Patent ID: 6140846
Filing Date: 2000-10-31
Classification: H03K

Abstract:
A driver circuit comprising:an input terminal at which a first signal having a first voltage swing is applied;an output terminal at which:i) a drive signal having a second voltage swing is provided to external circuitry, andii) a third signal having a third voltage swing is received from the external circuitry;a level shifter circuit, coupled to the input terminal, which translates the first signal to a second signal and includes voltage regulation circuitry which regulates a switching rate of the driver circuit;an output circuit, coupled between the level shifter circuit and the output terminal, which drives the external circuitry with the drive signal based on the second signal received from the level shifter circuit, the output circuit having a well; anda bias circuit, coupled between the output terminal and the well of the output circuit, which biases the well proportional to the third voltage swing responsive to the third signal being received at the output terminal.