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US 2011/0032019 A1Published application
Level shifter with output latch
AssigneeAtmel Corporation
InventorTerje Saether
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A level shifter for a microcontroller shifts an input voltage in a first power domain to an output voltage level consistent with a second power domain. The level shifter is enabled to shift the voltages when both power domains are operative.
Claims20
A device comprising:
- a power input to couple to a power in voltage of a first power domain;
- a power output to couple to a power out voltage of a second power domain;
- an input to receive a logic signal having a level consistent with the first power domain;
- an output to provide a level shifted logic signal output having a level consistent with the second power domain;
- and
- a latch operable to selectively latch the level shifted logic signal output.
3 more elements
A controller comprising:
- a processor operating in a digital power domain, the processor to generate control signals and receive input signals from a touchscreen operating in an analog domain via a plurality of I/O pins;
- each input signal I/O pin having at least one level shifter to switch the voltage level of input signals from the analog domain to the digital domain, each level shifter comprising:
- an power input to couple to a power in voltage of a first power domain;
- a power output to couple to a power out voltage of a second power domain independent from the first power domain;
- an input to receive a logic signal having a level consistent with the first power domain;
- an output to provide a level shifted logic signal output having a level consistent with the second power domain;
- and
- a latch operable to selectively latch the level shifted logic signal output.
5 more elements
A method comprising:
- shifting input voltages from a first power domain to a second power domain via a level shifter having an input corresponding to voltages in the first power domain and an output having an output corresponding to voltages in the second power domain;
- detecting that one of the first and second power domains is off via a voltage detection circuit;
- latching an output of the level shifter responsive to detecting that one of the first and second power domains is off;
- and
- disabling the level shifter responsive to detecting that one of the first and second power domains is off.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.