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:
Apr. 10, 2001
Filed:
May. 27, 1999
Applicant:
Inventors:
Luigi Gervasi, San Genesio ed Uniti, IT;
Sergio Lecce, Pavia, IT;
Franco Cocetta, Premariacco, IT;
Mauro Merlo, Torre d'Isola, IT;
Assignee:
STMicroelectronics S.r.l., Agrate Brianza, IT;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H03B 1/00 ; H03K 3/00 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
H03B 1/00 ; H03K 3/00 ;
Abstract
Relatively low currents are monitored through an integrated DMOS power transistor in a low-side driver configuration. A feedback circuit is responsive to the voltage applied to a gate of the DMOS power transistor to limit the minimum value to which the drain-source voltage may drop to keep it sufficiently high, and to allow a reliable monitoring of the current through the power transistor, even at relatively low levels. This is performed by increasing the conduction resistance of the power transistor at low current levels.