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. 06, 2008
Filed:
Nov. 08, 2005
Richard A. Harris, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Stephen Coates, San Francisco, CA (US);
Francois Hebert, San Mateo, CA (US);
Richard A. Harris, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Stephen Coates, San Francisco, CA (US);
Francois Hebert, San Mateo, CA (US);
FulTec Semiconductor, Inc., Moutain View, CA (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method for temperature-dependent transient blocking employing a transient blocking unit (TBU) that uses at least one depletion mode n-channel device interconnected with at least one depletion mode p-channel device. The interconnection is performed such that a transient alters a bias voltage Vof the p-channel device and a bias voltage Vof the n-channel device in concert to effectuate their mutual switch off to block the transient. The apparatus has a temperature control unit that is in communication with the TBU and adjusts at least one of the bias voltages V, Vin response to a sensed temperature T, thereby enabling the apparatus to also respond to over-temperature. In some embodiments the p-channel device is replaced with a positive temperature coefficient thermistor (PTC). The temperature control unit can use any suitable circuit element, including, among other a PTC, resistor, negative temperature coefficient element, positive temperature coefficient element, transistor, diode.