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:
Jun. 17, 2003
Filed:
Jun. 27, 2002
Marcus M. Martins, Richardson, TX (US);
Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
The invention provides apparatus, methods and systems for providing voltage protection at the drain-to-source path of an output transistor. The invention discloses circuit apparatus and system giving excess voltage protection in a circuit having a voltage swing up to approximately twice the voltage capacity of a circuit output transistor. Methods of the invention disclose maintaining the source-to-drain voltage of a protection transistor coupled to the circuit output transistor below its maximum value, while also maintaining the protection transistor gate-to-source voltage below its maximum value. The drain-to-source voltage of the circuit output transistor is guarded from exceeding its maximum acceptable drain-to-source voltage value by the protection transistor. Also disclosed are methods of selecting a protection transistor and related components such that the bias of the protection transistor is adjusted in response to the circuit output.