Interstage Coupling (e.g., Level Shift, Etc.) Patents (Class 327/333)
  • Patent number: 10848156
    Abstract: A circuit includes first through fifth transistors. The first transistor has a first control input and first and second current terminals. The second transistor has a second control input and third and fourth current terminals. The third transistor has a third control input and fifth and sixth current terminals. The third control input is coupled to the third current terminal, and the fifth current terminal is coupled to a supply voltage node. The fourth transistor has a fourth control input and seventh and eighth current terminals. The fourth control input is coupled to the first current terminal, and the seventh current terminal coupled to the supply voltage node. The fifth transistor has a fifth control input and ninth and tenth current terminals. The fifth control input is coupled to the first control input, and the tenth current terminal coupled to the second current terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Krishna Reddy Mudimela Venkata, Sneha Shetty, Sankar Debnath
  • Patent number: 10833584
    Abstract: Boot-strapping systems and techniques for circuits are described. One or more solid-state switches of a switched regulation circuit may be implemented using core transistors and the boot-strapping systems, rather than I/O transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Empower Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Parag Oak, Timothy A. Phillips
  • Patent number: 10833678
    Abstract: In a first example a voltage level-shifting device includes a level-shifting stage circuit. The level-shifting stage circuit includes a first level-shifting inverter circuit to invert a buffered input signal to drive a first internal node, a second level-shifting inverter circuit to invert a buffered inverted input signal to drive a second internal node, a first pre-drive circuit that receives the buffered inverted input signal, and drives the second internal node based on the state of the buffered inverted input signal, and a second pre-drive circuit that receives the buffered input signal, and drives the first internal node based on the state of the buffered input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP
    Inventor: Paul Armstrong
  • Patent number: 10823765
    Abstract: A low power comparator and a self-regulated device for adjusting power saving level of an electronic device are provided. The low power comparator includes an input differential pair circuit, a self-regulated device, and a tail current switch. The input differential pair circuit is configured to receive input signals to be compared. The self-regulated device is coupled to the input differential pair circuit and includes a self-regulated circuit which has a first transistor with a first threshold voltage and a second transistor with a second threshold voltage and is configured to adjust a power saving level of the low-power comparator according to the first threshold voltage and the second threshold voltage. The tail current switch is coupled to the input differential pair circuit through the self-regulated circuit to provide a constant current to the input differential pair circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yung-Chow Peng, Chung-Peng Hsieh
  • Patent number: 10790025
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory includes: a memory cell array provided in a first layer above a semiconductor substrate and including a plurality of memory cells; a first word line coupled to a first memory cell of the plurality of memory cells; a driver generating a voltage applied to the first word line; a first transistor including one end coupled to the first word line and the other end coupled to the driver; a first transfer gate line coupled to a gate of the first transistor and including a portion passing through the first layer, a second layer between the semiconductor substrate and the first layer, and a third layer above the first layer; and a first level shifter applying a voltage to the first transfer gate line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventor: Masashi Yamaoka
  • Patent number: 10790826
    Abstract: A level shifter is disclosed. The level shifter comprises a pulse generating circuit, configured to receive an input signal, and generate a plurality of first-level pulses having a pulse width shorter than a pulse width of the input signal, wherein the input signal swings over a first voltage domain; a pulse transforming circuit, coupled to the pulse generating circuit, configured to generate a plurality of second-level pulses corresponding to the plurality of first-level pulses; and a latching circuit, coupled to the pulse transforming circuit, configured to generate an output signal by latching a status of the output signal in response to the plurality of second-level pulses, wherein the output signal swings over a second voltage domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: NOVATEK Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventor: Hsiang-Yi Chiu
  • Patent number: 10784842
