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:
Jun. 03, 2003
Filed:
Nov. 30, 2001
Timothy Bales, Warfield, GB;
Ken Hunt, Finchampstead, GB;
Micron Technology, Inc., Boise, ID (US);
Abstract
An input-output (I/O) buffer and a method of biasing an I/O buffer that avoids inadvertent conduction of a pull-up transistor included in the buffer when an input signal having a voltage greater than the supply voltage is applied to the I/O buffer in an input mode. Inadvertent conduction of the pull-up transistor is avoided during an input mode by biasing the gate and the body of the pull-up transistor with a supply voltage until the voltage of the input signal exceeds the voltage of the voltage supply, at which time the voltage of the input signal is applied to the gate and the body of the pull-up transistor instead. The I/O buffer includes a driver circuit having a pull-up transistor and an I/O node to receive an input signal. The I/O buffer also includes a pull-up transistor bias circuit to provide the voltage to the gate and the body of the pull-up transistor.