Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The invention relates to a system with voltage level adjustment function, and more particularly, to system with voltage level adjustment function accomplished by a level shifter utilizing only one clock to transform potential levels of the clock. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    Level shifters are often utilized in all kinds of circuits to define DC levels. Furthermore, signals are often defined according to the DC levels. For example, in LCD fields, external circuits of the LCD panels may be biased by a positive voltage level 5V and a negative voltage level 0V. Inner circuits of the LCD panels may be biased by a positive voltage level 10V and a negative voltage level 0V. Assume that a signal has a 5V(0V) voltage level, which is defined as a digital 1(0) in the external circuits. If the signal is directly inputted into the inner circuits without a transformation, the inner circuits may misinterpret the signal. For example, if the signal 5V has a 1V noise, the signal may have an instant voltage 4V. Therefore, the signal may be regarded as a digital 0 in the inner circuits instead of the wanted digital 1. In other words, an error occurs. 
         [0005]    Level shifters are utilized to solve this problem. The level shifters can transform an input signal having a 0V and 5V voltage levels into an output signal having a 10V and −10V voltage levels. After the transformation of the level shifters, misinterpretation of the signal by the inner circuits can be prevented. Therefore, the above-mentioned error does not occur. 
         [0006]    In the prior art, the level shifter is driven by two input clock signals. In other words, the output clock signal is generated according to the two input clock signals. But it is well known that if two input clock signals are utilized, more pins need to be utilized in order to receive the input clock signals. The pin number is therefore increased, potentially reducing the reliability of the LCD panel. This causes another problem. 
         [0007]    In U.S. Pat. No. 6,043,679, a level shifter utilizing only one input clock signal to generate a corresponding output clock signal is disclosed. The level shifter is able to change the input clock having the 0˜5V voltage levels into the output clock having the −10˜10V voltage levels. The above-mentioned one-clock level shifter has to be biased by the −10V and 10V biases. That is, if the 10V and 0V biases are utilized as the DC levels, because the 0V biases may not drive the level shifter well, the clock shifter will not work so correctly. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    Systems with voltage level adjustment is provided. In this regard, an exemplary embodiment of such a system comprises: a level shifter for transforming an input signal having first low and high potential levels into an output signal having second low and high potential levels, the level shifter comprising: a voltage distributor operative to receive the input signal and distributing potential levels at a first node and a second node to respectively output a first signal and a second signal according to the input signal, and the voltage distributor comprising: a first transistor having a first electrode, a second electrode, and a first control electrode, wherein the second electrode is coupled to the first node, and the first control electrode receives the input signal; a switch, electrically connected between the first node and the second node, operative to selectively establish an electrical connection between the first node and the second node; and a second transistor having a third electrode, a fourth electrode, and a second control electrode, wherein the third electrode is coupled to the second node, and the second control electrode is coupled to the first node; and an output circuit, electrically connected to the voltage distributor, operative to generate the output signal according to the first signal and the second signal provided by the voltage distributor. 
         [0009]    According to another exemplary embodiment of the claimed invention, a system comprises: a level shifter for transforming an input signal having first low and high potential levels into an output signal having second low and high potential levels, the level shifter comprising: a voltage distributor operative to receive the input signal and distributing potential levels at a first node and a second node to respectively output a first signal and a second signal according to the input signal, and the voltage distributor comprising: a current limiter, electrically connected to the first node, operative to provide a limited current passing through the first node; a switch, electrically connected to the first node and the second node, operative to selectively establish an electrical connection between the first node and the second node; and a first transistor having a first electrode, a second electrode, and a first control electrode, wherein the first electrode is connected to the second node, the second electrode is utilized to receive the input signal, and the first control electrode is coupled to the first node; and an output circuit, electrically connected to the voltage distributor, operative to generate the output signal according to the first signal and the second signal provided by the voltage distributor. 
         [0010]    The present invention level shifter utilize only one input clock signal to generate the output clock signal such that the pin number is not increased. This can ensure the reliability of the LCD panel. Furthermore, the present invention level shifter can be utilized to generate the output clock signal having wider range of the DC voltage levels. Therefore, the present invention can be utilized in more kinds of circuits than the prior art level shifter. 
