Concept for interfacing a first circuit requiring a first supply voltage and a second supply circuit requiring a second supply voltage

US7405591B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Qimonda AG · DE

Inventors

• Georg Braun · Hersbruck, DE
• Dirk Scheideler · Munich, DE
• Steve Wood · Munich, DE
• Richard Luyken · Munich, DE
• Edoardo Prete · Birkenfeld, DE
• Hans-Peter Trost · Munich, DE
• Anthony Sanders · Birkenfeld, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 19, 2006
• Grant date: Jul 29, 2008
• Expiry date: Dec 19, 2026

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H03K19/017509
• WIPO field: Basic communication processes
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

An apparatus interfaces a first circuit using a first supply voltage and a second circuit using a second supply voltage different from the first supply voltage. The apparatus includes a driver circuit having a driver network comprising driver supply voltage terminals connected to controllable switches. The controllable switches include resistive elements or are separated from resistive elements. A receiver circuit has a receiving network comprising a resistive element and receiver supply voltage terminals and a connection line connecting the driver circuit and the receiving circuit. The controllable switches have two switch configurations, a first switch configuration resulting in a high voltage on the connection line and a second switch configuration resulting in a low voltage on the connection line.