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:
Jul. 20, 1999
Filed:
Jun. 17, 1997
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
Picture elements and driving circuits for driving respective picture elements are monolithically formed on an insulating substrate. A protective circuit is provided for allowing input-output terminals of a driving circuit to conduct when a potential difference of not less than a predetermined value is generated. The protective circuit includes an MOS transistor, and a turn-on voltage thereof is set according to a thickness of a gate insulating layer. The protective circuit is formed on the insulating substrate simultaneously when forming the driving circuits. In this arrangement, because the turn-on voltage is set according to the thickness of the gate insulating layer and the thickness can be easily adjusted, an accurate turn-on voltage can be achieved. Since the arrangement prevents an increase in manufacturing cost, the driving circuits, etc., can be surely protected against static electricity generated in the manufacturing process and the input surge in the normal operation.