Patent · US Active

Five volt tolerant integrated circuit signal pad with three volt assist

US7375555B1 · kind B1 · utility

5Cited by
6References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 15, 2007
Grant dateMay 20, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 15, 2027

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03K19/00315
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A five volt tolerant integrated circuit signal pad having an initial fast pull-up to three volts and then operating as an open drain output with an external resistor for pulling up the output from about three volts to about five volts. The initial fast (active) pull-up is accomplished with active devices that reduces the overall pull-up time of a newer technology (lower operating voltage) integrated circuit output when transitioning from a logic 0 to a logic 1. Circuits of the integrated circuit output driver protect the internal operating circuit nodes from excessive voltage and leakage currents that would otherwise result from a voltage on the signal pad that is more positive than the operating voltage of the integrated circuit.

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