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. 20, 2004
Filed:
Feb. 22, 2001
Applicant:
Inventor:
Khusrow Kiani, Oakland, CA (US);
Assignee:
National Semiconductor Corporation, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H02H 3/20 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
H02H 3/20 ;
Abstract
An output driver obtains over voltage protection by utilizing a first transistor to pass signals from an internal node to an external node when the driver is transmitting data, and to isolate the internal node from the external node when the driver has stopped transmitting data. When the driver has stopped transmitting data, the voltage on the external node is subject to rising. The output driver also utilizes a second transistor and a resistance to ground to control the first transistor.