Motorola Corporation

Carlos D Obregon

Michael A Wells

Eric D Neely

Carl C Hanke

Daniel T Bizuneh

Ahmad H Atriss

Timothy W Sutton

Vikrant Chaudhry

A 3 state BiCMOS output buffer (100) with power down capability has been provided. The buffer includes an input stage (102), responsive to an input signal, an output coupled to both a pull-up driver (114), and an output pull-down driver (116) wherein the drivers provide an output signal at an output of the buffer in response to the input signal. Additionally, the buffer includes a power down sense circuit (108), coupled to a power supply node (118), for turning off an output pull-up transistor (214) when the power supply node is powered down and thus eliminating leakage paths within the buffer. The buffer also includes a noise limiting circuit (112) for slowing down a high to low transition at the output of the buffer thereby reducing the switching noise of the buffer while not affecting the overall speed of the buffer.

3-state bicmos output buffer having power down capability

The present invention includes an input buffer circuit (10) having sleep mode and bus hold capability. An input section (11) of the buffer circuit is operated from an operating voltage which is lower than a supply voltage of the buffer circuit thereby minimizing the static power dissipation. Sleep mode circuitry (15, 36, 38) is included for effectively disconnecting an input signal from the rest of the buffer circuit thereby minimizing dynamic power dissipation. Bus hold circuitry (40) is included for holding the logic state appearing at an output of the input buffer circuit when the input signal is removed thereby further reducing the static power dissipation.

Input buffer circuit having sleep mode and bus hold function

A plurality of transistors (22, 23, 27) are utilized to provide a low noise high-to-low transition (40) on an output (19) of a circuit (10). The transistors (22, 23, 27) are sequentially enabled to vary a rate of change of output current thereby minimizing noise created by the high-to-low transition (40). A first transistor (22) is enabled to provide a low rate of change. Subsequently, a second transistor (23) is enabled to provide a higher rate of change. Then, just prior to disabling the second transistor (23) a third transistor (27) is enabled to provide a d.c. level.

Low noise BICMOS circuit

The present invention includes a circuit having an input section that is operated from an operating voltage which is lower than a supply voltage of the circuit. The operating voltage is established so that the operating voltage minus the voltage of a high level TTL signal is less than an upper level threshold voltage of the input section. The circuit couples the output of the input section to the supply voltage thereby increasing the voltage on the output of the input section to a voltage greater than the operating voltage. In addition, the circuit enables a current source during a portion of a low-to-high transition on an output of the circuit. The current source provides high current drive during the portion of the transition. Since the current source is only enabled during the portion of the transition, static power dissipation is minimized.

BiCMOS TTL to CMOS level translator

A circuit for reducing negative ground bounce on the ground reference of a CMOS circuit having an input terminal and an output terminal includes an output buffer having an input coupled to the input terminal of the circuit and an output coupled to the output terminal of the circuit. A NOR gate has first and second inputs respectively which are coupled to the input and output terminals of the circuit. An injector circuit is coupled to an output of the NOR gate and to the input terminal of the circuit for providing a predetermined current to the output terminal of the circuit.

Undershoot reduction circuit

A PLL lock indicator circuit for indicating when a phase-lock-loop circuit is in lock includes a gate circuit coupled to the phase/frequency detector of the phase-lock-loop circuit for providing an output logic signal that is responsive to output logic signals from the phase/frequency detector being in a predetermined state. A counter circuit is enabled by the output logic signal of the gate circuit for providing an output logic signal when the counter circuit has reached a predetermined count. A latch circuit is responsive to the output logic signal of the counter circuit for providing a lock signal at an output terminal of the circuit, the lock signal being indicative of when the PLL circuit is in phase lock.

Phase-lock-loop lock indicator circuit

The output signal of a CMOS power-on reset circuit changes state upon detecting a predetermined threshold of the power supply voltage during the start-up transient. During the power-up of the power supply voltage, the output signal of the power-on reset circuit ramps up with the power supply voltage until the latter reaches a first predetermined level whereat a control signal begins to track the increasing power supply voltage, less two diodes potentials. Upon reaching the turn-on potential of a transistor, the control signal activates an inverter to substantially reduce the output signal signifying that the power supply voltage level is sufficient for the operation of external circuitry. The output signal then disables the current flowing through the power-on reset circuit to save power consumption.

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Tempe, AZ, United States of America

Carlos D Obregon