    Abstract: Various implementations described herein refer to an integrated circuit having a first stage and a second stage. The first stage has first transistors arranged as a diode, a first latch and feedback assist to facilitate shifting an input voltage in a first voltage domain to an output voltage in a second voltage domain. The first stage uses the diode and the first latch to reduce contention between the first latch and input transistors. The diode, the first latch and the feedback assist enable activation of the input transistors with the input voltage. The second stage has second transistors arranged as a second latch followed by output buffers that provide a buffered output voltage as feedback to the feedback assist of the first stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Arm Limited
    Inventors: Seshagiri Rao Bogi, Vinay Chenani, Biswanath Nayak, Vijaya Kumar Vinukonda
  • Patent number: 10756644
    Abstract: Controlling gate-source voltage with a gate driver in a secondary-side controller in a secondary-controlled converter is described. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a provider field effect transistor (FET) coupled to a transformer and the secondary-side controller coupled to the transformer. The gate driver is integrated on the secondary-side controller and is configured to control the gate-source voltage and slew rate of the secondary-side FET.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Pulkit Shah
  • Patent number: 10715364
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for improving uniformity between levels of a multi-level signal are described. Techniques are provided herein to unify peak-to-peak voltage differences between the amplitudes of data transmitted using multi-level signaling. Such multi-level signaling may be configured to increase a data transfer rate without increasing the frequency of data transfer and/or a transmit power of the communicated data. An example of multi-level signaling scheme may be pulse amplitude modulation (PAM). Each unique symbol of the multi-level signal may be configured to represent a plurality of bits of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy M. Hollis
  • Patent number: 10715146
    Abstract: A semiconductor die. The die comprises a level shifter coupled to a positive differential input and to a negative differential input comprising a first operational amplifier, wherein the first operational amplifier is configured to generate an internal common mode voltage coupled to a positive differential output and to a negative differential output, a positive alternating current (AC) coupled feed-forward path comprising a first capacitor coupled to the positive differential input and to the positive differential output, a negative AC coupled feed-forward path comprising a second capacitor coupled to the negative differential input and to the negative differential output, a positive direct current (DC) feed-forward path coupled to the differential input, to the internal common mode voltage sense node, and to the positive differential output, and a negative DC feed-forward path coupled to the differential input, to the internal common mode voltage sense node, and to the negative differential output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Steven Ernest Finn
  • Patent number: 10705148
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a boosting section configured to output a second voltage boosted from a first voltage; a voltage lowering section configured to output a lowered voltage that has been lowered from the second voltage by a predetermined voltage; a first buffer amp including a non-inverting input terminal connected to an output of the voltage lowering section; a second buffer amp including a non-inverting input terminal that is input with the first voltage; and a difference output section configured to output a voltage corresponding to a difference between output of the first buffer amp and output of the second buffer amp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: LAPIS SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Naoaki Sugimura
  • Patent number: 10693301
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including a first buffer amplifier into which a voltage of a high potential side of one battery cell selected from plural battery cells that are connected in series is input; a second buffer amplifier into which a voltage of a low potential side of the one battery cell other than a lowermost stage battery cell is input; an analog level shifter into which a voltage output from the first buffer amplifier and a voltage output from the buffer amplifier are input; a first switch that switches a voltage input to the analog level shifter from the voltage output from the second buffer amplifier to a reference voltage; and a second switch that switches a voltage input to the first buffer amplifier from the voltage of the high potential side of the one battery cell to the reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: LAPIS SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Naoaki Sugimura
  • Patent number: 10686436
