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:
May. 07, 1996
Filed:
Feb. 07, 1994
SGS-Thomson Microelectronics S.r.l., Agrate Brianza, IT;
Abstract
A transistor in an output stage has an emitter connected to a supply rail and a collector connected to an output node. The transistor is protected against the effects of accidental shortcircuiting of the output node of the output stage with a positive pole of a battery while the circuit is unpowered, by a protection transistor of the same type as the transistor to be protected. The protection transistor has an emitter connected to the base of the output transistor, a collector connected to the output node of the output stage, and a base connected through a biasing resistance to the supply rail on the output stage. The protection transistor and an interdigitated structure of the transistor may be formed within the same pocket, thus reducing the required area.