Patent ID: 6734704
Filing Date: 2004-05-11
Classification: H03K

Abstract:
A control circuit coupleable to power sources Vhv, Vdd, to ground, and coupleable to receive a logic drive signal referenced to ground, the control circuit outputting a signal useable to control a high-side switch operable between Vhv+Vdd and ground, the control circuit including:a current generator to establish a mirrorable reference current flow, Ibias; a level shift circuit, coupleable between Vdd and ground, and coupled to said Ibias generator, including: a first plurality of solid state devices including in series-coupled configuration a first solid state device, a second solid state device, and a third solid state device that is coupled as a current source mirroring said Ibias, said first solid state device and said second solid state device changing states complementarily responsive to a state of said logic drive signal; a fourth solid state device having a gate node coupled to said Vdd, a source node coupled between said first solid state device and said second solid state device, and having a drain node interfaceable to a load circuit coupleable to Vhv+Vdd; a first capacitor coupled across said third solid state device; wherein when said logic drive signal is in a first state, said first solid state device turns-off, said second solid state device turns-on, and said first capacitor sinks at least transient current from second solid state device, and said drain node of said fourth device conducts current useable to drive a load circuit having an output node from which a signal coupleable to said high-side switch is present.