         [0011]    These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 
         [0012]    These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a diagram of a level shifter of a first embodiment according to the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a diagram of a level shifter of a second embodiment according to the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  shows a system capable of displaying images according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    Please refer to  FIG. 1 , which is a diagram of a level shifter  100  of a first embodiment according to the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the level shifter  100  comprises a voltage distributor  110  and an output circuit  120 . The voltage distributor  110  is utilized to distribute a first signal on a first node n 1  and a second signal on a second node n 2  according to an input signal V in . The voltage distributor  110  comprises two PMOS transistors P 1  and P 2 , and an NMOS transistor N 1 . 
         [0017]    In addition, the circuit structure of the voltage distributor  110  is illustrated as follows. As shown in  FIG. 1 , first, the gate of the PMOS transistor P 1  is utilized to receive the input signal V in , where the drain of the of the PMOS transistor P 1  is coupled to the node n 1 , and the source of the PMOS transistor P 1  is coupled to a positive bias 10V. Furthermore, the PMOS transistor P 2  is utilized as a switch, which has a gate coupled to the node n 2 , a source coupled to the node n 1 , and a drain coupled to the node n 2 . Finally, the NMOS transistor N 1  has a gate coupled to the node n 1 , a drain coupled to the n 2 , and a source coupled to a negative bias −10V. 
         [0018]    Please note that the size of the PMOS transistor P 2  is larger than the NMOS transistor N 1 . This means that the PMOS transistor P 2  can allow larger currents than the NMOS transistor N 1 . The reason for this size relationship of the PMOS transistor P 2  and the NMOS transistor N 1  will be illustrated in the following description. 
         [0019]    In order to explain the function and the operation of the voltage distributor, now assume that the input signal V in  is a clock signal having two voltage levels 0˜5V. That is, the input signal V in  corresponds to 5V (a high voltage level) or the 0V (a low voltage level). 
         [0020]    When the input signal V in  corresponds to a low voltage level (0V), the PMOS transistor P 1  is turned on such that the voltage level of the node n 1  is pulled up by the positive bias 10V. Furthermore, the NMOS transistor N 1  is also turned on because the node n 1  corresponds to a high voltage (about 10V). Therefore, the node n 2  is pulled down by the negative bias −10V. But when the node n 2  corresponds to a low voltage level, the PMOS transistor P 2  (utilized as a switch) is turned on to establish the electrical connection between the node n 1  and the node n 2 . Please note that as mentioned previously, the size of the PMOS transistor P 2  is larger than the NMOS transistor N 1 , and the PMOS transistor P 2  allows more currents than the NMOS transistor N 1 . Hence, the voltage level of node n 2  is influenced more quickly by the voltage level of the node n 1  than the negative bias −10V. This means that the voltage level is then quickly pulled up. In the end, the two nodes n 1  and n 2  both correspond to high voltage levels. 
         [0021]    On the other hand, when the input signal V in  corresponds to a high voltage (e.g. 5V), the PMOS transistor P 1  is almost turned off (this means that the PMOS transistor P 1  only allows very few current to pass through). But when the NMOS transistor N 1  remains on, the voltage level of the node n 2  is pulled down by the negative bias −10V. In addition, when the voltage level of the node n 2  corresponds to a low voltage, the PMOS transistor P 2  is turned on to establish the electrical connection between the nodes n 1  and n 2  such that the voltage level of the node n 1  is pulled down. Therefore, in the end, the voltage levels of the nodes n 1  and n 2  both correspond to low voltage levels. 
         [0022]    Please note that when the input signal V in  corresponds to a high voltage level, the first signal of node n 1  and the second signal of the node n 2  correspond to low voltage levels. In addition, when the input signal V in  corresponds to a low voltage level, the first signal of the node n 1  and the second signal of the node n 2  correspond to high voltage levels. In other words, the first and second signals have an inverted phase of the input signal V in . 
