Circuit having a controllable slew rate
AssigneeMircron Technology, Inc.
InventorKen S. Hunt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A circuit for producing an output signal at an output thereof in response to an input signal at an input thereof is comprised, in one embodiment, of a first switch for connecting the output to a first voltage source and a second switch for connecting the output to a second voltage source. A first control switch is provided for turning off the first switch in response to the logic level of the input signal while a second control switch is provided for turning off the second switch in response to the logic level of the input signal. An integrator is responsive to the input signal for turning on one of the first and second switches depending on the logic level of the input signal. A method of operating such a circuit is also disclosed.
Claims30
A circuit for producing an output signal at an output thereof in response to an input signal at an input thereof, comprising:
- a first switch for connecting the output to a first voltage source;
- a second switch for connecting the output to a second voltage source;
- an RC integrator, responsive to the input signal, for turning said first and second switches on;
- a first control switch, responsive to the input signal, for turning off the first switch;
- and
- a second control switch, responsive to the input signal, for turning off the second switch.
A drive circuit, comprising:
- an input for receiving an input signal having at least first and a second logic levels;
- an output pad;
- a first switch for connecting said output pad to a first voltage source representative of the first logic level;
- a second switch for connecting said output pad to a second voltage source representative of the second logic level;
- an RC integrator for turning on one of said first and second switches in response to the logic level of the input signal;
- and
- first and second control switches for turning off one of said first and second switches, respectively, in response to the logic level of the input signal.
A memory device, comprising:
- an array of memory cells;
- a plurality of pads;
- and
- circuitry for moving information between said array of memory cells and said plurality of data pads, said circuitry including a plurality of drivers each servicing one of said data pads, each driver comprising:
- an input for receiving an input signal having at least first and a second logic levels;
- a first switch for connecting one of said output pads to a first voltage source representative of the first logic level;
- a second switch for connecting said output pad to a second voltage source representative of the second logic level;
- an RC integrator for turning on one of said first and second switches in response to the logic level of the input signal;
- and
- first and second control switches for turning off one of said first and second switches, respectively, in response to the logic level of the input signal.
A system, comprising:
- a processor;
- a memory device connected to said processor, said memory device comprising:
- an array of memory cells;
- a plurality of pads;
- and
- circuitry for moving information between said array of memory cells and said plurality of data pads, said circuitry including a plurality of drivers each servicing one of said data pads, each driver comprising:
- an input for receiving an input signal having at least first and a second logic levels;
- a first switch for connecting one of said output pads to a first voltage source representative of the first logic level;
- a second switch for connecting said output pad to a second voltage source representative of the second logic level;
- an RC integrator for turning on one of said first and second switches in response to the logic level of the input signal;
- and
- first and second control switches for turning off one of said first and second switches, respectively, in response to the logic level of the input signal.
A method of operating an output circuit of the type having first and second switches connecting first and second voltage sources, respectively, to an output in response to the logic levels of an input signal, said method comprising:
- integrating the input signal with an RC integrator;
- turning one of the first and second switches off in response to the input signal;
- and
- turning one of the first and second switches on in response to the integrated input signal.
A method of operating an output circuit of the type having first and second switches connecting first and second voltage sources, respectively, to an output in response to the logic levels of an input signal, said method comprising:
- turning off the one of the first and second switches which is on in response to a change in logic level of the input signal;
- integrating the input signal with an RC integrator;
- and
- turning on the one of the first and second switches which was previously off in response to the integrated input signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.