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.

Date of Patent:
Jun. 03, 2008

Filed:

Jul. 12, 2005
Applicant:

William G. Baker, North Parramatta, AU;

Inventor:

William G. Baker, North Parramatta, AU;

Assignee:
Attorneys:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H03K 19/094 (2006.01); H03K 19/0175 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract

An input buffer circuit includes a voltage limiting circuit and a protection circuit coupled between a pull-up component and a pull-down component of a level detecting circuit. The voltage limiting circuit receives an input signal at a first voltage range and limits the input signal to a safe voltage range, the first voltage range being between an electrical ground and a first supply voltage level, and the safe voltage range being between the electrical ground and a second supply voltage level. The level detecting circuit has a pull-up component receiving the input signal directly from the input terminal and a pull-down component receiving the safe voltage range from the voltage limiting circuit. The level detecting circuit transitions the input signal from the first voltage range to the input signal at the second voltage range. The protection circuit is coupled in series between the pull-up component and the pull-down component so as to protect the level detecting circuit from gate oxide overstress.


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