Pre-driver circuits for an output driver

Abstract

A disclosed pre-driver circuit includes multiple signal generation stages configured to receive different bias voltages from local switching bias circuit(s). In some embodiment, pre-driver circuit has multiple switching bias circuits, each with a bias voltage node connected to a corresponding stage. In other embodiments, the pre-driver circuit has a single switching bias circuit with multiple bias voltage nodes and a multi-input/multi-output multiplexor with inputs connected to the bias voltage nodes and outputs connected to the stages. The switching bias circuit(s) and a primary inverter in each stage all receive the same input signal. When this input signal transitions, the switching bias circuit(s) supply bias voltages to the stages and the primary inverters turn on in sequence and slowly, thereby ensuring that pre-driver signals generated by the different stages transition in sequence and at a relatively slow rate. Once the last pre-driver signal transitions, the switching bias circuit(s) turn off.