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:
May. 29, 2007
Filed:
Feb. 13, 2003
James T. May, Tempe, AZ (US);
Larry E. Tyler, Mesa, AZ (US);
James T. May, Tempe, AZ (US);
Larry E. Tyler, Mesa, AZ (US);
Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US);
Abstract
A protection for ICs against ESD transients includes a circuit with a master circuit driving a slave circuit. The master circuit responds to ESD voltage V(t). The slave circuit comprises parallel shunt devices having common inputs. The output of the master circuit is coupled to the common inputs. As V(t) increases the master circuit applies a portion of V(t) to the input of the slave circuit shunt devices. The threshold voltage Vtat which the slave circuit shunt devices would otherwise turn on to a lower value Vt' closer to the holding voltage Vh of the shunt devices. All of the slave circuit devices turn on substantially simultaneously at about Vt′ close to Vh, thereby shunting the ESD transient to ground at a lower value of V(t). The master and slave circuits are inactive during normal IC operation.