Floating Gate Driver Level Shifter With Well Transient Noise Masking
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Solution Overview
Problem
The single-end level shifter in floating gate drivers suffers from low noise immunity, leading to erroneous operations and potential short circuits due to transient voltage variations, which compromise the reliability of high-voltage applications.
Innovation Solution
A circuit and method that incorporates a well transient detector and masking circuit to detect and mask noise in the output voltage of the single-end level shifter, enhancing its noise immunity and robustness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a single-end level shifter is used to reduce circuit area and eliminate cross talk, then chip area is reduced and cross talk is eliminated, but noise immunity deteriorates leading to erroneous operations
Solution Approach 1:
The level shifter circuit is segmented into two independent single-end level shifters instead of using one complex level shifter. Each single-end level shifter processes one signal path independently, which maintains the area advantages while improving noise immunity through redundancy and independent operation paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The circuit incorporates beforehand cushioning by using two independent single-end level shifters that can compensate for each other's noise vulnerabilities. The redundant structure provides a buffer against noise-induced errors, ensuring that if one path experiences noise interference, the other path can maintain correct operation.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If input transistors are formed outside the ultra-high-voltage floating well, then cross talk is reduced, but chip area increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The circuit divides the level shifting function into two separate single-end level shifters, each handling independent signal paths. This segmentation allows the transistors to be placed in a more compact configuration within the floating well, reducing the area required while maintaining isolation between signal paths to minimize cross talk.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functionality of two conventional level shifters into a unified structure using two single-end level shifters that share common circuit elements and the same floating well environment. This merging approach reduces the total area compared to placing transistors outside the well, while the single-end architecture maintains signal isolation.
Data Source
AI summary
A floating gate driver uses a single-end level shifter to translate a set signal and a reset signal induced by a rising edge and a falling edge of a switch signal to a common output terminal to generate an output voltage for a bistable circuit to generate a level shifted switch signal. Under control of a well transient detect signal asserted by detecting noise in the output voltage, a masking circuit between the single-end level shifter and the bistable circuit masks noise in the output voltage. This configuration has lower area penalty and better noise immunity.