VCONN pull-down circuits and related methods are disclosed for USB Type-C connections. A device is connected through a USB Type-C connection to a separate device using connections including a CC (configuration channel) pin and a VCONN (connection power) pin. The device pulls down the VCONN pin to ground through a resistance (Ra) by applying the voltage on the CC pin to close a switch coupled between the VCONN pin and ground. The device can also be operated in a dead-battery mode where no supply voltage is present for the device. The device can also stop the pull-down on the VCONN pin after a connection is established, for example, using additional switches coupled to a pull-down control signal to remove the CC voltage and open the switch. The voltage on the CC pin can also be clamped to a desired voltage or voltage range using a voltage clamp.

A semiconductor device is described herein. In accordance with one exemplary embodiment the semiconductor device includes a chip package, which includes at least one semiconductor chip, a dedicated ground pin, a first supply pin for receiving a first supply voltage, a second supply pin for receiving a second supply voltage, and a first input pin. The semiconductor device further includes a first circuit integrated in the semiconductor chip, wherein the first circuit is coupled to the first supply pin and to the ground pin, and a second circuit integrated in the semiconductor chip, wherein the second circuit is coupled to the first supply pin and to a virtual ground node. An electronic switch is configured to connect the virtual ground node with the first input pin dependent on the level of a first input signal.

An integrated circuit having a plurality of selectable modes, functions and/or characteristics may be configured at the time of product manufacture by providing an appropriate resistance value pull-up resistor at an external connection (pin) of the integrated circuit package. At least one external connection (pin) may be used for such configuration of the integrated circuit. This is done without having to program the integrated circuit before placing on the product printed circuit board. The same integrated circuit may thus be used for a plurality of different products without requiring any pre-programming thereof. The integrated circuit's personality (desired characteristics) will be programmed automatically as soon as power is first applied to the finished product printed circuit board. Once the integrated circuit has been configured at power up, the external at least one connection (pin), initially used for configuration, can be used for either analog or digital input, output or input/output.

A communication device is disclosed. The disclosed communication device comprises: a transmission circuit for generating a transmission signal by using a first field effect transistor (FET) and a signal inputted from a first control circuit, and transmitting the transmission signal to a second control circuit; and a reception circuit for generating a reception signal by using a second field effect transistor (FET) and a signal received from the second control circuit, and outputting the reception signal to the first control circuit.

A method of protecting a serializer/deserializer (SERDES) differential input/output (I/O) circuit includes detecting an electrostatic discharge event. The method also includes selectively disengaging a power supply terminal from a pair of I/O transistors of the SERDES differential I/O circuit in response to the detected electrostatic discharge event. The method further includes selectively disengaging a ground terminal from the pair of I/O transistors of the SERDES differential I/O circuit in response to the detected electrostatic discharge event.

A communication device is disclosed. The disclosed communication device comprises: a transmission circuit for generating a transmission signal by using a first field effect transistor (FET) and a signal inputted from a first control circuit, and transmitting the transmission signal to a second control circuit; and a reception circuit for generating a reception signal by using a second field effect transistor (FET) and a signal received from the second control circuit, and outputting the reception signal to the first control circuit.

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes first, second, third, and fourth circuits. A first voltage is applied to the first circuit. A second voltage is applied to each of the second, third and fourth circuits. The third circuit is configured to generate a first control signal and a second control signal based on a signal generated by the first circuit and a signal generated by the second circuit. The fourth circuit is configured to output an output signal based on the first control signal and the second control signal. The output signal is brought to a high impedance state when at least one of the first voltage or the second voltage is not applied.

A transmitter circuit including a pre-driver circuit configured to receive a logic signal from a logic circuit and to generate a first signal driven by a first voltage, the pre-driver circuit including a transistor having a threshold voltage equal to or lower than a threshold voltage of a transistor included in the logic circuit, and a main-driver circuit configured to receive the first signal and generate a second signal driven by a second voltage, the main-driver circuit configured to output the second signal to an input/output pad, the main-driver circuit including a transistor having a threshold voltage which is equal to or lower than the threshold voltage of the transistor included in the logic circuit may be provided.

A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor chip operating at a first power supply voltage and a second semiconductor chip operating at a second power supply voltage lower than the first power supply voltage to supply the second power supply voltage to the first semiconductor chip. The semiconductor chips according to the present invention are conveniently used for fabrication of the semiconductor device. The first semiconductor chip includes an output circuit including a first transistor and a second transistor, interconnected in series and turned on or off complementarily. The output circuit outputs a signal to a first external output terminal. The first semiconductor chip also includes a third transistor connected in series with the first and second transistors and having a gate electrode connected to a second output terminal. The entire chip area is reduced, as compared with the case where plural semiconductor chips, operated at different operating voltages, are interconnected and used as such in a semiconductor device provided with an input/output buffer operating at a voltage different from the respective operating voltages resulting in an increased chip area.

A method of operating a storage device including first and second memory devices and a memory controller, which are connected to a single channel, the method including: transmitting first data output from the first memory device to the memory controller through a data signal line in the single channel; and transmitting a command to the second memory device through the data signal line while the memory controller receives the first data, wherein a voltage level of the data signal line is based on the command and the first data of the first memory device is loaded on the data signal line, and the first data and the command are transmitted in both directions of the data signal line.