Patent ID: 9553584
Date: 2017-01-24
CPC Classifications: G06F,H03K

Claim:
1. A method for coupling a first circuit in a first voltage domain with a second circuit in a second voltage domain, the first voltage domain having a first supply voltage and the second voltage domain having a second supply voltage, comprising: receiving an input signal from the first circuit; storing the input signal in a first latch, the first latch having a first node and a second node, and powered by the first voltage; transferring a logic state of a stored input signal in the first latch to a second latch, having a third node and a fourth node, through one of a first switching element and a second switching element, wherein the first switching element is configured to pass a low voltage from the first node to the third node when a voltage at the second node is high, and wherein the second switching element is configured to pass a low voltage from the second node to the fourth node when a voltage at the first node is high, and wherein the second latch is powered by the second voltage; providing a level-shifted output signal, corresponding with the input signal, from the second latch to the second circuit; and enabling the storage of signal values in the first and second by closing a switching element coupled between both the first and second latch and ground.