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:
Mar. 09, 2004
Filed:
Jan. 07, 2003
Masahiro Gion, Kyoto, JP;
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
In a level shift circuit according to the invention, either an input signal IN or an inverted input signal XIN, which are input into the gate electrodes of n-type transistors for signal input, is also given to the substrate of that n-type transistor via p-type transistors for substrate bias. When the signal IN or XIN rises and changes, the threshold voltages of the n-type transistors for signal input is lowered due to the substrate bias effect. Consequently, even if the signal IN or XIN has a low voltage level, operation is carried out at high speeds. Also, when either an output signal OUT or an inverted output signal XOUT is changed to a high voltage level, the transistors for substrate bias become non-conducting, and thus the input signal IN or the inverted input signal XIN is not supplied to the substrate of the n-type transistors for signal input other than when the signal is changing. Consequently, a constant passing-through current does not flow to the substrate of these transistors.