Patent ID: 7005889

Claim:
A data processing apparatus comprising: a first component provided within a first voltage domain of the data processing apparatus and operable to receive a first supply voltage; a second component provided within a second voltage domain of the data processing apparatus and operable to receive a second supply voltage; at least one of the first and second supply voltages being dynamically variable, and the data processing apparatus further comprising: an interface cell between the first and second voltage domains and operable to receive a signal issued by the first component in the first voltage domain and destined for the second component, the interface cell comprising level shifting logic operable to convert the signal issued by the first component into a corresponding signal to be propagated to the second component in the second voltage domain; and bypass logic operable in the event that the first supply voltage and second supply voltage are at the same voltage level to enable a bypass path around the level shifting logic such that the signal issued by the first component is propagated via the bypass path as the corresponding signal to the second component in the second voltage domain.