    Abstract: Voltage stabilizing and voltage regulating circuits implemented in GaN HEMT technology provide stable output voltages suitable for use in applications such as GaN power transistor gate drivers and low voltage auxiliary power supplies for GaN integrated circuits. Gate driver and voltage regulator modules include at least one GaN D-mode HEMT (DHEMT) and at least two GaN E-mode HEMTs (EHEMTs) connected together in series, so that the at least one DHEMT operates as a variable resistor and the at least two EHEMTs operate as a Zener diode that limits the output voltage. The gate driver and voltage regulator modules may be implemented as a GaN integrated circuits, and may be monolithically integrated together with other components such as amplifiers and power HEMTs on a single die to provide a GaN HEMT power module IC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Inventors: Zhanming Li, Yue Fu, Yan-Fei Liu
  • Patent number: 10685727
    Abstract: A level shifter includes a first output terminal and a second output terminal. After an output signal in a high level state is outputted from the first output terminal and an inverted output signal in a low level state is outputted from the second output terminal, a weak driving circuit is connected between the first output terminal and a power supply voltage, and a strong driving circuit is connected between the second output terminal and the power supply voltage. After the output signal in the low level state is outputted from the first output terminal and the inverted output signal in the high level state is outputted from the second output terminal, the strong driving circuit is connected between the first output terminal and the power supply voltage, and the weak driving circuit is connected between the second output terminal and the power supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: EMEMORY TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventor: Tzu-Neng Lai
  • Patent number: 10686411
    Abstract: Voltage stabilizing and voltage regulating circuits implemented in GaN HEMT technology provide stable output voltages suitable for use in applications such as GaN power transistor gate drivers and low voltage auxiliary power supplies for GaN integrated circuits. Gate driver and voltage regulator modules include at least one GaN D-mode HEMT (DHEMT) and at least two GaN E-mode HEMTs (EHEMTs) connected together in series, so that the at least one DHEMT operates as a variable resistor and the at least two EHEMTs operate as a Zener diode that limits the output voltage. The gate driver and voltage regulator modules may be implemented as a GaN integrated circuits, and may be monolithically integrated together with other components such as amplifiers and power HEMTs on a single die to provide a GaN HEMT power module IC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Inventors: Zhanming Li, Yue Fu, Yan-Fei Liu
  • Patent number: 10673660
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a continuous time linear equalizer comprising a first signal path comprising a high pass filter and a first controllable transconductance unit and a second signal path comprising a second controllable transconductance unit. The continuous time linear equalizer comprises a summation node configured to receive complementary current summation signals of the first transconductance unit and the second transconductance unit. The high pass filter comprises a first port configured to receive an input signal, a second port coupled to a control port of the first transconductance unit and a third port coupled to the summation node. The invention is notably also directed to a corresponding method and a corresponding design structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Pier Andrea Francese, Ilter Oezkaya, Alessandro Cevrero
  • Patent number: 10666259
    Abstract: Described is a level-shifter that can save area between voltage domains with limited voltage differential, and further save power by steering current between two power supply rails. The level-shifter comprises: an input to receive a first signal between a first reference rail and a second reference rail; an output to provide a second signal the first reference rail and a third reference rail, wherein in a voltage level of the third reference rail is higher than a voltage level of the second reference rail, and wherein a voltage level of the first reference is lower than the voltage level of the second reference rail and the third reference rail; and a circuitry coupled to the input and the output, wherein the circuitry is to steer current from the third reference rail to the second reference rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Andres Malavasi Mora, Jaydeep Kulkarni, Anupama Thaploo, Muhammad Khellah
  • Patent number: 10667342
    Abstract: A configurable light source driver device includes circuitry that detects the presence of a resistor when connected to a terminal of the device and automatically configures the device to operate as a differential driver circuit with low EMI emission and a level of circuit stability that is selected on the basis of parasitic impedance conditions of the differential driver circuit. When the terminal is left unconnected, the configurable light source driver device automatically configures itself to operate as a single ended driver circuit with low power consumption and a different level of circuit stability that is selected on the basis of parasitic impedance conditions of the single ended driver circuit. Furthermore, the configurable light source driver device can include a pulse width adjustment circuit for modifying certain operating characteristics of each of the differential driver circuit and the single ended driver circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte. Limited
