The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 28, 2001
Filed:
Jun. 21, 1999
Frank Tzen-Wen Guo, Danville, CA (US);
Sathyanandan Rajivan, San Jose, CA (US);
Yat Fai Lam, Milpitas, CA (US);
Tzu-Chien Hung, Cupertino, CA (US);
Rise Technology, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
The present invention discloses a voltage shifter capable of interfacing between two circuitry each is operating in different voltage range. The voltage shifter comprises an input buffer for converting an external input signal switching within a high voltage range to an internal input signal switching within a low voltage range, an output driver for converting an internal output signal switching within the low voltage range to an external output signal switching within the high voltage range; and a reference voltage generator for generating a reference voltage to the input buffer and the output driver. In addition, the voltage shifter is designed such that each of the transistors within is protected against voltage breakdown so that the voltage shifter can be built by transistors using the low voltage process.