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:
Dec. 14, 2010
Filed:
Dec. 02, 2009
Neil Deutscher, Tempe, AZ (US);
Jinhui Chen, Chandler, AZ (US);
Marquis Jones, Chandler, AZ (US);
Microchip Technology Incorporated, Chandler, AZ (US);
Abstract
A conditional level shifter circuit is used to substantially eliminate sneak current from occurring in an integrated circuit device having two or more logic circuit modules in different voltage domains. Sneak current is caused when a signal between the two or more logic circuit modules in different voltage domains is at logic '0' and one of the logic circuit modules is biased at a voltage level above the true ground, V, of the integrated circuit device. The conditional ground restoration circuit shifts the virtual ground logic '0' to the true ground level. This eliminates sneak current and logic level corruption.