Cadence Design Systems, Inc.

Tara Vishin

Vinod Kumar

Thomas Evan Wilson

Sachin Ramesh Gugwad

Embodiments relate to circuits, electronic design assistance (EDA) circuit layouts, systems, methods, and computer readable media to enable logic devices operating on a core supply voltage to drive memory devices operating on different supply voltages. In one embodiment, a programmable level translator device is implemented using an NMOS transistor pair and a PMOS cross quad. The switching characteristics are modified with the use of a charge pump connected to the gate terminals of two of the PMOS transistors within the PMOS cross quad. Transmission gates are also employed to engage and disengage the charge pump based on a control switch. In various embodiments, the level translator device works with a number of memory devices operating over a wide range of power supply voltages.

Methods and devices for charge pump level translation in high-speed memory drivers

Disclosed is an architecture for an output driver that does not employ level shifters in the high speed data path. Since the proposed architecture is free from level shifters in the high speed data path, it provides better performance across PVT corners. The disclosed output driver usages a hybrid pullup driver which makes it compatible for the wide range of DRAM supply range. This approach allows for significant savings for electronic design area and dynamic power.

LevelShifter-less output buffer with hybrid driver for high speed and low supply memory applications

Embodiments relate to circuits, electronic design automation (EDA) circuit layouts, systems, methods, and computer readable media to enable logic devices operating on a core supply voltage to drive memory devices operating on a different supply voltage using low power and high data rates while avoiding voltage over-stress of thin-oxide transistors. In an embodiment, channels of a thin-oxide PMOS transistor, a thick-oxide PMOS transistor, a thick-oxide NMOS transistor, and a thin-oxide NMOS transistor are coupled in order from a memory device voltage supply rail to a low voltage supply rail. Gates of the thin-oxide PMOS transistor and the thick-oxide NMOS transistor are coupled with an output of a flying capacitor circuit that level-shifts an input signal by a difference between the memory device supply and core supply voltages, while gates of the thick-oxide PMOS transistor and the thin-oxide NMOS transistor receive the input signal via a buffer.

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Patparganj, India

Tara Vishin