Voltage Level Shifter with Boost Circuit for Transient Current Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional voltage level shifters face challenges with high transient current and slow signal transition speed, leading to increased power consumption and reduced performance in electronic products.

Innovation Solution

A voltage level shifter incorporating a boost circuit that reduces transient current by boosting input ends based on voltage values, thereby enhancing signal transition speed.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If conventional voltage level shifter is used to shift voltage signal from low level to high level, then voltage level shifting function is achieved, but transient current becomes too high and power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidtransient current control

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-charging the input nodes of the voltage level shifter through boost circuits before the actual switching operation. This pre-charging reduces the voltage difference that needs to be overcome during switching, thereby significantly reducing the transient current spike and associated power consumption while maintaining reliable voltage level shifting functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Speed

If conventional voltage level shifter is used to shift voltage signal from low level to high level, then voltage level shifting function is achieved, but signal transition speed becomes too slow

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal transition speedVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the voltage levels at the input nodes through the boost circuits. By changing the voltage parameters before switching occurs, the circuit achieves faster transition speeds while the controlled nature of these parameter changes prevents excessive power consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Loss of energy

If boost circuit is added to reduce transient current, then power consumption is reduced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidcircuit structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies merging by integrating the boost circuit functionality directly into the voltage level shifter structure. The boost circuits are combined with the existing switching transistors and control logic, creating a unified circuit that reduces power consumption without requiring completely separate additional components or complex external circuitry

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS10305482B2Voltage level shifter

Publication Date: 2019.05.28 WINBOND ELECTRONICS CORP

AI summary

A voltage level shifter including a voltage level shifting circuit and a boost circuit is provided. The voltage level shifting circuit includes a first reference input end, a second reference input end, a first boosted input end, and a second boosted input end. The voltage level shifting circuit operates between a first voltage and a second voltage. The boost circuit is coupled to the voltage level shifting circuit. The boost circuit boosts the first boosted input end and the second boosted input end according to voltage values of the first reference input end and the second reference input end to reduce a transient current that flows from the first voltage to the second voltage.