Patent ID: 9287873
Filing Date: 2016-03-15
CPC Classification: G06F,H03K

Claim Text:
1. A method for coupling a first circuit with a second circuit, the first circuit using a first supply voltage and the second circuit using a second supply voltage, comprising: determining whether a first time period has elapsed using a capacitive element and a resistive element of a detection sub-circuit coupled with an input node of a level-shifting circuit; detecting an idle state on the input node of the level-shifting circuit, the idle state being a state that corresponds with a particular binary logic value and which is maintained for a time period that exceeds the first time period; and opening a feedback path of the level-shifting circuit when the detection sub-circuit of the level-shifting circuit detects the idle state on the input node, wherein the level-shifting circuit includes a first inverter that uses the second supply voltage, the first inverter having an input and an output; wherein the feedback path is between the input and output of the first inverter and includes a first transmission gate to open or close the feedback path.