Buffer with high and low speed input buffers

Claim 2

An input buffer comprising: a low-speed input buffer receiving an input signal and generating a buffered output signal during low-speed operation; a high-speed, logically high input buffer controlled by the low-speed input buffer, receiving the input signal, and generating a logically high output signal during high-speed operation; a high-speed, logically low input buffer controlled by the low-speed input buffer, receiving the input signal, and generating a logically low output signal during high-speed operation; and an output driver exclusively receiving the logically high output signal and the logically low output signal, and generating an output signal in response thereto.

Claim 3

An input buffer as claimed in claim 1, wherein said low-speed input buffer comprises: a first inverter receiving said input signal and inverting said input signal; a first pull-up transistor having a gate electrode connected to the inverted output of said first inverter, a source electrode connected to a power voltage, and a drain electrode; and a first pull-down transistor having a gate electrode connected to the inverted output of the first inverter, a source electrode connected to ground, and a drain electrode connected to the drain electrode of the first pull-up transistor.

Claim 4

An input buffer comprising: a low-speed input buffer receiving an input signal, generating a buffered output signal during low-speed operation, and comprising; a first inverter receiving the input signal and inverting the input signal; a first pull-up transistor having a gate electrode connected to the inverted output of the first inverter, a source electrode connected to a power voltage, and a drain electrode; and a first pull-down transistor having a gate electrode connected to the inverted output of the first inverter, a source electrode connected to ground, and a drain electrode connected to the drain electrode of the first pull-up transistor; a high-speed, logically high input buffer controlled by the low-speed input buffer, receiving the input signal, generating a logically high output signal during high-speed operation, and comprising; second and third inverters receiving the input signal; a second pull-up transistor having a source electrode connected to the power voltage, a gate electrode receiving the input signal, and a drain electrode; a second pull-down transistor having a drain electrode connected to the drain electrode of the second pull-up transistor, a gate electrode receiving the input signal, and a source electrode connected to an output of the third inverter; a capacitor connected across the output of the third inverter and ground; and a first pass transistor having a gate electrode connected to the output of the first inverter, a source electrode connected to the output of the third inverter, and a drain electrode connected to the drain electrode of the second pull-up transistor; a high-speed, logically low input buffer controlled by the low-speed input buffer, receiving the input signal, and generating a logically low output signal during high-speed operation; and an output driver at which the output of the high-speed, logically high input buffer, and the output of the high-speed, logically low input buffer are apparent.

Claim 5

An input buffer comprising: a low-speed input buffer receiving an input signal, generating a buffered output signal during low-speed operation, and comprising; a first inverter receiving the input signal and inverting the input signal; a first pull-up transistor having a gate electrode connected to the inverted output of the first inverter, a source electrode connected to a power voltage, and a drain electrode; and a first pull-down transistor having a gate electrode connected to the inverted output of the first inverter, a source electrode connected to ground, and a drain electrode connected to the drain electrode of the first pull-up transistor; a high-speed, logically high input buffer controlled by the low-speed input buffer, receiving the input signal, generating a logically high output signal during high-speed operation, and comprising; second and third inverters receiving the input signal; a second pull-up transistor having a source electrode connected to the power voltage, a gate electrode receiving the input signal, and a drain electrode; a second pull-down transistor having a drain electrode connected to the drain electrode of the second pull-up transistor, a gate electrode receiving the input signal, and a source electrode connected to an output of the third inverter; a capacitor connected across the output of the third inverter and ground; and a first pass transistor having a gate electrode connected to the output of the first inverter, a source electrode connected to the output of the third inverter, and a drain electrode connected to the drain electrode of the second pull-up transistor; a high-speed, logically low input buffer controlled by the low-speed input buffer, receiving the input signal, and generating a logically low output signal during high-speed operation; and an output driver at which the output of the high-speed, logically high input buffer, and the output of the high-speed, logically low input buffer are apparent.

Claim 6

An input buffer as claimed in claim 3, wherein logic threshold levels for the second pull-up transistor and the second pull-down transistor are set to be higher than the logic threshold level of the second inverter.

Claim 7

An input buffer as claimed in claim 3, wherein logic threshold levels for the second pull-up transistor and the second pull-down transistor are set to be lower than the logic threshold level of the first inverter.

