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US 11,456,597 B2Granted
Input protection and level shifter circuit
OwnerDavid L. Whitney, Manuel M. Del Arrozinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Voltage clamping and level shifting is provided. A first reverse direction high-electron-mobility transistor includes a source connected to an input pad, and a drain connected to a first reference voltage. A second reverse direction high-electron-mobility transistor includes a source and a gate connected to a second reference voltage, and a drain connected to the input pad. A gate of the first reverse direction high-electron-mobility transistor is connected to the second reference voltage. Level shifting is provided by an arrangement of three high-electron-mobility transistor and a resistive element
Claims13
An input protection and level shifter circuit, comprising:
- a first reference voltage;
- a second reference voltage;
- an input pad;
- a protected level shifted circuit input;
- a first reverse direction high-electron-mobility transistor, the first reverse direction high-electron-mobility transistor including:
- a first source connected to the input pad,
- a first gate connected to the input pad, and
- a first drain connected to the first reference voltage;
- and,
- a second reverse direction high-electron-mobility transistor, the second reverse direction high-electron-mobility transistor including:
- a second source connected to the second reference voltage,
- a second gate connected to the second reference voltage, and
- a second drain connected to the input pad;
- a third reverse high-electron-mobility transistor, the first high-electron-mobility transistor including:
- a third source connected to the first reference voltage;
- a third gate, and
- a third drain connected to the protected level shifted circuit input,
- a first high-electron-mobility transistor, the first high-electron-mobility transistor including:
- a fourth source connected to the second reference voltage,
- a fourth gate connected to the input pad, and
- a fourth drain connected to the third gate of the third reverse high-electron-mobility transistor;
- a second high-electron-mobility transistor, the second high-electron-mobility transistor including:
- a fifth source connected to the second reference voltage,
- a fifth gate connected to input pad, and
- a fifth drain connected to the protected level shifted circuit input;
- and
- a resistive element connected between the first reference voltage and the fourth drain of the first high-electron-mobility transistor.
24 more elements
An electrostatic discharge protection circuit, comprising:
- a first reference voltage;
- a second reference voltage;
- an input pad to an integrated circuit;
- a first reverse direction high-electron-mobility transistor, the first reverse direction high-electron-mobility transistor including:
- a first source connected to the input pad,
- a first gate connected to the input pad, and
- a first drain connected to the first reference voltage;
- and,
- a second reverse direction high-electron-mobility transistor, the second reverse direction high-electron-mobility transistor including:
- a second source connected to the second reference voltage,
- a second gate connected to the second reference voltage, and
- a second drain connected to the input pad;
- a third reverse high-electron-mobility transistor, the first high-electron-mobility transistor including:
- a third source connected to the first reference voltage;
- a third gate, and
- a third drain connected to the protected level shifted circuit input,
- a first high-electron-mobility transistor, the first high-electron-mobility transistor including:
- a fourth source connected to the second reference voltage,
- a fourth gate connected to the input pad, and
- a fourth drain connected to the third gate of the third reverse high- electron-mobility transistor;
- a second high-electron-mobility transistor, the second high-electron-mobility transistor including:
- a fifth source connected to the second reference voltage,
- a fifth gate connected to input pad, and
- a fifth drain connected to the protected level shifted circuit input;
- and
- a resistive element connected between the first reference voltage and the fourth drain of the first high-electron-mobility transistor.
23 more elements
A method for clamping and level shifting a voltage on an input pad to produce a protected level shifted circuit input, comprising:
- providing a first reference voltage;
- providing a second reference voltage;
- connecting a first source and a first gate of a first reverse direction high-electron- mobility transistor to the input pad;
- connecting a first drain of the first reverse direction high-electron-mobility transistor to the first reference voltage;
- connecting a second source and a second gate of a second reverse direction high-electron-mobility transistor to the second reference voltage;
- connecting a second drain of the second reverse direction high-electron-mobility transistor to the input pad;
- connecting a third source of a third reverse direction high-electron-mobility transistor to the first reference voltage;
- connecting a third drain of the third reverse direction high-electron-mobility transistor to the protected level shifted circuit input;
- connecting a fourth source of a first high-electron-mobility transistor to the second reference voltage;
- connecting a fourth gate of the first high-electron-mobility transistor to the input pad;
- connecting a fourth drain of the first high-electron-mobility transistor to a third gate of the third reverse direction high-electron-mobility transistor;
- connecting a fifth source of a second high-electron-mobility transistor to the second reference voltage;
- connecting a fifth gate of the second high-electron-mobility transistor to the input pad;
- connecting a fifth drain of the second high-electron-mobility transistor to the protected level shifted circuit input;
- and
- connecting a resistive element between the first reference voltage and the fourth drain of the first high-electron-mobility transistor.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.