply and drain supply, a series of cross-coupled transistors situated along the respective first and second circuit path between the source supply and a respective first and second path intermediate node N1 and N2. respective transistors for receiving a control voltage within the source and drain supply voltage range situated along the respective first and second circuit path between the source supply and the respective intermediate node N1 and N2, respective transistors for receiving differential voltage inputs situated along the respective first and second circuit path between the respective first and second path intermediate node N1 and N2 and a third intermediate node N3, a transistor for receiving a control voltage within the source and drain supply voltage range situated between the drain supply and the intermediate node N3, and differential outputs formed by respective inverters situated between the source supply and drain supply coupled to the respective first and second path intermediate node N1 and N2.
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Specification