Patent US4789995A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0146910A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Level converting circuit
Assignee: Hitachi Ltd
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Filing: 1984-12-18
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-12-18
Abstract
Abstract A level converter for transforming differential input voltages into an output voltage comprises a voltage-current conversion circuit (1) for transforming the differential input voltages into differential currents, a current detection circuit (2) for detecting the differential currents, a current amplifying circuit (3) for amplifying the differential currents in response to the output of the current detection circuit, and a current-voltage conversion circuit (4) for transforming the amplified differential currents into an output voltage, thereby allowing fast operation and drastic level conversion.
Inventors
- 👤 Masahiro Ueno
- 👤 Kozaburo Kurita
- 👤 Ikuro Masuda
- 👤 Nobuaki Miyakawa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 23:32
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03G; H03G11/00; H03K; H03K19/00; H03K19/0175; H03K19/0185; H03K19/018507; H03K19/018514; H03K19/02; H03K19/08; H03K19/094; H03K19/0944; H03K19/09448
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
73 words
A level converting circuit for transforming differential input voltages (V1, V2) into an output voltage (VO) comprising: voltage-to-current conversion means (1) for transforming said differential input voltages into differential currents; current detection means (2) for detecting said differential currents; current amplifying means (3) for amplifying said differential currents in response to the output of said current detection means; and current-to-voltage conversion means (4) for transforming said amplified differential currents into an output voltage.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
73 words
A level converting circuit for transforming differential input voltages (V1, V2) into an output voltage (VO) comprising: voltage-to-current conversion means (1) for transforming said differential input voltages into differential currents; current detection means (2) for detecting said differential currents; current amplifying means (3) for amplifying said differential currents in response to the output of said current detection means; and current-to-voltage conversion means (4) for transforming said amplified differential currents into an output voltage.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
A level converting circuit according to claim 1, wherein said current-to-voltage conversion means (,1) and/or said current detection means (2) and/or said current amplifying means (3) comprises a current mirror circuit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A level converting circuit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said voltage-to-current conversion means (1) comprises MOS transistors (M30, M31) or bipolar transistors (Q50, Q51).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
A level converting circuit according to claim 1, wherein said voltage-to-current conversion means (1) comprises a cascade stage formed of a bipolar transistor (Q72, Q73) or MOS transistor adapted to receive said differential current and biased on its base or gate electrode by a constant voltage.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
A level converting circuit according to claim 1, wherein said current-to-voltage conversion means (1) comprises a level shift circuit (42) and an output buffer circuit (41).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
A level converting circuit according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein said current detection means (2) comprises a MOS transistor (M32, M33) with its gate and drain electrodes being arranged to have an equal voltage to form an equivalent diode.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
A level converting circuit according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein said current detection circuit (2) comprises a resistor (R50, R51).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
A level converting circuit according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein said current detection means (2) comprises a parallel combination of a resistor (R50, R51) and a diode (D50, D51).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
A level converting circuit according to any of claims 1 to 8, wherein said current amplifying means (3) comprises a level shift circuit (31) and/or a voltage-to-current conversion circuit (32).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
50 words
A level converting circuit according to claim 9, wherein said level shift circuit (31) comprises a MOS transistor (M61, M62) with its source electrode connected to the output of said current detection means (2) and its drain and gate electrodes connected to the output of said level shift circuit (31).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
A level converting circuit according to claim 9, wherein said level shift circuit (31) comprises an emitter follower made of a bipolar transistor (Q52, Q53).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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