Patent · US Expired

Branch isolation circuit for cascode voltage switch logic

US5389836A · kind A · utility

1Cited by
12References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 4, 1993
Grant dateFeb 14, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 4, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03K19/1738
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Cascode voltage switch (CVS) logic circuits include a CMOS logic tree having multiple logic branches and a bipolar, branch isolation transistor. Each logic branch of the logic tree changes state between a logic "1" and a logic "0", with a state change being manifested as a charging or discharging of the logic branch. The bipolar transistor comprises a multiple-emitter bipolar transistor wherein each emitter is electrically coupled to a different logic branch of the CMOS logic tree. A precharge circuit, coupled to the logic tree via the bipolar transistor, provides charge to an output of the CVS circuit prior to operation of said logic tree. The logic branches of the logic tree are charged and discharged substantially independently of one another thereby enhancing speed of the combinatorial logic circuit. Various circuit modifications and generalizations are also discussed.

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