IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,339,914
Granted Patent B2
US 10,339,914 · App. 15/864,997 · Granted Jul 2, 2019

Transmit/receive channel for ultrasound applications

Inventors: Matteo Albertini (Pavia, IT); Sandro Rossi (Pavia, IT)
Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
G10K11/18B06B1/0215H03K3/355H03K5/003H03K5/125H03K19/017509H03K19/018521B06B2201/76
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,339,914
App. No.
15/864,997
Granted
Jul 2, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A device voltage shifter includes a first voltage reference node, a second voltage reference node, an output node and a clamp node. A first high-voltage switching transistor of the voltage shifter has a first conduction terminal coupled to the first voltage reference node and a second conduction terminal coupled to the clamp node. A second high-voltage switching transistor of the voltage shifter has a first conduction terminal coupled to the clamp node and a second conduction terminal coupled to the second voltage reference node. A third high-voltage switching transistor of the voltage shifter has a first conduction terminal coupled to the first voltage reference node, a control terminal coupled to the clamp node, and a second conduction terminal coupled to the output node. A voltage regulator of the voltage shifter is coupled between the output node and the clamp node.

Claims (100)

1. A device, comprising:

a first high-voltage switching circuit;

a second high-voltage switching circuit;

a first branch including an output node, the first branch coupling the first high-voltage switching circuit to the second high-voltage switching circuit, wherein the first branch, in operation, conducts an ultrasound transducer drive signal; and

a second branch, separate from the first branch, coupling the first high-voltage switching circuit to the second high-voltage switching circuit, wherein the second branch, in operation, conducts a biasing current to bias the first branch.

2. The device of claim 1 , comprising a clamp node coupled to the second high-voltage switching circuit, wherein the first branch and the second branch are coupled between the first high-voltage switching circuit and the clamp node.

3. The device of claim 1 , comprising:

a first reference-voltage node, wherein the first high-voltage switching circuit is coupled between the first reference-voltage node and the first and second branches, and in operation, the first high-voltage switching circuit selectively couples the first reference-voltage node to the first and second branches; and

a second reference-voltage node, wherein the second high-voltage switching circuit is coupled between the second reference-voltage node and the first and second branches, and in operation, the second high-voltage switching circuit selectively couples the second reference-voltage node to the first and second branches.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the first high-voltage switching circuit comprises:

a first high-voltage switch coupled between the first voltage-reference node and the first branch; and

a second high-voltage switch coupled between the first voltage-reference node and the second branch.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the second high-voltage switching circuit comprises a third high-voltage switch coupled between the second voltage-reference node and the first and second branches.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the first high-voltage switch and the third high-voltage switch have substantially identical operating characteristics.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the first high-voltage switch and the third high-voltage switch comprise NMOS transistors and the second high-voltage switch comprises a PMOS transistor.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the first branch comprises a voltage regulator.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the voltage regulator is coupled between a clamp node and an output node of the device.

10. The device of claim 8 wherein the voltage regulator comprises a Zener diode.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein a cathode terminal of the Zener diode is coupled to the second high-voltage switching circuit and an anode terminal of the Zener diode is coupled to the first high-voltage switching circuit.

12. A device, comprising:

a first high-voltage switching circuit;

a second high-voltage switching circuit;

a first branch, coupled between the first high-voltage switching circuit and the second high-voltage switching circuit, wherein the first branch, in operation, conducts an ultrasound transducer drive signal; and

a second branch, coupled between the first high-voltage switching circuit and the second high-voltage switching circuit, wherein the second branch, in operation, conducts a biasing current to bias the first branch, wherein the first branch includes a voltage regulator having:

a first plurality of diodes coupled together in series between the first high-voltage switching circuit and the second high-voltage switching circuit; and

an additional diode coupled in antiparallel arrangement with the first plurality of diodes.

13. A system, comprising:

a high-voltage shifter having:

a clamp node;

a first high-voltage switching circuit;

a second high-voltage switching circuit;

a first branch including an output node, the first branch coupling the first high-voltage switching circuit to the second high-voltage switching circuit, wherein the first branch, in operation, conducts an ultrasound transducer drive signal; and

a second branch, separate from the first branch, coupling the first high-voltage switching circuit to the second high-voltage switching circuit, wherein the second branch, in operation, conducts a biasing current to bias the first branch; and

a voltage clamp coupled to the clamp node.

14. The system of claim 13 , comprising:

a first input driver coupled to a control terminal of the first high-voltage switching circuit; and

a second input driver coupled to a control terminal of the second high-voltage switching circuit.

15. The system of claim 14 , comprising a controller, which, in operation, generates control signals to control the input drivers.