    Inventors: Milos Davidovic, Robert Swoboda
  • Patent number: 10644679
    Abstract: A level shift circuit includes a pulse signal generation unit generating first and second pulse signals with respect to an input signal, a first level conversion unit converting the first pulse signal at a first voltage to a third pulse signal at a second voltage, a second level conversion unit converting the second pulse signal at the first voltage to a fourth pulse signal at the second voltage, and a flip flop circuit making an output signal at the second voltage rise according to the third pulse signal, and making the output signal at the second voltage fall according to the fourth pulse signal. The pulse signal generation unit compares the input signal with the output signal of the flip flop circuit, and generates the first pulse signal when the input signal rises and the second pulse signal when the input signal falls, based on a non-matching comparison result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koichi Takeda
  • Patent number: 10630268
    Abstract: A voltage level shifter circuit, including: a first control circuit, arranged to receive an input voltage and generate a first control signal; a first pull-down circuit, arranged to determine whether to pull down a first output voltage to a first reference voltage according to the first control signal; a first pull-up circuit, arranged to determine whether to pull up the first output voltage to a second reference according to a first inverse output voltage; a second control circuit, arranged to generate a second control signal according to the first output voltage; a second pull-down circuit, arranged to determine whether to pull down a second output voltage to the second reference voltage according to the second control signal; and a second pull-up circuit, arranged to determine whether to pull up the second output voltage to a third reference voltage according to a second inverse output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventors: Hsin-Cheng Hsu, Tay-Her Tsaur, Po-Ching Lin
  • Patent number: 10622994
    Abstract: A driver for a semiconductor switching device can be configured to step down a supply voltage to generate a first drive voltage. The driver can also generate a second drive voltage equal to the potential difference between the supply voltage and the first drive voltage. The driver can supply the first drive voltage to a control gate of the semiconductor switching device during a first state of a control signal, and a reverse polarity of the second drive voltage during a second state of the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Vishay-Siliconix, LLC
    Inventor: Sanjay Havanur
  • Patent number: 10622975
    Abstract: A voltage translation device is disclosed. The voltage translation device includes an input circuit, operating in a first voltage domain, that is configured to receive an input signal. The voltage translation device also includes an output circuit, operating in a second voltage domain, that includes a latch circuit. The voltage translation device also includes a driver circuit that is controlled by the input circuit to pass a voltage from the first voltage domain to the latch circuit in order to trigger the latch circuit to output an output signal in the second voltage domain according to the input signal in the first voltage domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventor: Lei Huang
  • Patent number: 10615796
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide methods and apparatus for level shifting an input signal ranging between certain voltage levels to generate an output signal ranging between other voltage levels with low power, high speed, and immunity to noise. One example level-shifting circuit generally includes a node for receiving an input signal ranging between a first voltage level and a second voltage level, a first circuit path coupled to the node and configured to level shift the input signal to generate an output signal ranging between a third voltage level and a fourth voltage level, a pulse generator coupled to the node and configured to generate a pulse based on a transition in the input signal between the first and second voltage levels, and a second circuit path connected in parallel with the first path and configured to temporarily short the first path based on the generated pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Zhiqing Zhang, Brett Walker, Chi Fan Yung, Justin Philpott, Joseph Duncan
  • Patent number: 10608630
    Abstract: A complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) switching system with increased supply rejection is disclosed. The system comprises a voltage regulator and a CMOS circuit. The voltage regulator receives a supply voltage and generates a regulated voltage by regulating an amplitude of the received supply voltage. The CMOS circuit includes an input terminal to receive a first voltage, switching circuitry to selectively couple the CMOS circuit to the voltage regulator in one of a plurality of configurations, and an output terminal to output a second voltage based at least in part on the first voltage and the regulated voltage when the CMOS circuit is coupled to the voltage regulator in a first configuration of the plurality of configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: XILINX, INC.