         [0023]    Now the output circuit  120  will be examined. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the output circuit  120  is an inverter circuit. In this embodiment, the output circuit comprises three inverters  130 ,  140 , and  150 . The inverter  130  is a two-level inverter (this means that the inverter  130  has two inputs). The inverters  140  and  150  are typical inverters, which have only one input and one output. As known by those skilled in the art, the inverter is utilized to change the phase of its input signal to be an inverted phase. Therefore, after the transformation of the inverter  130 , the phase of the third signal, which is outputted by the inverter  130 , is transformed to be the same as the original phase of the input signal V in . 
         [0024]    In addition, because the first signal, second signal, and the third signal are all pulled up/down by the biases 10V and −10V, the amplitudes of the first, second, and third signals correspond to about 10V and −10V instead of the original voltage levels 0 and 5V. 
         [0025]    The inverters  140  and  150  are utilized to pull up/down the third signal to generate the output signal V out . Therefore, the output signal V out  can be closer to the voltage levels 10V and −10V than the third signal. Please note that even if only one inverter  130  is utilized, or only the inverter  130  and the inverter  140  are both utilized, the whole level shifter  100  is able to work. The number of the inverters is only utilized as an embodiment, not a limitation of the present invention. In other words, the three inverters  130 ,  140 , and  150  can be regarded as an optimized circuit in order to obtain better function and operation. 
         [0026]    Please refer to  FIG. 2 , which is a diagram of a level shifter  200  of a second embodiment according to the present invention. Similarly, the level shifter  200  comprises a voltage distributor  210  and an output circuit  220 . The voltage distributor  210  is also utilized to distribute a first signal on a first node n 1  and a second signal on a second node n 2  according to the input signal V in . The voltage distributor  210  comprises two PMOS transistors P 3  and P 4 , and an NMOS transistor N 2 . 
         [0027]    In addition, the circuit structure of the voltage distributor  210  is illustrated as follows. As shown in  FIG. 2 , first, the PMOS transistor P 3  is utilized as a current limiter for proving a limited current, wherein the PMOS transistor P 3  has a gate coupled to an outer bias Vss, a drain coupled to the node n 1 , and a source coupled to a positive bias 10V. Furthermore, the PMOS transistor P 4  is utilized as a switch, which has a gate coupled to the node n 2 , a source coupled to the node n 1 , and a drain coupled to the node n 2 . The NMOS transistor N 2  has a gate coupled to the node n 1 , a drain coupled to the node n 2 , and a source coupled to the input signal V in  for receiving the input signal V in . 
         [0028]    Similar to the level shifter  100  of the first embodiment, in order to explain the function and the operation of the voltage distributor, in the level shifter  200 , assume that the input signal V in  is a clock signal having two voltage levels 0-5V. That is, the input signal V in  corresponds to 5V (a high voltage level) or the 0V (a low voltage level). 
         [0029]    Please note that because the gate of the PMOS transistor P 3  is coupled to the bias Vss, the PMOS transistor P 3  is constantly turned on. For example, the PMOS transistor P 3  can operate at a saturation region such that a certain current can be provided by the positive bias 10V. Therefore, the voltage level of the node n 1  is pulled up through the certain current by the bias 10V. In other words, the node n 1  has an initial high voltage level. 
         [0030]    Because the node n 1  has an initial high voltage level, the NMOS transistor N 2  is turned on due to the high voltage level of node n 1 . Therefore, the input signal V in  can be transferred through the NMOS transistor N 2  to the node n 2 . Here, when the input signal V in  corresponds to a high voltage level (e.g. 5V), the node n 2  also corresponds to a high voltage level. In addition, because the initial voltage level of the node n 1  corresponds to a high voltage level, the two nodes n 1  and n 2  both correspond to high voltage levels. 