16. A system, comprising:

a high-voltage shifter having:

a clamp node;

a first high-voltage switching circuit;

a second high-voltage switching circuit;

a first branch coupled between the first high-voltage switching circuit and the second high-voltage switching circuit, wherein the first branch, in operation, conducts an ultrasound transducer drive signal; and

a second branch coupled between the first high-voltage switching circuit to the second high-voltage switching circuit, wherein the second branch, in operation, conducts a biasing current to bias the first branch; and

a voltage clamp coupled to the clamp node, wherein the voltage clamp comprises:

a first clamp switching transistor having a first conduction terminal coupled to a ground node;

a first diode coupled to the clamp node and to a second conduction terminal of the first clamp switching transistor;

a second clamp switching transistor having a first conduction terminal coupled to the ground node; and

a second diode coupled to the clamp node and to a second conduction terminal of the second clamp switching transistor.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the high-voltage shifter comprises:

a first reference-voltage node, wherein the first high-voltage switching circuit is coupled between the first reference-voltage node and the first and second branches, and in operation, the first high-voltage switching circuit selectively couples the first reference-voltage node to the first and second branches; and

a second reference-voltage node, wherein the second high-voltage switching circuit is coupled between the second reference-voltage node and the first and second branches, and in operation, the second high-voltage switching circuit selectively couples the second reference-voltage node to the first and second branches.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the first high-voltage switching circuit comprises:

a first high-voltage switch coupled between the first voltage-reference node and the first branch; and

a second high-voltage switch coupled between the first voltage-reference node and the second branch.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the second high-voltage switching circuit comprises a third high-voltage switch coupled between the second voltage-reference node and the first and second branches.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the first high-voltage switch, the third high-voltage switch and the second clamp switching transistor have substantially identical operating characteristics.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein,

the first high-voltage switch, the third high-voltage switch and the second clamp switching transistor comprise NMOS transistors; and

the second high-voltage switch and the first clamp switching transistor comprise PMOS transistors.

22. The system of claim 13 wherein the first branch comprises a voltage regulator.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the voltage regulator is coupled between the clamp node and an output node of the high-voltage shifter.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the voltage regulator comprises a Zener diode.

25. A system, comprising:

a high-voltage shifter having:

a clamp node;

a first high-voltage switching circuit;

a second high-voltage switching circuit;

a first branch, coupled between the first high-voltage switching circuit and the second high-voltage switching circuit, wherein the first branch, in operation, conducts an ultrasound transducer drive signal; and

a second branch, coupled between the first high-voltage switching circuit and the second high-voltage switching circuit, wherein the second branch, in operation, conducts a biasing current to bias the first branch; and

a voltage clamp coupled to the clamp node, wherein the first branch comprises a voltage regulator, the voltage regulator having:

a first plurality of diodes coupled together in series between the first high-voltage switching circuit and the second high-voltage switching circuit; and

an additional diode coupled in antiparallel arrangement with the first plurality of diodes.

26. The system of claim 13 , comprising:

an ultrasound transducer coupled to the output node.

27. A method, comprising:

in a first mode of operation of an ultrasound system,

conducting a driving current through a first branch of a voltage shifter, the first branch coupling a first high-voltage switching circuit of the voltage shifter to a second high-voltage switching circuit of the voltage shifter;

conducting a biasing current through a second branch of the voltage shifter, separate from the first branch of the voltage shifter, the second branch coupling the first high-voltage switching circuit of the voltage shifter to the second high-voltage switching circuit of the voltage shifter; and

conducting a sum of the bias current and the driving current through an ultrasound transducer; and

in a second mode of operation of the ultrasound system,

conducting the driving current through the first branch of the voltage shifter and the ultrasound transducer.

28. The method of claim 27 , comprising:

in a third mode of operation of the ultrasound system,

conducting the bias current through a clamp and a portion of the first branch of the voltage shifter;

conducting the driving current through another portion of the first branch of the voltage shifter; and

conducting the sum of the bias current and the driving current through the ultrasound transducer.

29. The method of claim 28 , comprising:

in a fourth mode of operation of the ultrasound system,

conducting the driving current through the ultrasound transducer and the clamp.

30. The method of claim 27 comprising regulating a voltage in the first branch of the voltage shifter.

31. The device of claim 12 , comprising a clamp node coupled to the second high-voltage switching circuit, wherein the first branch and the second branch are coupled between the first high-voltage switching circuit and the clamp node.

32. The device of claim 12 , comprising:

a first reference-voltage node, wherein the first high-voltage switching circuit is coupled between the first reference-voltage node and the first and second branches, and in operation, the first high-voltage switching circuit selectively couples the first reference-voltage node to the first and second branches; and

a second reference-voltage node, wherein the second high-voltage switching circuit is coupled between the second reference-voltage node and the first and second branches, and in operation, the second high-voltage switching circuit selectively couples the second reference-voltage node to the first and second branches.

33. The system of claim 25 , comprising:

a first input driver coupled to a control terminal of the first high-voltage switching circuit; and

a second input driver coupled to a control terminal of the second high-voltage switching circuit.

34. The system of claim 33 , comprising a controller, which, in operation, generates control signals to control the input drivers.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 7, 2022
From: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
To: STMICROELECTRONICS INTERNATIONAL N.V.
Reel/Frame 060301/0355 →
Priority Claims (1)
IT MI2013A001752 · Oct 21, 2013 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation 14518894 · Oct 20, 2014
Related Publication 20180130456A1 · May 10, 2018