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US 11,901,900 B2Granted
Schmitt trigger with current assistance circuit
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics International N.V.
InventorsKailash Kumar, Manoj Kumar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An integrated circuit includes an input pad and a Schmitt trigger coupled to the input pad. The Schmitt trigger includes a main PMOS branch that charges an intermediate node of the Schmitt trigger responsive to voltage transitions at the input node. The Schmitt trigger includes a charging assistance circuit that helps to rapidly charge the intermediate node of the Schmitt trigger. The charging assistance circuit includes a parallel PMOS branch in parallel with the main PMOS branch.
Claims20
An integrated circuit, including:
- an input pad;
- and
- a Schmitt trigger including:
- an input coupled to the input pad;
- a first main transistor branch coupled between a high supply voltage and an intermediate node;
- a charging assistance circuit including:
- a parallel transistor branch of a first conductivity type coupled between the high supply voltage and the intermediate node;
- pass transistor coupled between the input pad and the parallel transistor branch;
- a switching storage element coupled to a gate terminal of the pass transistor;
- and
- a control and reset circuit coupled to the switching storage element, the pass transistor, and the parallel transistor branch;
- and
- a second main transistor branch coupled between the intermediate node and ground.
10 more elements
A method, comprising:
- supplying an input voltage from an input pad of an integrated circuit to a Schmitt trigger of the integrated circuit;
- supplying a charging current from a main transistor branch of the Schmitt trigger to an intermediate node of the Schmitt trigger responsive to a transition of the input voltage from a high input value to a low input value;
- and
- supplying a supplemental charging current from a parallel transistor branch of the Schmitt trigger to the intermediate node responsive to the transition of the input voltage from a high input value to a low input value, wherein a pass transistor is coupled between the input pad and the parallel transistor branch, a switching storage element is coupled to a gate terminal of the pass transistor, and a control and reset circuit is coupled to the switching storage element, the pass transistor, and the parallel transistor branch.
1 more element
An integrated circuit, comprising:
- an input pad;
- a Schmitt trigger coupled to the input pad and including:
- a first inverter having:
- a first main transistor branch including a first transistor of a first conductivity type;
- and
- a second main transistor branch including a second transistor of a second conductivity type opposite of the first conductivity type coupled to the first transistor at an intermediate node of the Schmitt trigger;
- a second inverter having:
- an input coupled to the intermediate node;
- and
- an output corresponding to an output of the Schmitt trigger;
- and
- a charging assistance circuit coupled to the intermediate node and including:
- a parallel transistor branch of the first conductivity type coupled between a supply voltage and the intermediate node;
- a pass transistor coupled between the input pad and the parallel transistor branch;
- a switching storage element coupled to a gate terminal of the pass transistor;
- and
- a control and reset circuit coupled to the switching storage element, the pass transistor, and the parallel transistor branch.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.