Patent · US Expired

Semiconductor integrated circuit device including input circuitry to permit operation of a Bi-CMOS memory with ECL level input signals

US5457412A · kind A · utility

44Cited by
5References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 10, 1993
Grant dateOct 10, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 10, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03K19/017527
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A semiconductor integrated circuit device is provided for permitting operation of a CMOS or BiCMOS memory with ECL level input signals, in which operating speed is increased and power consumption is reduced. Input signals of ECL levels are received by an input buffer for amplifying the input signals to an output signal level within a range where differential transistors of the input buffer operate in an unsaturation region. The output signal of the input buffer is supplied to a CMOS circuit or Bi-CMOS circuit which is operated by both an operating voltage having a first-stage smaller absolute value than that of the operating voltage of the input buffer and the ground potential of the circuit. This first stage CMOS or BiCMOS circuit also includes an arrangement to further amplify the received signals to provide further level conversion. Since both the input buffer and the first-stage CMOS or Bi-CMOS circuit perform signal transmission and level conversions, high-speed operation and low power consumption can be achieved by a simple structure.

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