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. 04, 2000
Filed:
Nov. 27, 1996
Hiroshi Shigehara, Oita, JP;
Yoshihiro Iwamoto, Oita, JP;
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Kawasaki, JP;
Abstract
In a case where a plurality of outputs are connected and used, even when a voltage higher than the power-supply voltages inside the integrated circuit is applied to the signal output terminal, the reliability of the internal elements is prevented from deteriorating. The semiconductor integrated circuit includes a PMOS transistor that has its source potentially isolated from its back gate and has one end of the current path between its source and drain connected via a transistor switch to the signal output terminal. The integrated circuit generates a control signal having a value proportional to the voltage at one end of the current path between the source and drain of the PMOS transistor, supplies the generated control signal to the gate of the PMOS transistor, and controls the voltage of the control signal so that the potential difference between one end of the current path between the source and drain and the gate of the PMOS transistor may be within a desired range of values when the PMOS transistor is set in the on state by the control signal.