Bi-Directional Level Shifter with Voltage-Encoded Direction Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bi-directional level shifters require dedicated pins for data direction indication and suffer from high power consumption due to current flow detection.
Innovation Solution
A bi-directional level shifter that combines I/O and direction control signals into a single signal, using voltage encoding to detect data direction without current flow, thereby reducing pin count and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If dedicated pins are used for data direction indication, then data direction detection is reliable, but device complexity and pin count increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the data direction indication function with the I/O data signal by encoding direction information in the voltage levels of the same signal line used for data transmission. This merging eliminates the need for separate dedicated direction indication pins, reducing device complexity and pin count while maintaining reliable direction detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The I/O signal line is designed to serve dual purposes: transmitting data and indicating data direction simultaneously through voltage level encoding. This multi-functionality allows the same physical pin to perform both data communication and direction control, thereby reducing the overall pin count without sacrificing direction detection reliability.
2Reliability
If current flow detection is used for direction sensing, then data direction can be detected, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the detection parameter from current flow to voltage level. By monitoring the voltage levels of the I/O signal, the system can determine data direction without requiring current to flow through detection circuits. This parameter change eliminates the continuous power consumption associated with current-based detection while maintaining reliable direction sensing capability.
3Use of energy by moving object
If voltage encoding is used for direction indication, then power consumption is reduced, but measurement precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies distinct voltage level characteristics to represent different data directions (e.g., high voltage for one direction, low voltage for the other). This local quality differentiation creates clearly distinguishable voltage states that are easy to detect with standard comparators, maintaining measurement precision while reducing power consumption compared to current-based methods.
Data Source
AI summary
A bi-directional level shifter is described that combines an input/output (I/O) signal and a direction control signal into a single signal, thereby reducing the number of total pins. The combination of I/O and direction is encoded by different voltage levels, and thus no information is encoded by currents. This advantageously keep power consumption low compared to conventional designs. Moreover, because a predetermined voltage encoding is used in which the bi-directional level shifter is configured to detect and respond via hardware, transitions between data flow are detected very quickly.