Patent ID: 7847612
Filing Date: 2010-12-07
Classification: H03K

Abstract:
1. A level shift circuit, comprising: a first transistor, having a first node coupled to a first reference voltage, and a control node for receiving a first voltage input signal; a second transistor, having a first node coupled to a second reference voltage; a first diode-connected transistor, having a first node coupled to a second node of the second transistor, and a second node coupled to a control node of the first diode-connected transistor and a second node of the first transistor; a third transistor, having a first node coupled to the first reference voltage, and a control node for receiving a second voltage input signal, wherein the first voltage input signal is an inverse version of the second voltage input signal; a fourth transistor, having a first node coupled to the second reference voltage; a second diode-connected transistor, having a first node coupled to a second node of the fourth transistor, and a second node coupled to a control node of the second diode-connected transistor and a second node of the third transistor; and a fifth transistor, having a control node coupled to the second voltage input signal, a first node coupled to the first reference voltage, and a second node coupled to the second node of the fourth transistor, wherein a first level-shifted output signal corresponding to the first voltage input signal is generated at the second node of the fourth transistor; wherein the second node of the first diode-connected transistor is coupled to a control node of the fourth transistor, the second node of the second diode-connected transistor is coupled to a control node of the second transistor, and the second transistor, the fourth transistor, the first diode-connected transistor, and the second diode-connected transistor are arranged in a cross-coupled configuration.