Texas Instruments Corporation

John Edward Esquivel

Christopher Michael Graves

James Craig Spurlin

Methods and apparatus for over-voltage protection of device inputs are disclosed. An example apparatus to protect a device from an over-voltage condition disclosed herein comprises a switch coupled between a device input and at least one component of the device, and a voltage compensator to pull a control input of the switch to a voltage associated with the device input to open the switch to protect the device component from the over-voltage condition.

Methods and apparatus for over-voltage protection of device inputs

The signal switch has flat resistance across the input/output voltage range when in the ON state while still isolating input/output nodes from overshoots and undershoots when in the off state. The signal switch includes: a p channel switch coupled between a first input/output node and a second input/output node; an n channel switch coupled in parallel with the p channel switch; an overshoot protection block having a first output coupled to a backgate of the p channel switch, a first input coupled to the first input/output node, a second input coupled to the second input/output node, a third input coupled to a gate of the p channel switch, and a second output coupled to a p-rail voltage node; and an undershoot protection block having a first output coupled to a backgate of the n channel switch, a first input coupled to the first input/output node, a second input coupled to the second input/output node, a third input coupled to a gate of the n channel switch, and a second output coupled to an n-rail voltage node.

Growing community of inventors

Sherman, TX, United States of America

John Edward Esquivel