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. 13, 2002
Filed:
Mar. 24, 2000
Navid Foroudi, Ottawa, CA;
John N. M. Peirce, Ottawa, CA;
SiGe Microsystems Inc., Ottawa, CA;
Abstract
An integrated level shifter circuit converts an input signal having a first voltage potential to an output signal having a second voltage potential. The level shifter circuit provides circuit operation between the sections when the voltage potential of the input logic signal is converted to the output logic signal having lower voltage potential. For logic signals transmitted between sections of an integrated circuit operating with different supply voltages. The level shift circuit for each input includes two transistors and a voltage divider circuit having two resistors in series. The values of the resistors are selected to yield a desired output voltage at a node between the two resistors. In effect, the resistors lessen a full 0.9 volt diode drop to yield a level shift which is a fraction of a diode drop. A capacitor in parallel with the resistor provides a path for AC signals and increases both the speed and bandwidth of the level shifter.