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:
Feb. 11, 2003
Filed:
May. 14, 2001
Remi Gerber, Tolouse, FR;
Semiconductor Components Industries LLC, Phoenix, AZ (US);
Abstract
A circuit for reducing leakage current through one or more output transistors ( ) includes a capacitor circuit ( ) and additional circuitry. The capacitor circuit ( ) stores and discharges a charge, thus providing a current having a limited duration, which is related to a discharge time of the capacitor circuit. In one embodiment, the additional circuitry includes a current source circuit ( ), an amplifier circuit ( ), and one or more transistors ( ). The current source circuit is temporarily activated by the current from the capacitor circuit, and provides a second current to the amplifier circuit. The amplifier circuit amplifies the second current, and the amplifier current is used to activate the transistors ( ). When activated, the transistors draw current from the control terminals (e.g., the bases) of the output transistors ( ) after the output transistors have been switched off, thus reducing leakage currents through the output transistors.