High-voltage multi-level shifter for ultrasound applications and transmit/receive channel for ultrasound applications using said level shifter

A transmit/receive channel for ultrasound applications comprising:

• a connection terminal configured to be coupled to a piezoelectric transducer;
• a low-voltage output terminal;
• an anti-noise block;
• a receive switch coupled between said connection terminal and a low-voltage output terminal and configured to pass a receive signal from the connection terminal to the low-voltage output terminal;
• and
• a high-voltage multi-level shifter that includes:
• an output terminal, the anti-noise block being coupled between the output terminal of the high-voltage multi-level shifter and the connection terminal;
• a first branch having a high-voltage PMOS first transistor and a high-voltage NMOS second transistor electrically coupled with each other between a first higher voltage reference terminal and a first lower voltage reference terminal, said first and second transistors having respective drain terminals coupled together and respective control terminals;
• first and second input drivers configured to control the control terminals of the first and second transistors,
• a second branch, electrically coupled in parallel to the first branch, having:
• a high-voltage NMOS third transistor electrically coupled between said first higher voltage reference terminal and an output node, and
• a high-voltage PMOS fourth transistor electrically coupled between said output node and said first lower voltage reference terminal,
• said third and fourth transistors having respective control terminals configured to be controlled by said drain terminals of said first transistor and said second transistor respectively, and
• said first and fourth transistors having the same current-carrying capacity, and said second and third transistors being configured as having the same current-carrying capacity;
• and
• a bidirectional battery coupled between said drain terminals of said first transistor and said second transistor and configured to supply first and second voltage values having the same magnitude and different polarities;
• said bidirectional battery being configured to control said fourth transistor according to the first voltage value when said first transistor is turned on;
• and
• said bidirectional battery being configured to control said third transistor being controlled according to the second voltage value when said second transistor is turned on.

A multi-level shifter, comprising:

• a first branch having a first transistor and a second transistor electrically coupled with each other between a first higher voltage reference terminal and a first lower voltage reference terminal, said first and second transistors having respective control terminals;
• a second branch, electrically coupled in parallel to the first branch, and including:
• a third transistor electrically coupled between said first higher voltage reference terminal and an output node, and
• a fourth transistor electrically coupled between said output node and said first lower voltage reference terminal;
• and
• a bidirectional battery coupled between said first transistor and said second transistor and configured to supply first and second voltage values having the same magnitude and different polarities, said bidirectional battery being configured to control said fourth transistor according to the first voltage value when said first transistor is turned on, and said bidirectional battery being configured to control said third transistor according to the second voltage value when said second transistor is turned on.