US 9,178,516 B1Granted

Voltage-level shift apparatus and method of operating the same

AssigneeDelta Electronics, Inc.

InventorsChe-Hung Lin, Yueh-Lung Huang, Yen-Hung Chen

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Abstract

A voltage-level shift apparatus includes a first level shift unit, a second level shift unit, a charging unit, and a discharging unit. The first level shift unit receives a reference voltage and a power voltage to output a level-shifting voltage. The second level shift unit is connected to the first level shift unit and receives the level-shifting voltage. The charging unit receives a control voltage to provide an output voltage. The discharging unit is connected to the charging unit and receives the control voltage and the reference voltage. When the control voltage turns on the charging unit and turns off the discharging unit, the charging unit is charged by the level-shifting voltage. When the control voltage turns off the charging unit and turns on the discharging unit, the discharging unit is discharged from the output voltage.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A voltage-level shift apparatus comprising:

a first level shift unit configured to receive a reference voltage and a power voltage to output a level-shifting voltage;
wherein the level-shifting voltage is equal to a sum of the reference voltage and the power voltage;
a second level shift unit connected to the first level shift unit and configured to receive the level-shifting voltage;
a charging unit configured to receive a control voltage and the level-shifting voltage to provide a required voltage for a charging operation of the charging unit to output an output voltage;
and
a discharging unit connected to the charging unit and configured to receive the control voltage and the reference voltage;
wherein the charging unit is charged by the level-shifting voltage and the level-shifting voltage is the output voltage outputted from the charging unit when the charging unit is turned on and the discharging unit is turned off by the control voltage;
the discharging unit is discharged from the output voltage when the charging unit is turned off and the discharging unit is turned on by the control voltage.

5 more elements

A method of operating a voltage-level shift apparatus, comprising steps of:

(a) providing a first level shift unit, the first level shift unit configured to receive a reference voltage and a power voltage to output a level-shifting voltage;
wherein the level-shifting voltage is equal to a sum of the reference voltage and the power voltage;
(b) providing a second level shift unit, the second level shift unit connected to the first level shift unit and configured to receive the level-shifting voltage;
(c) providing a charging unit, the charging unit configured to receive a control voltage and the level-shifting voltage to provide a required voltage for a charging operation of the charging unit to output an output voltage;
(d) providing a discharging unit, the discharging unit connected to the charging unit and configured to receive the control voltage and the reference voltage;
and
(e) charging the charging unit by the level-shifting voltage and the level-shifting voltage is the output voltage outputted from the charging unit when the charging unit is turned on and the discharging unit is turned off by the control voltage;
discharging the discharging unit from the output voltage when the charging unit is turned off and the discharging unit is turned on by the control voltage.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/465,238Filed 21 Aug 2014
Priority: CN 2014 1 02495746 Jun 2014
Granted: 3 Nov 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

H03K 17/687
By the use, as active elements, of semiconductor devices: the devices being field-effect transistors
H03K 19/017509
Coupling arrangements; Interface arrangements: interface arrangements
H03K 2217/0063
Indexing scheme related to electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making or -breaking covered by H03K17/00: high side switches, i.e.…
H03K 2217/0081
Indexing scheme related to electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making or -breaking covered by H03K17/00: power supply means, e.g.…