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:
Jul. 20, 2010
Filed:
Jul. 08, 2008
Ira G. Miller, Tempe, AZ (US);
Eduardo Velarde, Chandler, AZ (US);
Ira G. Miller, Tempe, AZ (US);
Eduardo Velarde, Chandler, AZ (US);
Micrel, Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
A current sense device for a power transistor is described. The power transistor is formed in a cellular structure including a cellular array of transistor cells. The current sense device includes multiple transistor cells in the cellular array of transistor cells of the power transistor being used as sense transistor cells. The sense transistor cells are evenly distributed throughout the cellular array where the source terminal of each sense transistor cell is electrically connected to a first node through a metal line in the first metal layer and through a metal line in the second metal layer where the metal lines are electrically isolated from the metal lines connecting the transistor cells of the power transistor. The sense transistor cells measure a small portion of the current flowing through the power transistor based on the size ratio of the current sense device and the power transistor.