    Inventors: Ionut C. Cical, Diarmuid Collins, John K. Jennings
  • Patent number: 10593410
    Abstract: A sense-amplifier circuit can be used with a non-volatile memory device having a memory array with memory cells arranged in word lines and bit lines and coupled to respective source lines. The circuit has a first circuit branch and a second circuit branch, which receive on a respective first comparison input and second comparison input, during a reading step of a datum stored in a memory cell, a cell current from the bit line associated to the memory cell and a reference current, from a reference bit line in a differential reading operation or from a current-reference generator in a single-ended reading operation. The first and second circuit branches generate, during the datum-reading step, a first output voltage and a second output voltage, as a function of the difference between the cell current and the reference current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Carmelo Paolino, Antonino Conte, Anna Rita Maria Lipani
  • Patent number: 10566355
    Abstract: A semiconductor device with reduced power consumption and a display device including the semiconductor are provided. The semiconductor device generates a bias voltage that is to be supplied to a buffer amplifier. When the display device displays a still image, a data signal for updating the image need not be supplied from the buffer amplifier to a pixel array in the next frame; therefore, the circuit is configured so that the buffer amplifier is brought into a standby state (temporarily stopped). Specifically, input of a reference current from a BGR circuit to the semiconductor is stopped and a bias voltage is applied from the semiconductor device to the buffer amplifier to temporarily stop the operation of the buffer amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kei Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10560084
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, in a level shift circuit, a first PMOS transistor is electrically connected at a gate to a first node to which a first signal having an amplitude to be a first power-supply potential is input, is electrically connected to a second node at a source, and is electrically connected at a drain to an output terminal from which a signal having an amplitude to be a second power-supply potential is output. The first NMOS transistor is electrically connected to the first node at a gate and is electrically connected to the output terminal at a drain. The second PMOS transistor is electrically connected to a node to be the second power-supply potential at a source, and is electrically connected to the second node at a drain. The potential adjusting circuit is electrically connected to at least the second node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventor: Toshihiro Yagi
  • Patent number: 10536148
    Abstract: Some demonstrative embodiments include a level shifter to shift a high logic level and a low logic level of a Direct Current (DC) control signal of a first voltage domain to a high logic level and a low logic level of a second voltage domain, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: TOWER SEMICONDUCTOR LTD.
    Inventors: Valentin Lerner, Dan Pollak
  • Patent number: 10497698
    Abstract: An object is to provide a technique for enhancing the breakdown voltage of a semiconductor device. A semiconductor circuit includes a first resistor, a second resistor, a third resistor, a MOSFET, and an inverter. The first resistor, the second resistor, and the third resistor are connected in series between a power supply and a ground corresponding to the reference voltage of a low-side circuit. The MOSFET is connected to the third resistor in parallel between the second resistor and the ground, and has a gate electrically connected to the low-side circuit. The inverter is electrically connected between a connection point and the high-side circuit, the connection point being located between the first resistor and the second resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Manabu Yoshino
  • Patent number: 10498315
    Abstract: A level shifter with reduced propagation delay. A level shifter includes a signal input terminal, a first signal output node, a first transistor, a second transistor, a third transistor, and a first capacitor. The first transistor includes a control terminal coupled to the signal input terminal. The second transistor includes an output terminal coupled to an input terminal of the first transistor. The first capacitor includes a bottom plate coupled to an input terminal of the second transistor. The third transistor includes a control terminal coupled to a top plate of the first capacitor, and an output terminal coupled to the first signal output node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Eduardas Jodka, Julian Becker
  • Patent number: 10490263
    Abstract: A dual rail device includes a first power domain circuit coupled to a first power supply through a first header control switch and a second power domain circuit coupled to a second power supply. The first and second power supplies have different steady-state voltage levels. The first power domain circuit is interfaced to the second power domain circuit. The device also includes a power detector circuit for providing a control signal for the first header control switch responsive to a voltage level of the second power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yangsyu Lin, Chiting Cheng
  • Patent number: 10483950
