IP Library Granted Patent US 9,800,244
Granted Patent B2
US 9,800,244 · App. 15/086,669 · Granted Oct 24, 2017

Inverter circuits with first and second drivability dependent on first or second time period

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,800,244
App. No.
15/086,669
Granted
Oct 24, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

An inverter circuit includes a pull-up control circuit and a pull-up drive circuit. The pull-up control circuit generates a drive signal which is enabled during a first time period in response to an input signal and an output signal. The pull-up drive circuit drives the output signal to a power supply voltage in response to the input signal and the drive signal. The pull-up drive unit drives the output signal with a first drivability during the first time period and drives the output signal with a second drivability during a second time period.

Claims (34)

1. An inverter circuit comprising:

a pull-up control circuit configured for generating a drive signal, the drive signal enabled during a first time period in response to an input signal and an output signal; and

a pull-up drive circuit configured for driving the output signal to a power supply voltage based on the input signal and the drive signal,

wherein the pull-up drive circuit drives the output signal with a first drivability during the first time period and drives the output signal with a second drivability during a second time period,

wherein the first drivability is higher than the second drivability,

wherein a level of the output signal is changed during the first time period, and

wherein the first time period starts based on a point of time that the input signal is changed from a first level into a second level and terminates based on a point of time that the output signal is changed from the second level into the first level.

2. The inverter circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the second time period starts based on a point of time that the first time period terminates and terminates based on a point of time that the input signal is changed from a second level into a first level.

3. The inverter circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the pull-up control circuit includes:

a transfer circuit configured for outputting the input signal as the drive signal during the first time period based on the output signal;

a drive termination control circuit configured for generating a drive termination signal which is enabled during the second time period based on the input signal and the output signal; and

a drive control circuit configured for disabling the drive signal based on the drive termination signal.

4. The inverter circuit according to claim 3 , wherein the drive termination control circuit delays the output signal to further generate a delayed output signal, the delayed output signal enabled during the second time period.

5. The inverter circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the pull-up drive circuit includes:

a first pull-up element configured for driving the output signal to the power supply voltage based on the drive signal; and

a second pull-up element configured for driving the output signal to the power supply voltage based on the input signal.

6. The inverter circuit according to claim 5 , wherein the first pull-up element has a drivability which is higher than a drivability of the second pull-up element.

7. The inverter circuit according to claim 5 , wherein the pull-up drive circuit further includes a power supply control circuit configured for supplying the power supply voltage to the first pull-up element based on the drive signal during the first time period and configured for supplying a ground voltage to the first pull-up element based on a delayed output signal during the second time period.

8. The inverter circuit according to claim 5 , wherein the pull-up drive circuit further includes a third pull-up element configured for driving the output signal to the power supply signal based on the drive signal.

9. The inverter circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising a pull-down drive circuit configured for driving the output signal to a ground voltage based on the input signal.

10. An inverter circuit comprising:

a pull-up drive circuit configured for driving an output signal to a power supply voltage based on an input signal and a drive signal; and

a pull-down drive circuit configured for driving the output signal to a ground voltage based on the input signal,

wherein the pull-up drive circuit drives the output signal with a first drivability during a first time period and drives the output signal with a second drivability during a second time period,

wherein the first drivability is higher than the second drivability,

wherein a level of the output signal is changed during the first time period, and

wherein the first time period starts based on a point of time that the input signal is changed from a first level into a second level and terminates based on a point of time that the output signal is changed from the second level into the first level.

11. The inverter circuit according to claim 10 , wherein the drive signal is enabled during the first time period.

12. The inverter circuit according to claim 10 , wherein the second time period starts based on a point of time that the first time period terminates and terminates based on a point of time that the input signal is changed from a second level into a first level.

13. The inverter circuit according to claim 10 , wherein the pull-up drive circuit includes:

a first pull-up element configured for driving the output signal to the power supply voltage based on the drive signal; and

a second pull-up element configured for driving the output signal to the power supply voltage based on the input signal.

14. The inverter circuit according to claim 13 , wherein the first pull-up element has a drivability which is higher than a drivability of the second pull-up element.

15. The inverter circuit according to claim 13 , wherein the pull-up drive circuit further includes a power supply control circuit configured for supplying the power supply voltage to the first pull-up element based on the drive signal during the first time period and configured for supplying the ground voltage to the first pull-up element based on a delayed output signal during the second time period.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 7, 2024
From: SK HYNIX INC.
To: MIMIRIP LLC
Reel/Frame 067335/0246 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 31, 2016
From: LIM, JUNG HO; JI, JUNG HWAN
To: SK HYNIX INC.
Reel/Frame 038318/0257 →