IP Library Patent Application 11878292
Patent Application
App. No. 11/878,292

Voltage level converting circuit and display apparatus including the same

Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
11/878,292
Abstract

A voltage level converting circuit may include a first transistor including a first terminal coupled with a first terminal supplying a first voltage, and a control terminal coupled with an input terminal, a second transistor including a first terminal coupled with a second terminal supplying a second voltage lower than the first voltage, and a control terminal coupled with the input terminal, a third transistor including a first terminal coupled with a third terminal supplying a third voltage higher than the first voltage, a second terminal coupled with an output terminal, and a control terminal coupled with a second terminal of the second transistor, and a fourth transistor including a first terminal coupled with a fourth terminal supplying a fourth voltage lower than the second voltage, a second terminal coupled with the output terminal, and a control terminal coupled with a second terminal of the first transistor.

Claims (34)

1 . A voltage level converting circuit, comprising:

a first switching transistor including a first terminal coupled with a first power supply terminal to which a first voltage is applied, and a control terminal coupled with an input terminal;

a second switching transistor including a first terminal coupled with a second power supply terminal to which a second voltage lower than the first voltage is applied, and a control terminal coupled with the input terminal;

a third switching transistor including a first terminal coupled with a third power supply terminal to which a third voltage higher than the first voltage is applied, a second terminal coupled with an output terminal, and a control terminal coupled with a second terminal of the second switching transistor; and

a fourth switching transistor including a first terminal coupled with a fourth power supply terminal to which a fourth voltage lower than the second voltage is applied, a second terminal coupled with the output terminal, and a control terminal coupled with a second terminal of the first switching transistor.

2 . The circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein when a high-level input signal including the first voltage or a low-level input signal including the second voltage is applied to the input terminal, a high-level output signal obtained by amplifying the third voltage or a low-level output signal obtained by amplifying the fourth voltage is output through the output terminal.

3 . The circuit as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a first resistor coupled with the first power supply terminal and the first terminal of the first switching transistor, a second resistor coupled with the second power supply terminal and the first terminal of the second switching transistor, a third resistor coupled with the third power supply terminal and the first terminal of the third switching transistor, and a fourth resistor coupled with the fourth power supply terminal and the first terminal of the fourth switching transistor.

4 . The circuit as claimed in claim 3 , further comprising at least one of a fifth resistor coupled with the third power supply terminal and the control terminal of the third switching transistor, and a sixth resistor coupled with the fourth power supply terminal and the control terminal of the fourth switching transistor.

5 . The circuit as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the fifth resistor has a larger resistance than the third resistor, and the sixth resistor has a larger resistance than the fourth resistor.

6 . The circuit as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a seventh resistor coupled with the input terminal and a ground voltage.

7 . The circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second voltage is a ground voltage.

8 . The circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first through fourth switching transistors are bipolar transistors.

9 . The circuit as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the first and third switching transistors are pnp bipolar transistors, and the second and fourth switching transistors are npn bipolar transistors.

10 . The circuit as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the first terminal of each of the first through fourth switching transistors is an emitter, the second terminal of each of the first through fourth switching transistors is a collector, and the control terminal of each of the first through fourth switching transistors is a base.

11 . The circuit as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising switching speed enhancement devices respectively coupled with the third bipolar transistor and the fourth bipolar transistor.

12 . The circuit as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising:

a first diode including a cathode coupled with the collector of the second bipolar transistor, and an anode coupled with the base of the third bipolar transistor;

a second diode including a cathode coupled with the collector of the second bipolar transistor, and an anode coupled with the collector of the third bipolar transistor;

a third diode including an anode coupled with the collector of the first bipolar transistor, and a cathode coupled with the collector of the fourth bipolar transistor; and

a fourth diode including an anode coupled with the collector of the first bipolar transistor, and a cathode coupled with the base of the fourth bipolar transistor.

13 . The circuit as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising:

a first schottky diode including a cathode coupled with the base of the third bipolar transistor, and an anode coupled with the collector of the third bipolar transistor; and

a second schottky diode including an anode coupled with the base of the fourth bipolar transistor, and a cathode coupled with the collector of the fourth bipolar transistor.

14 . The circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first through fourth transistors are MOS transistors.

15 . The circuit as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the first and third switching transistors are PMOS transistors, and the second and fourth switching transistors are NMOS transistors.

16 . The circuit as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the first terminal of each of the first through fourth transistors is a source, the second terminal of each of the first through fourth transistors is a drain, and the control terminal of each of the first through fourth transistors is a gate.

17 . The circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least the third switching transistor is a high voltage transistor.

18 . A display apparatus comprising a display unit including a plurality of pixels, and a driver unit including a voltage level converting circuit in order to drive the plurality of pixels, wherein the voltage level converting circuit comprises:

a first switching transistor including a first terminal coupled with a first power supply terminal to which a first voltage is applied, and a control terminal coupled with an input terminal;

a second switching transistor including a first terminal coupled with a second power supply terminal to which a second voltage lower than the first voltage is applied, and a control terminal coupled with the input terminal;

a third switching transistor including a first terminal connected to a third power supply terminal to which a third voltage higher than the first voltage is applied, a second terminal coupled with an output terminal, and a control terminal coupled with a second terminal of the second switching transistor; and

a fourth switching transistor including a first terminal coupled with a fourth power supply terminal to which a fourth voltage lower than the second voltage is applied, a second terminal coupled with the output terminal, and a control terminal coupled with a second terminal of the first switching transistor.

19 . The display apparatus as claimed in claim 18 , wherein when a high-level input signal including the first voltage or a low-level input signal including the second voltage is applied to the input terminal, a high-level output signal obtained by amplifying the third voltage or a low-level output signal obtained by amplifying the fourth voltage is output through the output terminal.

20 . The display apparatus as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the voltage level converting circuit further comprises a first resistor coupled with the first power supply terminal and the first terminal of the first switching transistor, a second resistor coupled with the second power supply terminal and the first terminal of the second switching transistor, a third resistor coupled with the third power supply terminal and the first terminal of the third switching transistor, and a fourth resistor coupled with the fourth power supply terminal and the first terminal of the fourth switching transistor.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 15, 2008
From: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.
To: SAMSUNG MOBILE DISPLAY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 021998/0771 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 23, 2007
From: KIM, DO-IK
To: SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 019642/0328 →