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US 8,710,897 B2Granted
Level shifter and method of using the same
AssigneeMagnaChip Semiconductor, Ltd.
InventorsHyoung-kyu Kim, Jin-wook Kim, Bae-kun Choi
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Abstract
A level shifter and a method of operating a level shifter are provided. The level shifter includes a first-level shifter unit configured to convert an external input signal into a signal in a preset first-voltage range using a plurality of transistors and output the converted signal and a second-level shifter unit configured to convert the signal output from the first-level shifter unit into a signal in a preset second-voltage range using a plurality of transistors and output the converted signal.
Claims22
A level shifter, comprising:
- a first-level shifter unit configured to convert an external input signal into a signal in a preset first-voltage range using a plurality of transistors and a first clamping power supply and output the converted signal;
- and
- a second-level shifter unit configured to convert the signal output from the first-level shifter unit into a signal in a preset second-voltage range using a plurality of transistors and a second clamping power supply and output the converted signal,
- wherein an upper-threshold voltage of the second-voltage range is higher than that of the first-voltage range and a lower-threshold voltage of the second-voltage range is higher than that of the first-voltage range,
- wherein, in each of the plurality of transistors in the first-level shifter unit and the plurality of transistors in the second-level shifter unit, a voltage between a gate and a source thereof is equal to or less than 6 V, and
- wherein the first clamping power supply is directly received by the gates of two of the plurality of transistors of the first-level shifter and configured to prevent the signal output of the first-level shifter unit from being lower than the lower-threshold voltage of the second-level shifter.
3 more elements
A method of operating a level shifter, comprising:
- converting an external input signal into a first signal in a preset first-voltage range with a first set of transistors and a first clamping power supply;
- and
- converting the first signal into a second signal in a preset second-voltage range using a second set of transistors and a second clamping power supply,
- wherein an upper-threshold voltage of the second-voltage range is higher than an upper-threshold voltage of the first-voltage range, and a lower-threshold voltage of the second-voltage range is higher than a lower-threshold voltage of the first-voltage range,
- wherein the first set and the second set of transistors are medium-voltage transistors, and
- wherein the first clamping power supply is directly received the gates of two of the first set of transistors and configured to prevent the first signal from being lower than the lower-threshold voltage of the second-level shifter.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.