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:
Jun. 10, 1997
Filed:
Jan. 28, 1993
Kozo Sakamoto, Hechiouji, JP;
Isao Yoshida, Nishitama-gun, JP;
Masatoshi Morikawa, Hachiouji, JP;
Shigeo Ohtaka, Takasaki, JP;
Hideki Tsunoda, Akishima, JP;
Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Hitachi VLSI Engineering Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
In a semiconductor device including a power MOSFET (M.sub.0) for the output stage, a temperature detection circuit produces an output signal upon detecting an abnormal rise in the chip temperature, the signal turns on a set input element (M.sub.1) in a latch circuit so that the latch circuit becomes a set state, the set output of the latch circuit turns on a control element (M.sub.5), causing the power MOSFET to become non-conductive so that it is protected from destruction. The latch circuit is not brought to a reset state even if the external gate terminal of the device is brought to zero volt. With a voltage outside the range of the normal input signal, e.g., a large negative voltage, being applied to the external gate terminal, the gate capacitance of the control element (M.sub.5) discharges, and consequently the latch circuit is brought to the reset state and the protective operation is cancelled. The semiconductor device is further provided with an external reset terminal, and the protective operation can also be cancelled through the application of a reset signal to the external reset terminal. The semiconductor device is protected from destruction and also from deterioration of characteristics of the power MOSFET (M.sub.0), and yet the protective operation is not cancelled erroneously by the normal input signal.