Db Hitek Co., Ltd.

Seung Hoo Kim

Sang Mok Lee

Joon Tae Jang

Won Suk Park

Ji Eon Kim

Li Yan Jin

An input/output circuit for a memory and a method of controlling the same are disclosed. The input/output circuit and the method of controlling the same are configured to prevent a memory element from being falsely or incorrectly programmed due to an ESD pulse. More particularly, the input/output circuit and the method of controlling the same include an ESD detection unit configured to detect a programming voltage or an ESD pulse on a pad terminal, a control logic unit configured to transmit a first voltage or a second voltage according to the programming voltage and the ESD pulse, and a switch unit configured to perform a turn-on or turn-off operation according to the first voltage or the second voltage.

Input/output pad suitable for memory and method of controlling same

An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit includes an ESD detector connected between a pad and a first power source and configured to generate a detection signal when ESD is detected at the pad, a switch transistor including a gate controlled by the detection signal and a source and a drain connected between the pad and the memory, and a leakage current prevention circuit including a first transistor including a first gate connected to a second power source and a source and a drain connected between the pad and a first node, and a second transistor including a second gate connected to the pad and a source and a drain connected between the first node and the second power source. The first node is connected to or in electrical communication with a bulk node of the switch transistor.

Electrostatic discharge protection circuit

A voltage on-off detector includes an inverter between a first voltage source and a third voltage source providing a third voltage and having an input terminal that receives a second voltage, a first transistor having a gate that receives the second voltage, and a first source and a first drain between the third voltage source and a first node, a second transistor having a second gate that receives the third voltage, and a second source and a second drain between a second voltage source providing the second voltage and the first node, and an amplifier configured to output a first voltage from the first voltage source or a voltage on the first node based on or in response to an output of the inverter.

Voltage on-off detector and electronic device including the same

A voltage on-off detector includes an inverter between a first voltage source and a first node and having an input terminal that receives a third voltage, a first transistor having a first gate, and a first source and a first drain between the first node and a second voltage source, a second transistor having a second source connected to the second voltage source, and a second gate and a second drain connected to the first node, and an amplifier having an input terminal connected to an output terminal of the inverter and configured to output a first voltage from the first voltage or a second voltage from the second voltage source based on or in response to an output of the inverter.

An input/output circuit includes a logic unit configured to generate a first signal and a second signal based on data and a first control signal, a driver including a first PMOS transistor having a first gate, a first source that receives a first voltage from a first voltage source, and a first drain, and a first NMOS transistor having a second gate that receives the second signal, a second source that receives a second voltage from a second voltage source less than the first voltage, and a second drain connected to the first drain, a gate-tracking circuit configured to receive the first signal and transfer the received first signal to the first gate of the first PMOS transistor based on a second control signal, and an input/output terminal connected to the first drain and the second drain.

Growing community of inventors

Bucheon-si, South Korea

Seung Hoo Kim