Analog Devices,inc.

Analog Devices Global

John Twomey

Brian Anthony Moane

David J Clarke

Stephen Denis Heffernan

Brian B Moane

Javier Alejandro Salcedo

Gavin Patrick Cosgrave

Kieran K Heffernan

Juan Luo

Colm Patrick Ronan

Brian Sweeney

Seamus Murnane

Patrick Martin McGuinness

Edward John Coyne

William Allan Lane

Donal McAuliffe

Seamus Paul Whiston

Liam Joseph White

James Scanlon

An integrated circuit is provided in which a surge protector, protecting against modest over-voltage events which may contain a lot of energy, and an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protector, protecting against high voltage events that may contain only a little energy, are provided within the integrated circuit package. The two types of protectors may protect against different types of electrical events.

Chip including over-voltage and surge protection

A bus driver is provided that can withstand over voltages being applied to its output terminal without the protection circuit detracting from the voltage swing that can be provided by the driver. The circuit arrangement also allows transistors having good on state resistance and large tolerance of drain-to-source voltages to be used.

Bus driver / line driver

A protection device is provided that exhibits a turn on time of order of one nanosecond or less. Such a device provides enhanced protection for integrated circuits against electrostatic discharge events. This in turn reduces the risk of device failure in use. The protection device can include a bipolar transistor structure connected between a node to be protected and a discharge path.

Overvoltage protection device and method

Junction-isolated blocking voltage devices and methods of forming the same are provided. In certain implementations, a blocking voltage device includes an anode terminal electrically connected to a first p-well, a cathode terminal electrically connected to a first n-well, a ground terminal electrically connected to a second p-well, and an n-type isolation layer for isolating the first p-well from a p-type substrate. The first p-well and the first n-well operate as a blocking diode. The blocking voltage device further includes a PNPN silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) associated with a P+ region formed in the first n-well, the first n-well, the first p-well, and an N+ region formed in the first p-well. Additionally, the blocking voltage device further includes an NPNPN bidirectional SCR associated with an N+ region formed in the first p-well, the first p-well, the n-type isolation layer, the second p-well, and an N+ region formed in the second p-well.

Junction-isolated blocking voltage structures with integrated protection structures

Junction-isolated blocking voltage devices with integrated protection structures and methods of forming the same

An output stage interface circuit for interfacing with a data bus, comprising first and second rails for receiving respectively a high voltage and a low voltage from a power supply; a data output terminal; a first main switch element coupled between said terminal and the first rail and comprising a first main MOS device having a gate and an independently configurable back gate, and responsive to a first data control signal applied to the gate pulling the voltage on the data output terminal toward the first rail voltage; and a first control circuit responsive to the voltage on said terminal being pulled from a first state across a first voltage reference to a second state for coupling said back gate to said terminal and permitting coupling of the gate of said MOS device to said terminal, the first main MOS device presenting a high impedance on the terminal when its voltage is pulled to the second state.

Output stage interface circuit for outputting digital data onto a data bus, and a method for operating an output stage interface circuit

A voltage level shifting circuit () for shifting the common mode voltage of a differential signal to be within the working range of a differential input buffer circuit () comprises a first resistive voltage divider circuit () coupled between a first input terminal () and a voltage reference terminal () for receiving a voltage reference to which the common mode voltage of the level shifted differential signal is to be referenced, and a second resistive voltage divider circuit () coupled between a second input terminal () and the voltage reference terminal (). The differential signal is applied to the first and second terminals (), and the level shifted differential signal is produced on first and second output taps () of the first and second resistive voltage divider circuits () with the common mode of the level shifted differential signal referenced to the voltage reference applied to the voltage reference terminal (). First and second high frequency low impedance circuits () couple the first and second input terminals () to the first and second output taps () to provide respective direct current blocked high frequency low impedance paths for the differential signal to first and second differential inputs () of the differential input buffer circuit () for minimizing propagation delays resulting from low pass filters created by the interaction of the first and second resistive voltage divider circuits () with first and second intrinsic input capacitance (C,C) coupling the first and second differential inputs () of the differential input buffer circuit () to ground.

Voltage level shifting circuit, a differential input stage circuit, and a method for providing a level shifted differential signal to a differential input buffer circuit

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Fountainstown, Ireland

John Twomey