    Abstract: A device is disclosed that includes a level shifter and an output stage. The level shifter is configured to output a first output signal at a first output terminal in response to a first input signal having a first logic level, and is configured to output a second output signal at a second output terminal in response to the first input signal having a second logic level. The output stage is configured to receive and adjust the first output signal or the second output signal that is selected in response to the first input signal, and configured to generate a third output signal, wherein the third output signal has a logic value that is the same as a logic value of the first output signal or the second output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yu-Lun Ou, Wei-Chih Hsieh, Shang-Chih Hsieh
  • Patent number: 10483975
    Abstract: An integrated circuitry includes a first circuit, a second circuit, and a voltage conversion circuit. A first power supply positive terminal of the first circuit is electrically coupled to a power source. The second circuit is electrically coupled in series with the first circuit and the power source. A second power supply positive terminal of the second circuit is electrically coupled to a first power supply negative terminal of the first circuit. The voltage conversion circuit is electrically coupled between the first circuit and the second circuit so as to receive a signal from the first circuit or the second circuit. The voltage conversion circuit converts a voltage value of the signal according to a first low potential signal of the first power supply negative terminal and a second low potential signal of a second power supply negative terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: DigWise Technology Corporation, LTD
    Inventors: Jingjie Wu, Chih-Wen Yang, Chung-Ting Yeh
  • Patent number: 10461729
    Abstract: A first stacked RF switch, which operates in one of an ON mode and an OFF mode, and includes a group of RF switching circuits coupled in series between a first RF switch connection node and a second RF switch connection node, is disclosed. The group of RF switching circuits includes a first RF switching circuit, which includes a first switching transistor element coupled between a first source connection node and a first drain connection node, a first source/drain (S/D) bias resistive element coupled across the first switching transistor element, and a first S/D shorting circuit coupled across the first S/D bias resistive element. During the ON mode, the first switching transistor element is ON and the first S/D shorting circuit is ON. During a first interval immediately following a transition from the ON mode to the OFF mode, the first S/D shorting circuit is ON.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Charles Kerr, Eric K. Bolton
  • Patent number: 10447268
    Abstract: A level-shifter circuit operates to shift an input signal referenced to a first set supply voltages to generate an output signal referenced to a second set of supply voltages. The output signal from the level-shifter circuit is latched by a latching circuit. A logic gate has a first input configured to receive the input signal, a second input configured to receive a feedback signal and an output coupled to a input of the level shifting circuit. A feedback circuit has a first input configured to receive the output signal, a second input configured to receive the input signal and an output configured to generate the feedback signal. The feedback circuit operates to sense an uncontrolled switching event of the output signal occurring in the absence of a switching of the input signal and apply, in response thereto, the feedback signal to cancel the uncontrolled switching event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Agatino Antonino Alessandro, Ignazio Bruno Mirabella
  • Patent number: 10411678
    Abstract: A level-shifting circuit includes a first supply terminal configured to receive a first supply voltage, a second supply terminal configured to receive a second supply voltage different from the first supply voltage, an input terminal of the level-shifting circuit configured to receive a voltage having a first voltage level, and an output terminal of the level-shifting circuit. The level-shifting circuit can include a shifting circuit having electrical connections to the input terminal and the output terminal and configured to, in response to a first voltage at a first node, produce a second voltage at a second node. The level-shifting circuit can also include a feedback circuit and a clamping circuit configured to limit leakage current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventor: Eric Wu
  • Patent number: 10411704
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for output impedance calibration for signaling are described. Techniques are provided herein to adjust impedance levels associated with data transmitted using signaling and related techniques. In some cases, the signaling may be multi-level signaling. Such signaling may be configured to increase a data transfer rate without increasing the frequency of data transfer and/or a transmit power of the communicated data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Feng Lin
  • Patent number: 10411706
    Abstract: A wide-band digital buffer formed in a III-V substrate including a first transistor, a second transistor, a pull-up circuit shifts a t signal to a level of the first transistor. A first capacitor receives the signal, and passes at least a portion of the AC component of the signal to the first transistor. A resistor receives a first bias voltage, and passes it to the first transistor. A pull-down circuit shifts a second signal to a level of the second transistor. A second capacitor receives the second signal, and passes at least a portion of the AC component of the second signal to the second transistor. A second resistor receives a second bias voltage, and passes it to the second transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Waleed Khalil, Brian P Dupaix, Paul M Watson, Aji G Mattamana, Shahriar Rashid, Tony Quach, Wagdy Gaber Mahdi Hussein
