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:
Dec. 02, 2008
Filed:
Oct. 31, 2005
Craig J. Rotay, Audubon, PA (US);
John Christopher Pritiskutch, Orwigsburg, PA (US);
Richard R. Hildenbrandt, Bath, PA (US);
Craig J. Rotay, Audubon, PA (US);
John Christopher Pritiskutch, Orwigsburg, PA (US);
Richard R. Hildenbrandt, Bath, PA (US);
STMicroelectronics, Inc., Carrollton, TX (US);
Abstract
A semiconductor indicator for quantitatively diagnosing voltage conditions in high power transistor devices is provided. The semiconductor indicator includes a first transistor and a second transistor, where an electrically active periphery of the second transistor is less than an electrically active periphery of the first transistor. The transistors are thermally coupled to one another and may be in close proximity. The second transistor detects the voltage of a node on the first transistor and may be monitored by infrared imaging. The breakdown voltage characteristic of the second transistor may not substantially change as the temperature in the first transistor increases. An optional control circuit monitors and detects the output voltage of the first transistor.