Patent · US Expired

Single-drive level shifter with low dynamic impedance

US5160854A · kind A · utility

5Cited by
7References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 24, 1991
Grant dateNov 3, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 24, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03K17/063
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A level shifter, particularly suited for driving power stages for supplying power to integrated circuits, includes a DMOS transistor (40) which is driven by a digital signal source (42) and has a load resistor (44) as its drain load. A shifted output signal develops at the ends of said load resistor. The drain (V1) of the DMOS transistor is connected to the input of an inverter (46), while a Zener diode (54) and a second transistor (52) are connected in parallel with the load resistor (44), the gate of the second transistor (52) being driven by the output of the inverter (46). The output of the inverter (46) can be connected to the input of a drive stage (48), the output of which drives a power stage (50) for supplying power to an integrated circuit.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.