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:
Sep. 02, 2014
Filed:
Sep. 28, 2009
William Pugsley, Cambridge, GB;
Justin Penfold, Suffolk, GB;
Ian Sabberton, Cambridge, GB;
Cambridge Silicon Radio Limited, Cambridge, GB;
Abstract
A circuit for protecting a node () in an electronic device () from an electrostatic discharge comprising: a voltage rail () arranged to provide an predetermined voltage when the device is powered; a first switching device () connected between said node () and ground (); a second switching device () coupled to said node () and arranged to control the conductance of the first switching device () between said node () and ground (); wherein, the second switching device () is configured to, irrespective of whether the device is powered or not powered, (a) hold the conductance of the first switching device () low when the potential difference between the node () and the voltage rail () is within an operating range, and (b) hold the conductance of the first switching device () high in response to an overvoltage at the node () so as to allow current to flow from the node () to ground ().