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US 12,658,919 B2Granted
Bi-directional level shifter
AssigneeInfineon Technologies AG
InventorsRichard Landenbach, Albrecht Mayer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bi-directional level shifter is described that combines an input/output (I/O) signal and a direction control signal into a single signal, thereby reducing the number of total pins. The combination of I/O and direction is encoded by different voltage levels, and thus no information is encoded by currents. This advantageously keep power consumption low compared to conventional designs. Moreover, because a predetermined voltage encoding is used in which the bi-directional level shifter is configured to detect and respond via hardware, transitions between data flow are detected very quickly.
Claims30
A bi-directional level-shifter circuit, comprising:
- a first input/output (I/O) interface configured to be coupled to a first digital circuit that is configured to operate within a first range of logical voltage levels;
- a second I/O interface configured to be coupled to a second digital circuit that is configured to operate within a second range of logical voltage levels;
- and
- level-shifting circuitry coupled to the first I/O interface and to the second I/O interface, the level-shifting circuitry being configured to:
- level shift signals provided by the second digital circuit from the second range of logical voltage levels to comply with the first range of logical voltage levels when a voltage level of signals provided by the first digital circuit is within an intermediate range of voltage levels that is within and spans a smaller range than the first range of logical voltage levels;
- and
- level shift the signals provided by the first digital circuit from the first range of logical voltage levels to comply with the second range of logical voltage levels when the voltage level of the signals provided by the first digital circuit is outside the intermediate range of voltage levels.
4 more elements
A bi-directional level-shifter circuit, comprising:
- a first input/output (I/O) interface configured to be coupled to a first digital circuit that is configured to operate within a first range of logical voltage levels;
- a second I/O interface configured to be coupled to a second digital circuit that is configured to operate within a second range of logical voltage levels;
- and
- level-shifting circuitry coupled to the first I/O interface and to the second I/O interface, the level-shifting circuitry being configured to, based upon a voltage level of signals provided by the first digital circuit being within an intermediate range of voltage levels that is within and spans a smaller range than the first range of logical voltage levels, selectively switch between operating in (i) a first mode in which the first I/O interface operates as a signal receiver and the second I/O interface signals operates as a signal transmitter, and (ii) a second mode in which the first I/O interface operates as a further signal transmitter and the second I/O interface operates as a further signal receiver.
1 more element
A system, comprising:
- a microcontroller configured to selectively operate in a transmitting mode or a receiving mode within a first range of logical voltage levels;
- and
- a bi-directional level-shifter circuit, comprising:
- a first interface coupled to the microcontroller;
- a second interface coupled to a digital circuit that is configured to operate within a second range of logical voltage levels;
- and
- level-shifting circuitry that is coupled to the first interface and to the second interface, the level-shifting circuitry being configured to:
- level shift signals provided by the digital circuit from the second range of logical voltage levels to comply with the first range of logical voltage levels when a voltage level of signals provided by the microcontroller is within an intermediate range of voltage levels that is within and spans a smaller range than the first range of logical voltage levels;
- and
- level shift the signals provided by the microcontroller from the first range of logical voltage levels to comply with the second range of logical voltage levels when the voltage level of the signals provided by the microcontroller is outside the intermediate range of voltage levels.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.