Claim 8

An input buffer as claimed in claim 3, wherein the high-speed, logically low input buffer comprises: fourth and fifth inverters receiving the input signal; a fourth pull-up transistor having a gate electrode receiving the input signal, a source electrode connected to an output of the fifth inverter, and a drain electrode; a third pull-down transistor having a gate electrode receiving the input signal, a source electrode connected to ground, and a drain electrode connected to the drain electrode of the fourth pull-up transistor; a capacitor connected across the output of the fifth inverter and a power voltage; and a second pass transistor having a gate electrode connected to the output of the first inverter, a drain electrode connected to the output of first inverter, and a source electrode connected to the drain electrode of the fourth pull-up transistor.

Claim 9

An input buffer as claimed in claim 6, wherein logic threshold levels of the fourth pull-up transistor and the third pull-down transistor are set to be lower than the logic threshold level of the fourth inverter.

Claim 10

An input buffer as claimed in claim 6, wherein logic threshold levels of the fourth pull-up transistor and the third pull-down transistor are set to be higher than the logic threshold level of the first inverter.

Claim 11

An input buffer as claimed in claim 6, wherein said output driver comprises: a fifth pull-up transistor having a gate electrode connected to the drain electrode of the second pull-up transistor, a source electrode connected to a power voltage, and a drain electrode; and a fifth pull-down transistor having a gate electrode connected to the drain electrode of the fourth pull-up transistor, a source electrode connected to ground, a drain electrode commonly connected to the drain electrodes of the fifth pull-up transistor, the first pull-up transistor, and an output terminal.

Claim 12

An input buffer as claimed in claim 9, wherein dimensions of the fifth pull-up transistor and the fifth pull-down transistor are larger than the dimensions of the first pull-up transistor and the first pull-down transistor.

Claim 13

An input buffer comprising: a low-speed input buffer receiving an input signal during low-speed operation; a high-speed input buffer, controlled by the low-speed input buffer, adjusting high-level and low-level logic of the input signal during high-speed operation, and providing the adjusted input signal as an output; and an output driver, exclusively receiving the adjusted input signal, and generating high-level and low-level logic signals in response to the output of the high-speed input buffer.

Claim 14

An input buffer comprising: a low-speed input buffer receiving an input signal during low-speed operation; a high-speed input buffer, controlled by the low-speed input buffer, adjusting high-level and low-level logic of the input signal during high-speed operation, and providing the adjusted input signal as an output; and an output driver, exclusively receiving the adjusted input signal, and generating high-level and low-level logic signals in response to the output of the high-speed input buffer.

Claim 15

An input buffer as claimed in claim 11, wherein said low-speed input buffer comprises: a first inverter receiving inverting the input signal; a first pull-up transistor having a gate electrode connected to the output of the first inverter, a source electrode connected to a power voltage, and a drain electrode; and a first pull-down transistor having a gate electrode connected to the output of the first inverter, a source electrode connected to ground potential, and a drain electrode connected to the drain electrode of the first pull-up transistor.

Claim 16

An input buffer as claimed in claim 11, wherein said high-speed input buffer comprises: high-level logic adjusting means for adjusting a high-level logic value for the input signal; and low-level logic adjusting means for adjusting a low-level logic value for the input signal.

Claim 17

An input buffer comprising: a low-speed input buffer receiving an input signal during low-speed operation, and comprising; a first inverter receiving inverting the input signal; a first pull-up transistor having a gate electrode connected to the output of the first inverter, a source electrode connected to a power voltage, and a drain electrode; and a first pull-down transistor having a gate electrode connected to the output of the first inverter, a source electrode connected to ground potential, and a drain electrode connected to the drain electrode of the first pull-up transistor; a high-speed input buffer, controlled by the low-speed input buffer, adjusting high-level and low-level logic of the input signal during high-speed operation, providing the adjusted input signal as an output, and comprising; high-level logic adjusting means for adjusting a high-level logic value for the input signal; and low-level logic adjusting means for adjusting a low-level logic value for the input signal, wherein the high-level logic adjusting means further comprises; second and third inverters receiving the input signal; a second pull-up transistor having a source electrode connected to a power voltage, a gate electrode receiving the input signal, and a drain electrode; a second pull-down transistor having a drain electrode connected to the drain electrode of the second pull-up transistor, a gate electrode receiving the input signal, and a source electrode connected to the output of the third inverter; a capacitor connected across the output of the third inverter and ground; and a first pass transistor having a gate electrode connected to the output of the first inverter, a source electrode connected to the output of the third inverter, and a drain electrode connected to the drain electrode of the second pull-up transistor; an output driver generating the high-level and low-level logic signals in response to the output of the high-speed input buffer.

