Patent · US Expired

Digital logic output buffer interface for different semiconductor technologies

US5600266A · kind A · utility

2Cited by
3References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 19, 1995
Grant dateFeb 4, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 19, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03K19/09429
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An input buffer circuit is implemented in a compound semiconductor technology such as Gallium Arsenide and converts silicon semiconductor logic levels such as those produced by CMOS and TTL integrated circuits and converts them to logic levels compatible with circuits manufactured in compound semiconductor technology. The input buffer employs a balanced input circuit designed to produce an output voltage representing the switch-point of the compound semiconductor technology when the voltage received from a silicon semiconductor circuit equals the switch-point of the silicon semiconductor circuit. Otherwise, the output voltage of the input buffer is proportional to the difference between the voltage received from the silicon semiconductor circuit and the switch-point of the silicon semiconductor circuit. The balanced input circuit minimizes variations in its output voltage due to variations in power supply voltage, circuit temperature and process parameters. The source-follower configuration of the balanced input also neither sources current to or sinks current from the driving silicon circuit. An output buffer circuit provides a stable high impedance tri-state output in a compound …

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