Input and output buffer including a dynamic driver reference generator

A driver comprising:

• at least one stress transistor;
• at least one cascode transistor;
• and
• a dynamic bias circuit configured to supply a dynamic bias signal to the cascode transistor such that a stress voltage across the stress transistor is within a pre-determined value,
• wherein the driver is configured to dynamically adjust the stress voltage based at least on one of a plurality of dynamic driver reference signals, and
• wherein the dynamic driver reference signals comprise a first dynamic driver reference signal, a second dynamic driver reference signal, a third dynamic driver reference signal, and a fourth dynamic driver reference signal, wherein the first dynamic driver reference signal is a complement of the second dynamic driver reference signal, and the third dynamic driver reference signal is a complement of the fourth dynamic driver reference signal.

A level shifter comprising:

• a first transistor configured to receive a conditioned data signal;
• a second transistor configured to receive a complement of the conditioned data signal;
• a plurality of cascode transistors, each of the cascode transistors is configured to receive a dynamic driver reference signal based on the conditioned data signal and the complement of the conditioned data signal,
• wherein the first transistor, the second transistor, and the cascode transistors are thin-oxide transistors each having a gate oxide thickness of about 28 Angstroms.

A method comprising:

• providing at least a plurality of dynamic driver reference signals, level shifted signals, and pre-driver signals in response to variations in a data signal and an input and output (IO) buffer supply voltage;
• and
• providing a dynamic bias signal to a stress transistor, the dynamic bias signal is based at least on a pad signal, the dynamic driver reference signals, the level shifted signals and the pre-driver signals,
• wherein the dynamic driver reference signals comprise a first dynamic driver reference signal, a second dynamic driver reference signal, a third dynamic driver reference signal, and a fourth dynamic driver reference signal, wherein the first dynamic driver reference signal is a complement of the second dynamic driver reference signal, and the third dynamic driver reference signal is a complement of the fourth dynamic driver reference signal.