Abstract: A r a level shifter circuit includes a first p-channel kick transistor connected directly across a first cross-coupled p-channel transistor, a second p-channel kick transistor connected directly across a second cross-coupled p-channel transistor, a first gate drive circuit coupled to the gate of the first p-channel kick transistor and configured to turn on first p-channel kick transistor to pull up the first output node in response to a rising edge of a signal at the input node, and a second gate drive circuit coupled to the gate of the second p-channel kick transistor and configured to turn on second p-channel kick transistor to pull up the second output node in response to a falling edge of a signal at the input node.

Abstract: A hybrid input/output pad driver includes an input node in a first voltage supply domain coupled to a p-device driver in the second voltage supply domain and an n-device driver in the second voltage domain. A p-channel pullup transistor is coupled between a voltage potential in a third voltage domain and an input/output pad. Its gate is coupled to the output of the p-device driver. An n-channel pulldown transistor is coupled between ground and the input/output pad. Its gate is coupled to the output of the n-device driver. An n-channel pullup transistor has a source coupled to the input/output pad, a drain coupled to the voltage potential in the third voltage supply domain. An inverter in the second voltage supply domain is programmably connectable between the output of the p-driver circuit and the gate of the n-channel pullup transistor.

Abstract: A r a level shifter circuit includes a first p-channel kick transistor connected directly across a first cross-coupled p-channel transistor, a second p-channel kick transistor connected directly across a second cross-coupled p-channel transistor, a first gate drive circuit coupled to the gate of the first p-channel kick transistor and configured to turn on first p-channel kick transistor to pull up the first output node in response to a rising edge of a signal at the input node, and a second gate drive circuit coupled to the gate of the second p-channel kick transistor and configured to turn on second p-channel kick transistor to pull up the second output node in response to a falling edge of a signal at the input node.

Abstract: A hybrid input/output pad driver includes an input node in a first voltage supply domain coupled to a p-device driver in the second voltage supply domain and an n-device driver in the second voltage domain. A p-channel pullup transistor is coupled between a voltage potential in a third voltage domain and an input/output pad. Its gate is coupled to the output of the p-device driver. An n-channel pulldown transistor is coupled between ground and the input/output pad. Its gate is coupled to the output of the n-device driver. An n-channel pullup transistor has a source coupled to the input/output pad, a drain coupled to the voltage potential in the third voltage supply domain. An inverter in the second voltage supply domain is programmably connectable between the output of the p-driver circuit and the gate of the n-channel pullup transistor.

Abstract: An embodiment of an apparatus is disclosed. For this embodiment, an output driver and a bias voltage controller are included. The bias voltage controller is coupled to provide first and second bias voltages to the output driver. The bias voltage controller comprises a bias generator coupled to a first voltage supply, a second voltage supply, and a ground node. The bias generator has a first bias node for sourcing the first bias voltage. The first voltage supply is configured to provide a higher voltage level than the second voltage supply. A resistor-divider network is coupled to the first voltage supply and the ground node. A watch dog circuit is coupled to the resistor-divider network, bias generator, and the ground node. A comparison circuit is coupled to the bias generator and the second voltage supply. The comparison circuit has a second bias node for sourcing the second bias voltage.

Abstract: A bias circuit generates a bias voltage. The bias circuit includes a first, a second, and a third detection circuit and a summing circuit. The first detection circuit generates a first characterization voltage that represents a variation of a power supply voltage from a nominal voltage. The first characterization voltage increases as the power supply voltage decreases and the first characterization voltage decreases as the power supply voltage increases. The second detection circuit generates a second characterization voltage that represents a threshold voltage of one or more p-type transistors. The third detection circuit generates a third characterization voltage that represents a threshold voltage of one or more n-type transistors. The summing circuit generates the bias voltage that is the power supply voltage reduced by a weighted sum of the first, second, and third characterization voltages.