  • Patent number: 10404161
    Abstract: Methods of operating voltage generation circuits include applying a clock signal to a first electrode of a first capacitance having a second electrode connected to a first node of a first current path, applying the clock signal to a second capacitance having a second electrode connected to a gate of a second current path connected in parallel with the first current path and with the second electrode further connected to a first end of a resistance having a second end connected to the second node, passing charge across at least one of the first current path and the second current path while the clock signal has a first logic phase, and mitigating current flow across the first current path and the second current path while the clock signal has a second logic phase opposite the first logic phase, as well as apparatus facilitating such methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Feng Pan
  • Patent number: 10402013
    Abstract: A level converter and an operation method thereof, a gate driving circuit and a display device. The level converter includes: N input terminals, configured to receive N input signals; N control signal terminals, configured to receive N control signals; N output terminals, configured to output N output signals; and a level converting unit, connected to the N input terminals, the N control signal terminal and the N output terminals and configured to, according to a n-th control signal of the control signal terminals, determine to directly output a n-th input signal as a n-th output signal, or convert the n-th input signal and then output the converted n-th input signal as the n-th output signal; wherein when the n-th input signal is converted, the n-th input signal has shorter rise time and the n-th output signal has longer rise time, and N is a positive integer, 1?n?N.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., BEIJING BOE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Weibiao Geng, Yichiang Lai, Chunbing Zhang
  • Patent number: 10396795
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for shifting voltage levels of electrical signals and more specifically for boosted high-speed level shifting are described. A boosted level shifter may include a driver circuit that generates a drive signal having a greater voltage swing than an input signal, and the drive signal may drive the gate of a pull-up transistor within the boosted level shifter. The lower bound of the drive signal may in some cases be a negative voltage. Driving the pull-up transistor with a drive signal having a greater voltage swing than the input signal may improve the operational speed and current-sourcing capability of the pull-up transistor, which may provide speed and efficiency benefits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Mingdong Cui, Hari Giduturi
  • Patent number: 10379589
    Abstract: An example disclosed herein is a non-volatile storage medium including instructions relating to control of power that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to monitor a supply of power to a regulator, decouple supply of power to the regulator when the monitored supply of power is below a predetermined level, couple a power pack to the regulator to supply power to the regulator when the monitored supply of power is below the predetermined level, and generate an Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) G1 Sleeping state signal when the monitored supply of power is below the predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Patrick Ferguson, Chien-Hao Lu, Chih Liang Li, Szu Tao Tong
  • Patent number: 10367450
    Abstract: An oscillator apparatus includes an oscillator core circuit. The oscillator core circuit includes an inverting transconductance amplifier, at least one first capacitor, at least one second capacitor, and a resonator. The at least one first capacitor is connected between an input of the inverting transconductance amplifier and a ground level. The at least one second capacitor is connected between an output of the inverting transconductance amplifier and the ground level. The resonator has a first port connected to the input of the inverting transconductance amplifier and a second port connected to the output of the inverting transconductance amplifier. The first port is decoupled from the second port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: MediaTek Inc.
    Inventors: Hao-Wei Huang, Yen-Tso Chen, Kun-Yin Wang
  • Patent number: 10367504
    Abstract: A negative voltage level shifter includes a pair of input transistors, a pair of output transistors and a clamp circuit. The clamp circuit is coupled between the pair of input transistors and the pair of output transistors, for clamping source voltages of the pair of input transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: NOVATEK Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventor: Yen-Cheng Cheng
  • Patent number: 10355685
    Abstract: An output transistor (2) has a source connected to a VDD1 and a drain connected to an output terminal (1). A pre-driver (3) receives a signal varying in accordance with a data input signal (DIN), and provides a gate signal (SG1) to a gate of the output transistor (2), the gate signal (SG1) transiting between the VDD1 and a potential (VP) at a power source end (4). When a VDD2 is output from an output node (N1) and an assist signal (SA) makes a first transition corresponding to the transition of the gate signal (SG1) from HIGH to LOW, the drive assist circuit (20) performs an assist operation in which a potential of the output node (N1) is temporarily brought down from VDD2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: SOCIONEXT INC.
