US 11,942,934 B2
Level converter and circuit arrangement comprising such level converters
Rudolf Ritter, Esslingen (DE)
Assigned to ROBERT BOSCH GMBH, Stuttgart (DE)
Appl. No. 17/793,764
Filed by Robert Bosch GmbH, Stuttgart (DE)
PCT Filed Apr. 27, 2021, PCT No. PCT/DE2021/100381
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 19, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/219167, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 4, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2020 205 403.7 (DE), filed on Apr. 29, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0061922 A1, Mar. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. H03K 19/0175 (2006.01); H03K 19/00 (2006.01); H03K 19/0185 (2006.01)
CPC H03K 19/018528 (2013.01) [H03K 19/0005 (2013.01); H03K 19/0175 (2013.01); H03K 19/017509 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A level converter for a circuit arrangement, comprising:
a transistor;
an impedance converter;
an input voltage connection;
an output voltage connection; and
a power supply connection;
wherein:
the input voltage connection is connected to a gate terminal of the transistor and is configured to be connected to an input voltage that is to be shifted by the level converter,
the output voltage connection is connected to a source terminal of the transistor and to the power supply connection and is configured to provide the input voltage that is to be shifted by the level converter as an output voltage,
a first input terminal of the impedance converter is connected to the source terminal of the transistor,
an output terminal of the impedance converter is connected to a drain terminal of the transistor,
the power supply connection is configured to receive a current from a constant current source, and
the impedance converter is configured to keep a source-drain voltage of the transistor at a predefined value using a reference voltage;
wherein the circuit arrangement includes the level converter and another level converter, which is constructed identically to the level converter, and which are arranged together in an integrated circuit, wherein a positive input signal, which is related to a negative input signal, is fed into the input voltage connection of the level converter, wherein the negative input signal, which is related to the positive input signal, is fed into an input voltage connection of the another level converter,
wherein both the level converter and the another level converter raise the negative input signal and the positive input signal each by the same value, and wherein by the output voltage connection of the level converter, a correspondingly level-shifted positive output signal is emitted which corresponds to a negative output signal of an output voltage connection of the another level converter.