         [0031]    On the other hand, when the input signal V in  corresponds to a low voltage (e.g. 0V), the input signal V in  is also transferred to the node n 2 . This means that the node n 2  is pulled down. Therefore, the voltage level of the node n 2  corresponds to a low voltage level. Moreover, the PMOS transistor P 4  is turned on to establish the electrical connection between the nodes n 1  and n 2 . Because the PMOS transistor P 3  is utilized as a current limiter and the size of the PMOS transistor P 4  is large, the node n 1  is pulled down. Therefore, the voltage levels of the nodes n 1  and n 2  are quite similar. In other words, the two nodes n 1  and n 2  both correspond to low voltage levels. 
         [0032]    Please note that when the input signal V in  corresponds to a low voltage level, the first signal of node n 1  and the second signal of the node n 2  also correspond to low voltage levels. In addition, when the input signal V in  corresponds to a high voltage level, the first signal of the node n 1  and the second signal of the node n 2  correspond to high voltage levels. In other words, the first and second signals have a same phase of the input signal V in . 
         [0033]    Now the output circuit  220  will be detailed. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the output circuit  220  is an inverter circuit. In this embodiment, the output circuit comprises two inverters  230  and  240 . The inverter  230  is a two-level inverter (this means that the inverter  230  has two inputs). The inverter  230  is a typical inverter, which has only one input and one output. As known by those skilled in the art, the inverter is utilized to change the phase of its input signal to be an inverted phase. Therefore, after the transformation of the inverter  230  and  240 , the phase of the output signal V out  can be the same as the phase of the input signal V in . 
         [0034]    The inverter  240  is utilized to pull up/down the third signal (which is outputted by the inverter  230 ) to generate the output signal V out . Therefore, the output signal V out  can be closer to the voltage levels 10V and −10V than the third signal. Please note that even if only one inverter  230  is utilized, the whole level shifter  200  is able to work. The number of the inverters is only utilized as an embodiment, not a limitation of the present invention. In other words, the two inverters  230  and  240  can be regarded as an optimized circuit in order to obtain better function and operation. 
         [0035]    Please note that in the first and the second embodiments, the sizes of all transistors are not limited. That is, designers can tune a better circuit characteristic to perform more efficiently. Furthermore, each threshold voltage of the transistors is not limited, either. The designers can select needed threshold voltages of the transistors according to different design demands. 
         [0036]    Furthermore, according to the simulation results of the two embodiments, even if the two level shifters  100  and  200  can be driven by biases 10V and 0V, the level shifters  100  and  200  can operate correctly. Therefore, the present invention level shifter can be utilized more widely. 
         [0037]    Please note that the level shifter can be utilized in LCD fields in order to transform signals of the external circuits into signals of the inner circuits of the LCD panels. As known by those skilled in the art, the level shifter can be utilized in all kinds of circuits including digital circuits or analog circuits. In other words, if a signal needs to be transformed in order to adjust its DC levels, the present invention level shifter can be utilized. 
         [0038]    Please note that the PMOS transistors P 2  and P 4  are utilized as switches. Therefore, the PMOS transistors P 2  and P 4  are utilized as embodiments, not limitations. In other words, other switches can be utilized, for example, transmission gates can also be utilized. This also obeys the spirit of the present invention. 
         [0039]    Please refer to  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 3  shows a system capable of displaying images according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the system is implemented as an electronic device  300 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the electronic device  300  includes a level shifter  302  and a display panel  304  (e.g., an LCD panel), where the level shifter  302  shifts the voltage level of an external signal to another voltage level meeting voltage requirements of internal circuits of the display panel  304 . It should be noted that the level shifter  302  has the aforementioned circuit architecture shown in  FIG. 1  or  FIG. 2 , and further description is omitted for brevity. In addition, the electronic device  300  can be a mobile phone, digital camera, PDA (personal data assistant), notebook computer, desktop computer, television, car display, or portable DVD player, for example. 
         [0040]    In contrast to the prior art, the present invention level shifter utilizes only one input clock signal to generate the output clock signal such that the pin number is not increased. This can ensure the reliability of the LCD panel. Furthermore, the present invention level shifter can be utilized to generate the output clock signal having wider range of the DC voltage levels. Therefore, the present invention can be utilized in more kinds of circuits than the prior art level shifter. 
         [0041]    Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims. 
         [0042]    Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.

Technology Category: 5