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. 24, 2010
Filed:
Jan. 08, 2009
Anirban Banerjee, Essex Junction, VT (US);
Stephen F. Geissler, Underhill, VT (US);
Shiu Chung Ho, Essex Junction, VT (US);
Anirban Banerjee, Essex Junction, VT (US);
Stephen F. Geissler, Underhill, VT (US);
Shiu Chung Ho, Essex Junction, VT (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
Disclosed are embodiments of a design structure for a voltage level shifter circuit that operates without forward biasing junction diodes, regardless of the sequence in which different power supplies are powered up. The circuit embodiments incorporate a pair of series connected switches (e.g., transistors) between an input terminal and a voltage adjusting circuit. Each switch is controlled by a different supply voltage from a different power supply. Only when both power supplies are powered-up and the different supply voltages are received at both switches will a first signal generated using one of the supply voltages be passed to a voltage adjusting circuit and thereafter converted into a second signal representative of the first signal, but generated using the second supply voltage. Incorporation of the pair of series connected switches into the voltage level shifter circuit prevents forward biasing of junction diodes in the circuit and thereby prevents current leakage from the power supplies.