The first topic of this thesis proposes a 10-bit, 30 Msample/s pipeline analog-to-digital converter (ADC) suitable for digital video broadcasting over handheld (DVB-H) systems. The ADC is based on the 1.5-bit-per-stage pipeline architecture. The proposed design is implement- ed by 0.18 um CMOS technology. The input range is 2 V peak-to-peak differential signals, and the post-layout simulation result shows that the spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR) is 57.85 dBc with a full-scale sinusoidal input at 700 KHz. The maximum power consumption is 37 mW given a 3.3 V power supply. The core area is 0.27 mm2. The second topic is to propose a fully mixed-voltage-tolerant I/O cell implemented using typical CMOS 2P4M 0.35 um process. Unlike traditional mixed-voltage-tolerant I/O cell, the proposed design can transmit and receive the digital signals with voltage levels of 5/3.3/1.8 V. By using stacked PMOS and stacked NMOS at the output stage and a voltage level converter providing appropriate control voltages for the gates of the stacked PMOS, the gate-oxide overstress and hot-carrier degradation are avoided. Moreover, gate-tracking and floating N-well circuits are used to remove the undesirable leakage current paths. The maximum transmitting speed of the proposed I/O cell is 103/120/84 Mbps for the supply voltage of I/O cell at 5/3.3/1.8 V, respectively, given the load of 20 pF.

Video decoders play a very important role in the TV receivers. This is especially true for NTSC-based TVs. The design and implementation of the video decoder with two-line delay comb filter are presented. Moreover, the works includes the low-power SRAM (static random access memory) in the comb filter for storing scanning line data and the low-power small-area I/O cells for transmitting digital data. A digital phase lock loop (PLL) in the proposed video decoder uses a ROM-less 4£c-based direct digital frequency synthesizer (DDFS)-based digital control oscillator to resolve the false locking problem. Two 20-tap transposed FIRs (finite-duration impulse response filter) are used to implement the low pass filters (LPF) in the chrominance demodulator. Besides, the unnecessary decimals of the coefficients of the LPF are truncated to reduce hardware cost. The proposed SRAM takes advantage of a negative word-line voltage controlling the access transistors of the memory cell to reduce the leakage current in the standby mode. Besides, a memory bank partition scheme and a clock gating scheme are also used to save more power. Finally, a fully different concept from current I/O designs is proposed. The novel I/O cell takes advantage of reducing output voltage swing as well as transistors with different threshold voltages such that the area and power consumption of overall chip can be drastically reduced.

This thesis includes two topics. The first topic is a data dispatcher design of a digital image processor for plasma display panels, which can be used in a 42-inch plasma display panel (PDP). The second one is a low-power small-area digital I/O cell design. The data dispatcher is applied to a 42-inch panel, which is produced by AUO corporation, as a test platform. It comprises FPGAs and RAMs to carry out data dispatching. The solution is verified to provide a better image quality, while the cost is also reduced. Regarding the low-power small-area digital I/O cell, we propose a totally different concept in contrast to traditional I/O cells. It is focused on low power consumption and small area. The proposed design is carried out by TSMC 1P5M 0.25 mm CMOS process at 2.5 V power supply. The power consumption is measured to be at least 51.4% less than prior works. The area is proven to be at least 44% more efficient.

The thesis is composed of tow topics: a fully bidirectional mixed- voltage-tolerant I/O cell using a new output stage circuit and a sub-3¡ÑVDD wide range fully bidirectional mixed-voltage-tolerant I/O cell. The first topic discloses a mixed-voltage-tolerant I/O cell implemented using 2P4M 0.35 £gm CMOS process, which uses a low static power dynamic gate bias generator providing three different logic voltage levels to the output stage to avoid gate oxide reliability and leakage current. The design also reveals a new output stage circuit, which enhances the output current to resolve the poor driving capability caused by the slow mobility and body effect of the stacked PMOS. The second topic shows a sub-3¡ÑVDD wide range fully bidirectional mixed-voltage-tolerant I/O cell using 1P6M 0.18 £gm CMOS process, which employs a new dynamic gate bias generator and a PAD voltage detector to provide appropriate gate biases. The design includes a new gate tracking circuit and a floating N-well circuit to avoid gate oxide reliability and leakage current, which relaxes the body effect at the output PMOS.