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. 25, 2008
Filed:
Mar. 16, 2006
Naoki Nojiri, Osaka, JP;
Naoki Nojiri, Osaka, JP;
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
In a level shifter, OFF leakage currents flow through two N-type transistors for signal input even when they are OFF. However, another N-type transistor serving as an OFF leakage generation circuit and three P-type transistors serving as current mirrors, which constitute a current conversion circuit, supply to the signal-input transistors a current equivalent to or greater than the OFF leakage currents flowing through the signal-input transistors when they are OFF, thereby canceling the OFF leakage currents. Therefore, one of nodes which is at H level is surely fixed to a potential equal to a higher voltage supply. Thus, the level shifter surely operates with a high speed even when large OFF leakage currents flow through the signal-input transistors.