Gate-Biased Level Shifter Protection for Lower Current Loss

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Solution Overview

Problem

Level shifters often malfunction and cause damage to devices due to improper bias voltage application at the drain and source terminals of switching elements, leading to unnecessary current consumption and inefficiency.

Innovation Solution

A level shifter design that provides bias voltages to the gate terminals of switching elements, eliminating the need for bias voltages at the drain and source terminals, thereby reducing current consumption and preventing damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If bias voltages are applied to drain and source terminals of switching elements, then the switching elements can operate, but current consumption increases and devices may be damaged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice safetyVSAvoidcurrent consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the bias voltage application from drain and source terminals, extracting the harmful function while preserving the essential switching operation through proper gate terminal biasing only

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces protection circuits as intermediary elements that prevent direct harmful voltage application to drain and source terminals while enabling safe operation of the switching elements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If bias voltages are applied to drain and source terminals of switching elements, then the switching elements can operate, but devices may be damaged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveswitching element operationVSAvoiddevice damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary protective actions by configuring protection circuits that prevent harmful voltage conditions from occurring at drain and source terminals before damage can occur

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

Protection circuits serve as intermediary elements between the switching elements and harmful voltage conditions, mediating to prevent device damage while maintaining operational functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20260031799A1Level shifter

Publication Date: 2026.01.29 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

Provided is a level shifter including: an inverting circuit configured to invert an input voltage and to output an inverted input voltage; a level shifting circuit configured to output first and second intermediate voltages, based on the input and inverted input voltages; and a buffer circuit configured to invert the first and second intermediate voltages, and to output an output voltage and an inverted output voltage, wherein the output and inverted output voltages swing between a first bias voltage and a power supply voltage, wherein the level shifting circuit includes an input protection circuit including input protection switching elements each including a gate terminal connected to a first or a second bias voltage line, and wherein the buffer circuit includes an output protection circuit including output protection switching elements each including a gate terminal connected to the first or second bias voltage line.