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. 18, 2010
Filed:
Apr. 14, 2008
Ernesto Romani, Munich, DE;
Ernesto Romani, Munich, DE;
National Semiconductor Germany AG, Unterhaching, DE;
Abstract
The invention relates to the field of signal processing. It is an object of the invention to provide for limitation of a signal voltage to a predetermined maximum voltage (Vmax). To this end, an input signal (Vin) is applied to a voltage divider which includes a variable-resistance component (T) whose resistance is controlled by a control signal. An output signal (Vin') is picked-up at the variable-resistance component (T). The control signal is generated as an amplified difference between the output signal (Vin′) and a fixed reference voltage (Vmax/2), so that for an 'overvoltage case' in which the value of the input signal (Vin) exceeds that of a predetermined maximum voltage (Vmax) the output signal (Vin′) is kept substantially constant.