Dual-domain combinational logic circuitry
AssigneeRambus Inc.
InventorsFrederick A. Ware, John Eric Linstadt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A combinational logic circuit includes input circuitry to receive a first and second input signals that transition between supply voltages of first and second voltage domain, respectively. The input circuitry generates, based on the first and second input signals, a first internal signal that transitions between one of the supply voltages of the first voltage domain and one of the supply voltages of the second voltage domain. Output circuitry within the combinational logic circuit generates an output signal that transitions between the upper and lower supply voltages of the first voltage domain in response to transition of the first internal signal.
Claims20
Signal driver circuitry within an integrated circuit device, the signal driver comprising:
- first and second transistors having drain terminals coupled to one another, source terminals coupled respectively to upper and lower supply voltage nodes of a first voltage domain, and gate terminals coupled respectively to first and second control signal lines;
- and
- third and fourth transistors having drain terminals coupled to one another and source terminals coupled respectively to upper and lower supply voltage nodes of a second voltage domain, the third transistor having a gate terminal coupled to one of the first and second control signal lines and the fourth transistor having a gate terminal coupled to the other of the first and second control signal lines.
A method of operation within an integrated circuit device, the method comprising:
- conveying complementary first and second control signals to respective gate terminals of first and second transistors within a signal driver circuit, the first and second transistors having drain terminals coupled to one another and source terminals coupled respectively to upper and lower supply voltage nodes of a first voltage domain;
- and
- conveying the complementary first and second control signals to respective gate terminals of third and fourth transistors within the signal driver circuit, the third and fourth transistors having drain terminals coupled to one another and (ii) source terminals coupled to upper and lower supply voltage nodes of a second voltage domain.
Signal driver circuitry within an integrated circuit device, the signal driver comprising:
- first and second transistors having drain terminals coupled to one another, source terminals coupled respectively to upper and lower supply voltage nodes of a first voltage domain, and gate terminals coupled respectively to first and second control signal lines;
- third and fourth transistors having drain terminals coupled to one another and source terminals coupled respectively to upper and lower supply voltage nodes of a second voltage domain, the third transistor having a gate terminal coupled to one of the first and second control signal lines and the fourth transistor having a gate terminal coupled to the other of the first and second control signal lines;
- and
- means for generating, on the first and second control signal lines, respectively, first and second complementary control signals that transition between a first voltage of the upper voltage node of the first voltage domain, and a second voltage of the lower voltage node of the second voltage domain.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.