Isolated level shifter
US7936182B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 4, 2010 |
| Grant date | May 3, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 4, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03K3/356113
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An isolated level shifter base cell that is configurable as either an isolated HIGH level shifter or an isolated LOW level shifter based on changes to connection layers, e.g., metal-2 and/or via-1 layers, without adjusting lower layers, or base layers, that form the isolated level shifter base cell. Regardless of the configuration selected, the isolated level shifter base cell requires the same footprint and provides the same input-to-output path timing. Further, the isolated level shifter base cell is configurable as either a HIGH or LOW isolation cell, i.e., without level shifting, based on changes to the connection layers while again maintaining the same footprint and input-to-output path timing. The configuration of the described isolated level shifter base cell can be changed late in the integrated circuit design process without affecting integrated circuit base layers, without changing the integrated circuit footprint, and without introducing integrated circuit timing changes.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.