    Inventors: Masahisa Iida, Masahiro Gion
  • Patent number: 10348304
    Abstract: High-voltage level-shifter architectures that provide galvanic coupling between low/high-voltage domains while simultaneously enabling high speed operation, low static current consumption and high reliability under a myriad of environmental circumstances including electromagnetic interference as well as process, voltage and temperature variations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Igor Ullmann, Andreas Kalt, Franz Wachter
  • Patent number: 10340906
    Abstract: Parasitic high-voltage diodes implemented by integration technology in a high-voltage level shift circuit are used for charging a bootstrap capacitor CB, wherein a power supply end of the high voltage level shift circuit is a high-side floating power supply VB, and a reference ground is a floating voltage PGD that is controlled by a bootstrap control circuit. A first parasitic diode DB1 and a second parasitic diode DB2 are provided between the VB and the PGD. The bootstrap control circuit is controlled by a high-side signal and a low-side signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignees: SOUTHEAST UNIVERSITY, SOUTHEAST UNIVERSITY-WUXI INTEGRATED CIRCUIT TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Weifeng Sun, Yunwu Zhang, Kuo Yu, Jing Zhu, Shen Xu, Qinsong Qian, Siyang Liu, Shengli Lu, Longxing Shi
  • Patent number: 10340917
    Abstract: The present invention provides a receiver circuit and method for receiving an input signal from a source voltage domain and converting the input signal into an output signal for a destination voltage domain. The source voltage domain operates from a supply voltage that exceeds a stressing threshold of components within the receiver circuitry, and the receiver circuitry is configured to operate from the supply voltage of the source voltage domain. The receiver circuitry comprises first internal signal generation circuitry configured to convert the input signal into a first internal signal in a first voltage range, and second internal signal generation circuitry configured to convert the input signal into a second internal signal in a second voltage range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: ARM Limited
    Inventors: Ranabir Dey, Vijaya Kumar Vinukonda, Mikael Rien
  • Patent number: 10326449
    Abstract: Various implementations described herein are directed to an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit may include clock circuitry having a first plurality of logic components arranged to receive a low voltage supply, a data input signal and a clock input signal and to provide a first plurality of intermediate signals and multiple intermediate clock signals. The integrated circuit may include level converter core circuitry having voltage biasing circuitry and voltage control circuitry arranged to receive a high voltage supply, the first plurality of intermediate signals and the multiple intermediate clock signals and to provide a second plurality of intermediate signals. The integrated circuit may include latch circuitry having a second plurality of logic components arranged to receive the high voltage supply, the low voltage supply and the second plurality of intermediate signals and to provide a data output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of Michigan
    Inventors: Jeongsup Lee, Mehdi Saligane, David Theodore Blaauw, Dennis Michael Chen Sylvester
  • Patent number: 10310013
    Abstract: Embodiments include a power isolation circuit. The power isolation circuit includes a logic block, a wrapper cell, an isolation cell, a test control unit, and/or a power control unit. The power control unit is coupled to the isolation cell and configured to receive a DFT internal core test mode control signal and a clamp control signal, and control the isolation cell dependent on the DFT internal core test mode control signal and the clamp control signal. Also disclosed is a multi-power domain multi-power isolation system, which includes a first power domain and a second power domain. The first power domain includes a logic block, wrapper cells, isolation cells, and a power control unit. The second power domain includes a logic block, wrapper cells, and level-shifter cells. The power control unit is coupled to the isolation cells. Additional power domains with similar characteristics can be included in the design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Guangyuan Kelvin Ge, Rajesh Kashyap