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US 9,755,621 B1Granted
Single stage cascoded voltage level shifting circuit
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics International N.V.
InventorsRohan Sinha, Vikas Rana
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A level shifting circuit operates at a high voltage level without stressing the transistors. The circuit has the ability to swing between large supply domains. Multiple output voltage levels are supported for the level shifted signal. Additionally, output nodes are stably driven to supply voltage levels that do not vary with respect to process corner and temperature.
Claims22
A level shifting circuit, comprising:
- a pair of input transistors of a first type coupled respectively between a first pair of complementary output nodes and a reference supply node;
- a first pair of cascode transistors of the first type coupled between a second pair of complementary output nodes and the first pair of complementary output nodes, respectively, wherein control terminals of the first pair of cascode transistors are coupled to receive a first cascode supply voltage;
- a second pair of cascode transistors of a second type coupled between a third pair of complementary output nodes and the second pair of complementary output nodes, respectively, wherein control terminals of the second pair of cascode transistors are coupled to receive the first cascode supply voltage;
- a first drive transistor having a source-drain path coupled between one output node of the third pair of complementary output nodes and the control terminal of one transistor of the second pair of cascode transistors, a control terminal of the first drive transistor directly connected to one output node of the second pair of complementary output nodes;
- and
- a second drive transistor having a source-drain path coupled between another output node of the third pair of complementary output nodes and the control terminal of another transistor of the second pair of cascode transistors, a control terminal of the second drive transistor directly connected to another output node of the second pair of complementary output nodes.
3 more elements
A circuit, comprising:
- a pair of input transistors of a first type coupled respectively between a first pair of complementary output nodes and a reference supply node;
- a first pair of cascode transistors of the first type coupled between a second pair of complementary output nodes and the first pair of complementary output nodes, respectively, wherein control terminals of the first pair of cascode transistors are coupled to receive a first cascode supply voltage;
- a second pair of cascode transistors of a second type coupled between a third pair of complementary output nodes and the second pair of complementary output nodes, respectively, wherein control terminals of the second pair of cascode transistors are coupled to receive the first cascode supply voltage;
- a first drive transistor having a source-drain path coupled between one output node of the third pair of complementary output nodes and the control terminal of one transistor of the second pair of cascode transistors, a control terminal of the first drive transistor coupled to one output node of the second pair of complementary output nodes;
- a second drive transistor having a source-drain path coupled between another output node of the third pair of complementary output nodes and the control terminal of another transistor of the second pair of cascode transistors, a control terminal of the second drive transistor coupled to another output node of the second pair of complementary output nodes;
- a first pair of cross-coupled transistors coupled between the first cascode supply voltage and the first pair of complementary output nodes, respectively;
- and
- a second pair of cross-coupled transistors coupled between a supply voltage and the second pair of complementary output nodes.
5 more elements
A level shifting circuit, comprising:
- an input transistor of a first type having a first conduction terminal coupled to a first output node, a second conduction terminal coupled to a reference supply node and a control terminal coupled to receive an input signal;
- a first cascode transistor of the first type having a first conduction terminal coupled to a second output node, a second conduction terminal coupled to the first output node and a control terminal coupled to receive a first cascode supply voltage;
- a second cascode transistor of a second type having a first conduction terminal coupled to a third output node, a second conduction terminal coupled to the second output node and a control terminal coupled to receive the first cascode supply voltage;
- and
- a first drive transistor of the second type having a first conduction terminal coupled to the third output node, a second conduction terminal coupled to the control terminal of the second cascode transistor and a control terminal directly connected to the second output node.
2 more elements
A circuit, comprising:
- an input transistor of a first type having a first conduction terminal coupled to a first output node, a second conduction terminal coupled to a reference supply node and a control terminal coupled to receive an input signal;
- a first cascode transistor of the first type having a first conduction terminal coupled to a second output node, a second conduction terminal coupled to the first output node and a control terminal coupled to receive a first cascode supply voltage;
- a second cascode transistor of a second type having a first conduction terminal coupled to a third output node, a second conduction terminal coupled to the second output node and a control terminal coupled to receive the first cascode supply voltage;
- a first drive transistor of the second type having a first conduction terminal coupled to the third output node, a second conduction terminal coupled to the control terminal of the second cascode transistor and a control terminal coupled to the second output node;
- and
- a first cross coupled latching circuit coupled between the first cascode supply voltage and the first output node.
3 more elements
A level shifting circuit, comprising:
- an input transistor of a first type having a first conduction terminal directly connected to a first node, a second conduction terminal coupled to a reference supply node and a control terminal coupled to receive an input signal;
- a first cascode transistor of the first type having a first conduction terminal directly connected to a second node, a second conduction terminal directly connected to the first node and a control terminal coupled to receive a first cascode supply voltage;
- a second cascode transistor of a second type having a first conduction terminal directly connected to a first output node, a second conduction terminal directly connected to the second node and a control terminal coupled to receive the first cascode supply voltage;
- a first drive transistor of the second type having a first conduction terminal coupled to the first output node, a second conduction terminal coupled to the control terminal of the second cascode transistor and a control terminal directly connected to the second node;
- and
- a first cross coupled latching circuit powered from a supply voltage other than a voltage at the reference supply node and directly connected to the first output node.
3 more elements
A circuit, comprising:
- an input transistor of a first type having a first conduction terminal coupled to a first node, a second conduction terminal coupled to a reference supply node and a control terminal coupled to receive an input signal;
- a first cascode transistor of the first type having a first conduction terminal coupled to a second node, a second conduction terminal coupled to the first node and a control terminal coupled to receive a first cascode supply voltage;
- a second cascode transistor of a second type having a first conduction terminal coupled to a first output node, a second conduction terminal coupled to the second node and a control terminal coupled to receive the first cascode supply voltage;
- a first drive transistor of the second type having a first conduction terminal coupled to the first output node, a second conduction terminal coupled to the control terminal of the second cascode transistor and a control terminal coupled to the second node;
- a first cross coupled latching circuit coupled between a supply voltage and the first output node;
- and
- a third cascode transistor of the first type having a first conduction terminal coupled to a third node, a second conduction terminal coupled to the first output node and a control terminal coupled to receive a second cascode supply voltage, wherein said supply voltage is the second cascode supply voltage.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.