The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 18, 1988
Filed:
Aug. 26, 1987
Eddie L Williamson, Jr, Fort Collins, CO (US);
Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
A system and method for unambiguously determining the orientation of a semiconductor component in a circuit. The invention draws a predetermined biasing current from the signal node of a circuit that is sufficient to forward bias protection and/or parasitic diodes that exist between the ground pin and signal pin of the semiconductor component. Hence, if all of the semiconductors coupled to a signal node are connected in proper orientation, a voltage of -V.sub.D will be detected on the signal node. A voltage of approximately two diode voltage drops is applied to the power node so that the protection and/or parasitic diodes of a semiconductor placed in the circuit in reverse orientation will be forward biased to produce a voltage on the signal node equal to approximately one diode voltage drop. Missing components and bent pins do not affect the results of the test performed by the present invention. Guarding techniques on the signal node are not required since impedances coupled to the signal node are normally high enough to allow the protection and/or parasitic diodes to be forward biased by current supplied by the current source.