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:
Jan. 09, 2001
Filed:
Oct. 30, 1998
Julian Z. Chen, Plano, TX (US);
Thomas A. Vrotsos, Richardson, TX (US);
Yun-Shan Chang, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
An SCR provides for increased holding voltage by decoupling the pnp and npn parasitic bipolar transistors of the SCR. In one embodiment, a N+ region is placed between the n+ region and the p+ region normally associated with conventional SCR devices, to formulate a new resistance. The new resistance is manifested to allow more current to flow through the new resistance rather than through the SCR parasitic pnp bipolar transistor. Since the parasitic pnp bipolar transistor no longer turns on as strongly as it would otherwise without the low resistance path through the new resistor, the holding voltage of the SCR is raised.