Atmel Germany Gmbh

Atmel Automotive Gmbh

Lars Hehn

Berthold Gruber

Franz Dietz

Manfred Klaussner

Anton Koch

A voltage comparator for comparing a reference voltage with a threshold, includes a first voltage-to-current converter to convert a reference voltage that determines the threshold into a reference current that depends on the reference voltage, a second voltage-to-current converter to convert the comparison voltage into a comparison current that depends on the comparison voltage, and an output stage to output a digital output level, wherein the digital output level depends on the reference current and the comparison current.

Voltage comparator utilizing voltage to current conversion

An integrated circuit having a first connection, a second connection, a substrate, and a control connection, in provided. The control connection controls a conductivity of the integrated circuit between the first connection and the second connection. The integrated circuit further includes a first transistor and n additional transistors with conductive paths connected between the first connection and the second connection, n diodes, each of the n diodes being connected between a control connection of the n transistors and a driver supply voltage that corresponds to the voltage at the first connection combined with an additive offset, and wherein the control connection of the integrated circuit connects either the driver supply voltage or the voltage at the first connection to a control connection of the first transistor, and a voltage divider that is connected between the first connection and the second connection in parallel to the conductive paths and that connects the control connections of the transistors to one another and to both the first connection and the second connection. The control connections of each set of two transistors are connected to one another by a subsection of the voltage divider, which lies between them.

Integrated circuit having a predefined dielectric strength

At least one or more terminals of an integrated circuit, such as a low- or high-side driver stage, are protected against transient or over-voltages by two pairs of diodes. A first pair of diodes includes a regular diode (D1 or D1') and a Zener-diode (ZD1 or ZD1&#x2032;). A second pair of diodes also includes a regular diode (D2 or D3) and a Zener-diode (ZD2 or ZD3). These diode pairs are looped into the respective circuit and cooperate with an n-channel MOSFET or a p-channel MOSFET to provide the required over-voltage protection, particularly for transmitter/receiver circuits and databus systems especially in motor vehicles.

Monolithic integratable circuit arrangement for protection against a transient voltage

A circuit for current measurement and current monitoring in a motor vehicle is provided, with a measuring circuit with a first subtractor circuit, connected to a measuring resistor; an offset circuit, which is connected to the first subtractor circuit in such a way that a first output voltage of the first subtractor circuit is increased by an offset voltage; a second subtractor circuit, which is connected to the offset circuit and the first subtractor circuit in such a way that a second output voltage of the second subtractor circuit is substantially independent of the offset voltage, and a comparator circuit with at least one switching threshold, which is connected to the second subtractor circuit for comparison of the second output voltage with the at least one switching threshold.

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Heilbronn, Germany

Lars Hehn