Integrated circuit comprising a signal level converter
US5047657A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 1, 1989 |
| Grant date | Sep 10, 1991 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 1, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03K19/01707
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An integrated circuit which includes a converter for converting a logic input signal of a first logic type into a logic output signal of a second logic type, for example, from ECL to CMOS level. The converter comprises a buffer, including a controllable load and a driver transistor, and a control circuit. The load is controlled as a function of a control voltage and a reference voltage which are externally applied so that the output signal is substantially equal to the reference voltage if the input signal is substantially equal to the control voltage. In one embodiment the control circuit is a copy of the buffer and receives the control voltage at its input. Its load is controlled by a differential amplifier whose inputs receive the reference voltage and the output voltage of the control circuit. A CMOS-SRAM comprising ECL/CMOS level converters of the above kind communicates with fast ECL circuits and has a low energy consumption.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.