Patent ID: 8154323
Filing Date: 2012-04-10
Classification: H03K

Abstract:
1. An output driver comprising: a pull-up circuit and a pull-down circuit coupled to an output terminal; a capacitor having a first terminal coupled to a gate terminal of a P-channel transistor of the pull-up circuit and a second terminal configured to receive a drive signal; and a drive circuit coupled to the first terminal of the capacitor and configured to transfer charge from a power supply node to the first terminal of the capacitor when the drive signal is at a signal ground voltage and to decouple the first terminal of the capacitor from the power supply node when the drive signal is at a voltage level greater than the signal ground voltage such that a voltage swing of a signal generated at the gate terminal of the P-channel transistor is constrained to be less than a voltage of the power supply node with respect to the signal ground voltage.