Freescale Semiconductor,inc.

Nxp Usa, Inc.

Andrey Evgenevich Malkov

Amit Aggarwal

Alexey Balashov

Ashish Malhotra

Rohit Gupta

Evgeny A Shevchenko

A Low-Voltage Differential Signaling (differential signaling) driver circuit () comprising enable circuitry for enabling and disabling the differential signaling driver circuit () in accordance with an control signal is described. The differential signaling driver circuit () comprises: a differential output () connected or connectable to a differential signaling receiver circuit via a differential transmission line; current control circuitry () for driving a signal current through the differential output () in accordance with a driver signal; feedback circuitry () for driving the current control circuitry () to counteract a difference between a common mode voltage of the differential output () and a reference voltage from a reference voltage provider; and the enable circuitry (). The feedback circuitry () comprises a common mode node () for providing the common mode voltage (Vcm), a reference input () connected or connectable to the reference voltage provider, and a feedback input (). The enable circuitry () is arranged to connect the feedback input () to the common mode node () when the differential signaling driver circuit () is in an enabled state and to the reference voltage provider when the differential signaling driver circuit () is in a disabled state. A method of enabling () and disabling () a Low-Voltage Differential Signaling (differential signaling) driver circuit () is also proposed.

Low-voltage differential signaling (differential signaling) driver circuit and method of enabling and disabling a differential signaling driver circuit

A voltage level shifter module comprising at least one input arranged to receive an input signal, and at least one cascode transistor arranged to receive at a gate thereof at least one reference voltage signal. The voltage level shifter module further comprises at least one reference voltage control component arranged to detect logical state transitions within the input signal from at least a first logical state to a second logical state, and cause the reference voltage signal applied to the gate of the at least one cascode transistor to be pulled down to a reduced voltage upon detection of a logical state transition within the input signal from at least a first logical state to a second logical state.

Voltage level shifter module

An integrated circuit (IC) includes a first I/O cell, a logic cell, a trigger signal generation circuit, and a second I/O cell having a voltage selection pin. I/O interfaces of the first I/O cell receive first and second supply voltages, respectively, and I/O interfaces of the second I/O cell receive third and fourth supply voltages, respectively. The first I/O cell generates a first trigger signal when the first supply voltage reaches a first predetermined voltage. The logic cell receives the first trigger signal and generates a safe-state signal. The trigger signal generation circuit generates a second trigger signal when the third supply voltage reaches a second predetermined voltage. The voltage selection pin receives the safe-state signal and the second trigger signal and sets the second I/O cell in a safe-state mode, which protects the second I/O cell from over voltage damage.

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Zelenograd, Russia

Andrey Evgenevich Malkov