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:
Oct. 04, 2011
Filed:
Sep. 30, 2008
Lawrence Skrenes, Hartland, WI (US);
David Maes, Cupertino, CA (US);
Lawrence Skrenes, Hartland, WI (US);
David Maes, Cupertino, CA (US);
Maxim Integrated Products, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Abstract
A system, apparatus and a method are described that provide a voltage clamp for a single-supply system. In particular, a negative voltage clamp prevents a negative over-voltage in a system having only a positive independent voltage source. For example, certain analog-to-digital converters and other circuits allow input signals below the negative supply, or ground in single-supply systems, either by direct sampling or using input attenuation resistors. The negative clamp allows the circuit to provide accurate negative over-voltage protection and the absence of this claim would result in over-voltage protection in positive voltage directions only.