Claim 18

An input buffer comprising: a low-speed input buffer receiving an input signal during low-speed operation, and comprising; a first inverter receiving inverting the input signal; a first pull-up transistor having a gate electrode connected to the output of the first inverter, a source electrode connected to a power voltage, and a drain electrode; and a first pull-down transistor having a gate electrode connected to the output of the first inverter, a source electrode connected to ground potential, and a drain electrode connected to the drain electrode of the first pull-up transistor; a high-speed input buffer, controlled by the low-speed input buffer, adjusting high-level and low-level logic of the input signal during high-speed operation, providing the adjusted input signal as an output, and comprising; high-level logic adjusting means for adjusting a high-level logic value for the input signal; and low-level logic adjusting means for adjusting a low-level logic value for the input signal, wherein the high-level logic adjusting means further comprises; second and third inverters receiving the input signal; a second pull-up transistor having a source electrode connected to a power voltage, a gate electrode receiving the input signal, and a drain electrode; a second pull-down transistor having a drain electrode connected to the drain electrode of the second pull-up transistor, a gate electrode receiving the input signal, and a source electrode connected to the output of the third inverter; a capacitor connected across the output of the third inverter and ground; and a first pass transistor having a gate electrode connected to the output of the first inverter, a source electrode connected to the output of the third inverter, and a drain electrode connected to the drain electrode of the second pull-up transistor; an output driver generating the high-level and low-level logic signals in response to the output of the high-speed input buffer.

Claim 19

An input buffer as claimed in claim 14, wherein logic threshold levels of the second pull-up transistor and the second pull-down transistor are set to be higher than the logic threshold level of the second inverter.

Claim 20

An input buffer as claimed in claim 14, wherein logic threshold levels of the second pull-up transistor and the second pull-down transistor are set to be higher than the logic threshold level of the first inverter.

Claim 21

An input buffer as claimed in claim 14, wherein said logic low-level adjusting means comprises: fourth and fifth inverters receiving the input signal; a fourth pull-up transistor having a gate electrode receiving the input signal, a source electrode connected to the output of the fifth inverter, and a drain electrode; a third pull-down transistor having a gate electrode receiving the input signal, a source electrode connected to ground, and a drain electrode connected to the drain electrode of the fourth pull-up transistor; a capacitor connected across the output of the fifth inverter and a power voltage; and a second pass transistor having a gate electrode connected to the output of the first inverter, a drain electrode connected to the output of the first inverter, and a source electrode connected to the drain electrode of the fourth pull-up transistor.

Claim 22

An input buffer as claimed in claim 17, wherein logic threshold levels of the fourth pull-up transistor and the third pull-down transistor are set to be lower than that of the fourth inverter.

Claim 23

An input buffer as claimed in claim 17, wherein logic threshold levels of the fourth pull-up transistor and the third pull-down transistor are set to be higher than that of the first inverter.

Claim 24

An input buffer as claimed in claim 14, wherein said output driver comprises: a fifth pull-up transistor having a gate electrode connected to the drain electrode of the second pull-up transistor, a source electrode connected to a power voltage, and a drain electrode; and a fifth pull-down transistor having a gate electrode connected to the drain electrode of the fourth pull-up transistor, a source electrode connected to ground, a drain electrode commonly connected to the drain electrodes of the fifth pull-up transistor, the first pull-up transistor, and an output terminal.

Claim 25

An input buffer as claimed in claim 20, wherein dimensions of the fifth pull-up transistor and the fifth pull-down transistor are larger than those of the first pull-up transistor and the first pull-down transistor.